Carib Scope

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  • Nigerian twins Taiwo and Kehinde marry identical pair with same names

    Nigerian twins Taiwo and Kehinde marry identical pair with same names

    In a celebration that has captured public imagination across Nigeria, two sets of identical and fraternal twins exchanged vows in a perfectly symmetrical joint wedding in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State in southwestern Nigeria, leaving attendees and onlookers stunned by its one-of-a-kind charm.

    The event, held over two days, blended deep Yoruba cultural tradition with modern celebration, and every detail was designed to highlight the unique bond between the four participants. Twin sisters Taiwo and Kehinde Adediran, identical twins, walked down the church aisle arm-in-arm with their father to marry twin brothers Taiwo and Kehinde Oguntoye, fraternal twins. Both brides wore matching white gowns, while both grooms sported identical tailored suits paired with matching bow ties. A cohort of twin children served as page boys and flower girls, large promotional posters displayed the two couples sharing identical first names, and the official wedding hashtag #TwinningInLove2026 left no question about the event’s singular theme.

    When the processional began, guests stood from their seats en masse, holding aloft smartphones to capture the once-in-a-lifetime moment, a scene that drew curious crowds of passersby outside the church venue. “Twins marrying twins, really? This is my first time seeing this!” one onlooker shouted, as crowds clustered around the newlyweds for post-ceremony photos.

    For everyone in attendance, the perfectly matched union — with Taiwo Adediran marrying Taiwo Oguntoye and Kehinde Adediran marrying Kehinde Oguntoye — felt almost too serendipitous to be true. Following the ceremony, Taiwo Oguntoye spoke with reporters, his face glowing with joy. “We have always wanted to marry together and to marry twins,” he said. “And by the special grace of God, it happened. I am so happy to marry the love of my life!”

    Both sets of twins are native to Ibadan, a region that has gained widespread recognition for its unusually high twin birth rate, a demographic quirk that has shaped local cultural attitudes around multiple births. The Oguntoye brothers have built their public careers around elevating and celebrating twin culture: active in regional tourism and cultural outreach, they founded Twins World Creations and launched the Twin Tourism initiative to showcase the region’s unique twin heritage to the world.

    The couples’ love story stretches back years, beginning when a professor at the University of Ibadan introduced the brothers to the Adediran sisters. The four quickly built a close friendship, but when the Oguntoyes proposed moving the relationship beyond friendship to romantic courtship, the sisters turned them down. “We said no, we don’t want to date twins!” bride Kehinde Adediran shared with a laugh. The pair of twin pairs drifted apart, until the brothers reached out to reconnect years later. This time, the sisters agreed to give the relationship a chance.

    The event was rooted firmly in Yoruba cultural tradition, where twins have long held a unique, honored place in community life. Following longstanding naming customs, the first-born twin of any gender pair is traditionally named Taiwo, while the second-born receives the name Kehinde — a convention that created the unusual shared names for the marrying couples. It is also common in Yoruba culture for twins to wear matching outfits from childhood, often coordinating everything from shoes to jewelry to small accessories, a custom that shaped every part of the wedding weekend.

    The celebrations kicked off on Friday with a traditional Yoruba engagement ceremony, where both couples wore coordinated red formal outfits as relatives danced around stacks of ceremonial gifts presented by the grooms’ family to the brides’ family. The gifts included everything from staple food items like yams and bottled drinks to textiles and new luggage. Wedding portraits were carefully staged to highlight the similarities between the sibling pairs, all of whom are in their early 40s, and guests paused repeatedly throughout the day to compare the matching features and mannerisms of the twins.

    On Saturday, the celebration moved from the church ceremony to a sprawling, lively Yoruba owambe reception, a large, festive community gathering. When the newlywed couples made their grand entrance, smoke machines filled the venue entryway and flashing lights cut through the haze as guests cheered and lifted their phones to capture the moment. Dozens of other twins were in attendance among the hundreds of guests, adding to the unique atmosphere of the day.

    “I’ve always wished to marry a twin as well,” shared Kehinde Akanji, a 26-year-old friend of the grooms who attended the event alongside his own twin brother. “It’s our first time seeing something like this.” For Dupe Aduroja Giwa, the Alaga (traditional master of ceremonies for Yoruba weddings) who led the engagement ceremony, decades of officiating weddings had never prepared her for an event like this. “Twins from the same family marrying twins from the same family?” she said. “I have never seen this in my life. It is a privilege to be part of it.”

    As attendees and social media observers have noted, it is not every day that one Taiwo marries another Taiwo, and one Kehinde marries another Kehinde — a historic union that honors twin heritage and Yoruba culture all at once.

  • Jamaican ‘side hustles’ get $ 1 billion fund: First Union initiative expected to benefit thousands

    Jamaican ‘side hustles’ get $ 1 billion fund: First Union initiative expected to benefit thousands

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a landmark move to address Jamaica’s growing demand for accessible small business financing, First Union Financial Company Limited has unveiled a J$1 billion dedicated initiative aimed at lifting up thousands of working Jamaicans pursuing side businesses and budding entrepreneurs across the island.

    Named the Employees’ Side-Hustle and Entrepreneur Micro Loan Revolving Fund Programme, the new initiative is crafted to remove the most persistent barrier holding back income-generating ventures across Jamaica: limited access to affordable capital. By opening up financing to individuals looking to launch new side projects, scale existing small operations, or solidify their business foundations, the fund targets three core long-term goals: expanding financial independence for Jamaican households, increasing rates of local business ownership, and driving sustained, inclusive economic growth across the country, the company outlined in an official statement.

    Jonalisa Brooks, Group General Manager of First Union Financial, explained that the program was directly shaped by shifting labor and economic trends across Jamaica. In recent years, the country has seen a sharp rise in full-time employees launching supplementary side businesses to boost their household income, a trend that created an unmet need for targeted financial support.

    “We have watched a significant shift unfold: more and more Jamaicans are balancing full-time roles while building their own small business ventures on the side,” Brooks shared. “Countless people across the country are searching for actionable ways to add to their income, provide more stability for their families, and build a more secure financial future. We saw a clear gap: there was no dedicated financing program built specifically to support these ambitions, so we built one.”

    Beyond supporting new side-hustle launches, the initiative also delivers much-needed working capital to established small business owners who are ready to scale their operations and grow their impact. Brooks emphasized that access to affordable capital has long been the single biggest challenge facing small and micro enterprise owners across Jamaica, and the fund is designed to directly close that gap.

    “For emerging and established small business owners alike, limited access to financing remains the top barrier to growth,” Brooks noted. “Through this revolving fund, we are delivering practical, accessible funding solutions that meet entrepreneurs where they are. Our commitment to serving the people of Jamaica — working employees and aspiring business owners alike — has never been stronger.”

    Qualified applicants will be able to access loans of up to J$2.5 million to support a broad range of viable income-generating activities. Eligible sectors include retail and wholesale trade, agriculture and agro-processing, local manufacturing, transportation and logistics, professional services, import and distribution, technology and digital businesses, along with other vetted profitable ventures.

    A key innovative feature of the program is its revolving fund structure, which creates a self-sustaining model of financing for future generations of Jamaican entrepreneurs. As current borrowers repay their loans, those funds are cycled back into the pool to issue new loans, ensuring that capital remains available to support new business founders long into the future.

    Brooks emphasized that the launch comes at a critical juncture for Jamaica’s economic recovery and long-term development, noting that many of the country’s most successful, industry-leading businesses started as small side projects run by hardworking founders. “Thousands of Jamaicans have the talent, the drive, and the game-changing ideas to build thriving, successful enterprises — but too often, they are held back simply because they can’t access the capital they need to get off the ground or grow,” she said. “This fund is built to unlock that untapped potential.”

    “Jamaica needs more entrepreneurs, more local business owners, and more local job creators,” Brooks added. “By investing in hardworking people who are ready to invest in themselves and their ideas, we are building stronger local communities, more resilient small businesses, and ultimately a stronger, more prosperous Jamaican economy.”

    First Union Financial is now encouraging all interested eligible Jamaicans to learn more about the program, reach out to company offices for detailed information on eligibility criteria and application processes, and take advantage of the new financing opportunity.

  • Million dollar mango market hit by middle east war

    Million dollar mango market hit by middle east war

    Under the blistering heat of southern Pakistan’s famed mango-growing region, farm workers perch precariously on thick tree branches, moving quickly to pluck ripe golden fruit and drop it into canvas sacks held by colleagues on the dusty ground below. It is peak mango season, but a sharp, unforeseen disruption tied to the ongoing Middle East crisis has upended the entire supply chain, leaving thousands of farmers and traders facing crippling financial losses this year. Pakistan, which has stepped in to mediate talks between conflict parties, has watched its agriculture-dependent economy get dragged into the crossfire of regional instability, with disastrous consequences for the country’s most iconic export crop.

    The annual mango harvest in Sindh province, the heart of Pakistan’s mango industry, kicked off in June. A preliminary ceasefire deal between warring parties announced by Pakistani mediators this week came far too late to salvage the 2024 export season, which wraps up in September. Traders and industry leaders confirm that total exports are on track to drop by at least 30% compared to last year, driven by plummeting demand in key regional markets and a four-fold surge in international shipping costs.

    In Tando Allahyar, the core of Pakistan’s mango cultivation belt, orchard manager Mohammad Shakeel oversees fields of the premium Sindhri variety – a golden-skinned mango celebrated across South Asia for its rich, sweet flavor and juicy pulp, named for the province where it thrives. Today, Shakeel says he is staring down losses so severe that many independent contractors have walked away from harvest contracts entirely, abandoning their advance deposits rather than risking further debt. “So many losses have been incurred, the contractors have even left their advance money,” he told AFP in an interview on the orchard floor.

    Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest mango exporter, growing more than two dozen commercial varieties that normally generate roughly $110 million in annual export revenue. The “king of fruits,” as it is known across South Asia, is not just an economic staple but a cultural icon for the country. The current crisis lays bare the deep geopolitical vulnerability of Pakistan’s economy, which relies heavily on an agricultural sector already grappling with growing climate disruptions ranging from extreme heatwaves to catastrophic flooding.

    Waheed Ahmed, Chief Patron of the All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporter Association, explains that nearly 80% of Pakistan’s mango exports go to markets in the Gulf region, Iran, and neighboring Afghanistan – all areas that have been gripped by escalating conflict and political instability in recent months. “The border to Afghanistan is closed, there is war in Iran… there is war in the entire Middle East,” Ahmed noted. He projects that total mango exports will fall from around 110,000 tonnes last season to just 80,000 tonnes this year, a 27% drop that aligns with trader forecasts of a 30% decline in export revenue.

    While Ahmed welcomes the preliminary US-Iran ceasefire announced this week, the agreement came too late to reverse the damage to this year’s harvest, and long-term uncertainty remains for future seasons. “The main challenges still remain,” he said. Persistent conflict along Pakistan’s western border with Afghanistan has already frozen cross-border trade, leaving hundreds of loaded trucks stranded at closed crossings for months. Meanwhile, escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz – the world’s busiest maritime oil trade route – have driven up global energy prices, pushing shipping costs to unprecedented levels. Last year, Ahmed says, a 25-tonne container of mangoes cost roughly $1,400 to ship to key Gulf markets. This year, that same container costs between $6,000 and $7,000, a more than 300% increase that prices most exporters out of the international market.

    Any hopes that flooding the domestic market with cheap, surplus mangoes would offset lost export earnings have quickly been dashed by broader economic pressures spurred by the regional conflict. Pakistan’s inflation rate jumped from 5.5% in the pre-conflict July-February period to 10% in the three months after hostilities escalated, according to official government data. Soaring prices for basic goods including bread, fuel, and housing have left working-class Pakistani households unable to afford even the deeply discounted mangoes now available in local markets.

    At a bustling open-air market in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest and most economically diverse city, customer Muhammad Ashad examined stacks of plump, cheap mangoes priced at 200 Pakistani rupees (roughly $0.72) per kilogram – exactly half the price he paid last year. “Mangoes are very cheap this time compared to the last few years… because our export has stopped,” he explained. “I am seeing everywhere that there are very good mangoes, but people are still not able to buy them.”

    Shakeel, the orchard manager, says the dynamic creates a lose-lose situation for producers and consumers alike. Local prices are at rock bottom, but millions of households cannot afford to purchase the fruit even at half the 2023 price. “In the local market, the price is low. But not everyone can afford to buy mangoes. Look at the state of the country: expenses are rising… income is low. Should they buy their bread first or our mangoes?” he asked. For Pakistan’s $110 million mango industry, the 2024 harvest will go down as a cautionary tale of how regional geopolitical instability can quickly unravel the livelihoods of millions of people working in one of the country’s most important agricultural sectors.

  • Puerto Plata Dominican Republic Navy assists 4 people of different nationalities in Atlantic waters

    Puerto Plata Dominican Republic Navy assists 4 people of different nationalities in Atlantic waters

    In a coordinated early-morning rescue operation on Saturday, June 20, the Dominican Republic Navy safely extracted four stranded mariners from disabled recreational watercraft off the country’s northern Caribbean coast, following an urgent distress alert relayed by an international commercial cargo ship. The group of travelers, holding citizenship from the United States, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic, had set out from the Turks and Caicos Islands bound for Ocean World, a popular marine attraction in Puerto Plata, traveling aboard one small recreational boat and three personal jet skis before their vessels developed critical navigation issues that left them adrift in open water.

    After the recreational craft lost propulsion and became stranded, the crew of the Liberian-flagged merchant tanker STOLT ACER first located the group at their reported geographic coordinates, then issued an urgent request for additional assistance to Dominican maritime authorities. Promptly activating established international maritime search-and-rescue protocols, Dominican naval command dispatched surface vessels to the distress site to complete the transfer of the four stranded travelers from the merchant ship to Navy rescue craft.

    Naval personnel safely brought all four survivors ashore at the Ocean World facility in Puerto Plata, where they were immediately transferred to the Dominican National Emergency and Security System 9-1-1 for routine preventive medical check-ups. None of the rescued travelers reported serious injuries following the incident.

    Following the successful operation, Dominican Navy leadership highlighted that the mission underscores the service’s ongoing commitment to protecting human life in maritime areas under the country’s jurisdiction, maintaining constant surveillance of territorial waters, and upholding global maritime safety standards for all seafarers, regardless of nationality or vessel type.

  • Who was Francesca Valentino, the Italian tourist who died in the Bayahibe fire?

    Who was Francesca Valentino, the Italian tourist who died in the Bayahibe fire?

    Last Friday, a destructive blaze tore through the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach hotel, a popular resort destination located in the Dominican Republic’s coastal town of Bayahibe, leaving one fatality: 45-year-old Italian national Francesca Valentino, a mother of two who was on the island visiting family. Authorities have officially confirmed that Valentino, who was scheduled to celebrate her 46th birthday this coming July, passed away due to life-threatening complications caused by smoke inhalation from the fire.

    The rapid spread of the fire triggered an emergency evacuation protocol that displaced more than 1,700 registered guests staying at the beachfront property. Following the evacuation order, local emergency teams and resort management coordinated to relocate all displaced guests to alternative accommodation, including a collection of nearby hotels and Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, the resort brand’s adjacent sister property that has continued operating without any disruptions since the incident.

    Early findings from ongoing investigative work point to two key factors that allowed the flames to spread across the property at an accelerated pace: strong regional wind conditions on the day of the fire, and the high flammability of the resort’s thatched roofing. At present, a dedicated technical investigative commission is still conducting detailed examinations to pinpoint the exact origin and root cause of the blaze.

    In an official statement released following the tragedy, representatives of the Viva Wyndham hotel complex extended their deepest, sincere condolences to Valentino’s grieving family. The statement also reaffirmed the resort’s longstanding commitment that the safety and security of all guests and staff members remains its uncompromised top priority.

  • Growing old is a gift

    Growing old is a gift

    Scroll through any social media platform in 2024, and you are almost guaranteed to pause on a viral clip of an older adult that stops you mid-scroll and pulls a genuine smile. It might be a silver-haired grandfather sharing off-the-cuff life advice, his eyes crinkling with warmth. Or an 80-year-old grandmother dancing with more energy and rhythm than her grandchildren half her age. Or a retiree who distills a lifetime of learning into one pithy, wiser line than any best-selling self-help book could craft.

    These clips spread like wildfire, shared between friends and tagged in group chats, because they tap into a universal, warm truth: there is a unique, profound joy in watching someone who has lived a full life continue to find delight in small, everyday moments. They remind us, even for just a fleeting minute, that growing old is not a fate to dread—it is a gift that too many people never get the chance to receive.

    This reflection hits especially close to home on Father’s Day, a holiday when we gather to honor the fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and elder male mentors who have shaped who we are. Many of these beloved figures are now in the season of life we define as old age, making it the perfect moment to ask a question that matters to every single one of us: when our turn comes— as it inevitably will for all—how do we want to be treated as we age?

    The reality is, all of us are already growing older. And for Jamaica, this demographic shift is far more than a passing talking point: it is a defining national transition. Right now, the country counts roughly 350,000 residents aged 60 and older, and that number continues to climb steadily. Globally, the United Nations projects the over-60 population will hit 2 billion by 2050. This shift is not the impending crisis many frame it as; in fact, it is a remarkable triumph of modern medicine and social progress that more people than ever get to live long, full lives. But it does demand that we build a society that works for the people who spent their lifetimes building it first.

    One truth we rarely discuss openly is how pervasive loneliness is in older age. Children grow up and move away to build their own lives. Longtime friends and partners pass on. The phone rings less and less each passing year. For far too many seniors, the deepest pain does not come from creaky joints or slower steps—it comes from long, quiet days spent in isolation, feeling forgotten by the very communities and people they dedicated their lives to supporting.

    But this is not an intractable problem. This is a problem we can solve together. Quality medical care is undeniably critical to healthy aging, but aging with dignity requires more than just access to treatment. It requires consistent connection, a sense of purpose, and the simple, foundational assurance that you still matter. It requires a society that chooses to grow kinder, not colder, as its population ages.

    No one pretends that every senior in Jamaica currently receives the care and respect they deserve. Painful stories of neglect and isolation are all too common, and they demand our attention. But rather than only fixate on past failures, it is far more productive to focus on the inclusive future we are building right now—because the solution to loneliness and neglect is a community that shows up for its elders.

    That community-centered spirit is at the heart of new initiatives advancing through Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness. The ministry is rolling out a new community-based model of geriatric care that brings critical services directly to older people, rather than forcing them to travel to distant hospitals to access support. Pilot specialized geriatric clinics will launch first in St Ann and St Catherine, offering comprehensive health assessments and condition-specific care tailored to older adults. The government is also expanding structured home-based care, where community health aides conduct regular, scheduled check-ins under the supervision of public health nurses, bringing support straight to seniors where they live.

    But the Jamaican government cannot solve this challenge alone, nor should it. This is a national project that demands buy-in from every sector. Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Chris Tufton is calling on private sector stakeholders and local community groups to reimagine what healthy, connected aging can look like for Jamaica. This could mean senior daycare centers, where working adult children can leave their parents in safe, social company instead of leaving them home alone all day. It could mean community retreats, recreational activities, and intergenerational gathering spaces designed specifically for older adults. These spaces would give seniors a place to come together, share their life stories, and pass down the hard-won wisdom that we already love celebrating in viral social media clips—reminding them they remain a vital, irreplaceable part of Jamaica’s national life.

    Ultimately, the success of these efforts will not be measured by the number of clinics built or programs announced. It will be measured by whether our mothers and fathers, our grandparents and neighbors, can grow old with dignity, independence, and joy.

    So this Father’s Day, as we honor the older men in our lives and every senior who has carried our nation to where it is today, we can make a quiet, collective promise: we will not let them grow old alone, and we will build a Jamaica that grows kinder as it grows older. Because if we are lucky enough to live long enough, each of us will one day be that voice in the video, that elder in the photograph, hoping the world still keeps a warm place for us. How would you want to be treated when your turn comes? Let us treat the seniors who built this country exactly that way today.

    This commentary is by Dr. Chris Tufton, CD, MP, Jamaica’s Minister of Health and Wellness.

  • Assinie Wilson wins first national title

    Assinie Wilson wins first national title

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a thrilling display of speed and determination at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) National Championships held at Kingston’s iconic National Stadium, 24-year-old hurdler Assinie Wilson secured the most significant victory of his young career so far on Saturday. Crossing the finish line with a winning time of 48.91 seconds, Wilson claimed his first ever Jamaican senior national title and earned an automatic spot on Jamaica’s roster for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, scheduled to take place in Glasgow, Scotland this coming July.

    Coming into the national championships, Wilson entered the competition as the top-ranked men’s 400m intermediate hurdler in Jamaica for the 2014 season, carrying high expectations after finishing as the runner-up at the previous year’s national event. This year’s competition took on a different dynamic, however, with Jamaican national record holder Roshawn Clark absent from the starting line-up, opening a clear path for a new champion to emerge.

    Wilson rose to the occasion, holding off a strong challenge from the rest of the field to cross the line first. Behind the new champion, Romario Stewart of Mico University delivered a standout personal performance, clocking a new lifetime best of 49.43 seconds to claim the second place spot on the podium. Rounding out the top three finishers was Malik James King, who recorded a time of 50.07 seconds to secure the third position.

    Reporting from Kingston, Paul A Reid

  • What causes the intense heat that occurs at dawn and dusk in the Dominican Republic?

    What causes the intense heat that occurs at dawn and dusk in the Dominican Republic?

    Just 24 hours before the 2026 summer season officially gets underway, a oppressive heat dome has parked itself across the Caribbean, bringing life-threatening extreme heat that could push the heat index as high as 43 degrees Celsius in multiple local areas, senior meteorological analyst Jean Suriel has warned.

    This extreme heat event is not occurring in isolation: it is being supercharged by the overlapping influence of three additional atmospheric and climate patterns that are making the dangerous conditions far worse. These include the sixth Saharan dust cloud to reach the Caribbean nation’s territory this season, the ongoing warming impacts of El Niño, and the long-term cumulative warming driven by human-caused climate change.

    Suriel detailed that the dangerous convergence of these multiple factors has created an almost unendurable outdoor and indoor environment for local residents, carrying measurable health risks that disproportionately impact the most vulnerable groups in the population. Young children, elderly adults, and individuals living with chronic pre-existing medical conditions face the greatest threat of heat-related illness during this event.

    To reduce the risk of adverse health outcomes, the meteorological specialist has issued clear public guidance. He urges all residents to maintain consistent hydration throughout the day, skip any unnecessary prolonged activity under direct sunlight between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. when UV radiation and temperatures peak, and opt for lightweight, breathable clothing that supports natural body cooling. Beyond individual actions, Suriel also called on national and local public authorities to ramp up public heat safety prevention campaigns, and maintain close monitoring of how the ongoing heatwave is disrupting the country’s daily operations and key economic productive activities.

  • Summer officially begins: interesting facts you may not know

    Summer officially begins: interesting facts you may not know

    Calculations from the National Astronomical Observatory confirm that the 2026 summer season in the Northern Hemisphere officially kicked off at 10:24 a.m. local time on June 21, marking the annual summer solstice event. The solstice occurs when the sun reaches its northernmost celestial point, achieving the highest midday altitude in the Northern Hemisphere sky and bringing the longest period of daylight of the entire year. This year’s summer run will span 93 days and 16 hours, closing out on September 23 when autumn officially begins.

    The term “solstice” itself traces its roots to the Latin phrase meaning “sun standing still,” a name inspired by a little-known scientific pattern: for several days surrounding the solstice, the sun’s maximum daily altitude changes very little, creating the illusion that it has stopped moving along the horizon. A key global climate pattern also accompanies the solstice: while the Northern Hemisphere transitions into the warmer, longer-day summer season, the Southern Hemisphere simultaneously reaches its winter solstice and begins the coldest season of the year.

    Beyond the popular cultural associations of summer with coastal getaways and beach vacations, the warmest season offers a host of unique stargazing and astronomical opportunities. On summer’s short, warm nights, several of the solar system’s brightest planets are visible to the naked eye at different times: Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter come into view shortly after the sun sets, while Mars and Saturn can be spotted before dawn breaks. One of the most iconic summer celestial features is the Summer Triangle, a distinct asterism formed by three bright stars—Altair in the Aquila constellation, Deneb in Cygnus, and Vega in Lyra—that stands out clearly against the dark summer sky.

    For 2026, skywatchers have an extra special astronomical event to mark on their calendars: a partial solar eclipse set to occur on August 12. Astronomy experts have highlighted this as one of the most anticipated celestial events of the year, offering a rare chance to observe the moon pass between Earth and the sun and partially obscure the solar disk during the summer months.

  • ‘A masterclass in selfless service’

    ‘A masterclass in selfless service’

    Dame Marie Clemetson, a pioneering Jamaican nursing leader who made history as the first Jamaican Dame of The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem and former chief nursing superintendent of St John Ambulance Brigade Jamaica, was laid to rest on Saturday following a life defined by decades of selfless service to public health and community welfare.

    A moving thanksgiving service to honor her legacy was held at Kingston’s Holy Cross Church, where Earl Jarrett, chairman of St John Jamaica, delivered a heartfelt tribute on behalf of the organization, framing Dame Marie’s decades of work as a masterclass in unwavering service, steadfast faith, and radical compassion for vulnerable communities.

    Dame Marie’s distinguished global career in healthcare began in England, where she completed her rigorous professional nursing training. When she returned to her home country of Jamaica, she immediately committed her specialized skills to volunteer work, officially joining the St John Ambulance Brigade’s volunteer corps in 1960. Over the following six decades, she climbed the organization’s ranks through consistent dedication and exceptional leadership, eventually rising to the position of chief nursing superintendent. Jarrett noted that Dame Marie led the brigade with a one-of-a-kind balance of disciplined, evidence-based professionalism and gentle, maternal warmth, mentoring hundreds of new volunteers and first responders who carried her lessons forward through their own service.

    Beyond the St John Ambulance Brigade’s core work of emergency response, Dame Marie identified a critical unmet need in Jamaica’s national healthcare ecosystem: structured, compassionate in-home care for elderly, chronically ill, and socially vulnerable Jamaicans who could not access consistent institutional care. To fill this gap, she pioneered the integration of formalized home nursing care and caregiving training into the brigade’s core services, a transformative shift that reshaped community health across Jamaica. Drawing on St John’s established international training protocols, she developed a accessible, practical curriculum that equipped thousands of ordinary Jamaicans with life-saving caregiving skills, permanently embedding St John Ambulance Brigade as a foundational pillar of grassroots healthcare on the island.

    Jarrett also highlighted Dame Marie’s extraordinary skill as a leader who turned big-picture vision into tangible, lasting change, particularly through her groundbreaking resource mobilization work. One of her most notable achievements was successfully negotiating with international humanitarian organization Food For the Poor to secure a cutting-edge, fully equipped ambulance for the brigade. This vehicle became an essential lifeline for underserved communities across Jamaica, and it endures today as a symbol of Dame Marie’s unyielding determination to ensure that limited resources never became a barrier to saving Jamaican lives.

    Dame Marie’s decades of tireless service earned her historic recognition at the local, regional, and international levels. Her inclusive ecumenical spirit and unwavering advocacy for poor and sick communities across the Caribbean caught global attention in 2015, when Pope Francis awarded her a prestigious papal honor — a rare distinction that made her the first Jamaican to receive the accolade, cementing her status as a global leader in humanitarian care. Her 2019 investiture as the first Dame of the Order of St John in Jamaica marked a historic milestone for the national St John organization, highlighting the outsized impact of her work.

    Today, Dame Marie’s legacy stands as a guiding example for the global St John network, which includes more than 160,000 active volunteers serving across 40 countries. “Dame Marie did not just wear the St John cross; she carried its virtues of devotion and charity in her heart every single day,” Jarrett told attendees at the service. “Her legacy lives on in every ambulance that rolls out to save a life, in every home nurse who gently tends to a patient, and in the enduring spirit of volunteerism at St John Jamaica.”

    In the wake of Dame Marie’s passing, St John Jamaica has extended its deepest condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues, and reaffirmed its commitment to honoring her memory by carrying forward the life-saving community health work she built.