Carib Scope

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  • Minister Usher Reviews Hurricane Preparedness with NEMO

    Minister Usher Reviews Hurricane Preparedness with NEMO

    With less than two months remaining before the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially kicks off on June 1, Belize is moving full steam ahead to shore up its disaster readiness capabilities, led by top government officials and the nation’s emergency management authority. On a recent inspection tour, Henry Charles Usher, the country’s Minister of Public Service and Disaster Risk Management, traveled to the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) headquarters in the capital city of Belmopan to conduct a first-hand review of the nation’s preparedness standing.

    During his visit, Minister Usher held in-depth working sessions with Daniel Mendez, NEMO’s National Emergency Coordinator, alongside the entire NEMO technical team. The closed-door talks centered on two core priorities: refining existing national readiness plans for the six-month storm season, and mapping out optimized response protocols that would enable rapid, coordinated action in the event a tropical cyclone or hurricane makes landfall in Belize.

    NEMO officials presented the latest progress updates on a slate of ongoing preparedness initiatives, which range from updating inter-agency emergency response blueprints to strengthening cross-stakeholder coordination frameworks. Participants also used the meeting to address gaps in current operations, with a particular focus on improving public communication channels and streamlining emergency protocols across every regional and local jurisdiction in the country.

    One key initiative highlighted during the briefing is the ongoing update to the national hurricane shelter registry. Working hand-in-hand with local municipal authorities and non-government partners, NEMO has been verifying shelter locations and capacity to build an accurate, up-to-date list for public distribution. In the coming weeks, the inter-agency Shelter Repair Committee will convene for its pre-season inspection tour, where teams will assess every registered shelter facility to flag structures requiring urgent repairs or structural upgrades ahead of the season’s mid-August to October peak, when the majority of Atlantic storms typically develop.

    Beyond shelter preparations, cross-cutting needs assessments are currently underway at both the national and district levels to ensure all emergency stockpiles, heavy response equipment, and critical resources are accounted for, properly maintained, and positioned for rapid deployment when needed. Any gaps identified through these assessments will be addressed in the coming weeks to avoid shortfalls during a crisis.

    Following the briefing, Minister Usher emphasized that proactive preparedness, seamless inter-agency coordination, and widespread public awareness are the three most critical pillars for reducing the loss of life and damage caused by hurricanes and other extreme weather events. He extended formal commendation to the NEMO team for their consistent, rigorous work ahead of the season, and reaffirmed the Belizean government’s full financial and policy commitment to supporting disaster risk reduction and preparedness initiatives across the country.

    As final preparations continue, both NEMO and the Ministry of Public Service and Disaster Risk Management are issuing a public call to action for all Belizean residents. Officials are urging households to review and update their personal family emergency plans, monitor official weather and emergency updates from trusted sources, and complete all personal preparedness steps well in advance of the season’s June 1 start, rather than waiting for a storm to approach the country’s coast.

  • Costume Island Antigua Thanks Police and Public After Recovery of Stolen Items

    Costume Island Antigua Thanks Police and Public After Recovery of Stolen Items

    Following the successful recovery of the vast majority of property stolen in a recent theft incident on its premises, the management team of Costume Island Antigua has issued a public statement of gratitude to both the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda and local community members.

    In an official update distributed across social media and local online platforms, resort leaders emphasized that the breakthrough in the case would not have been possible without coordinated cross-group collaboration. They framed the entire recovery operation as a striking example of what can be achieved when law enforcement and ordinary residents work toward a shared goal, calling the process “truly a joint effort”.

    Three officers in particular received special public recognition for their tireless work on the investigation: Senior Sergeant Benjamin, Sergeant Brown, and Corporal Massiah. Management highlighted their attention to detail, persistent investigative work, and commitment to resolving the case quickly.

    Beyond law enforcement, the management also extended sincere thanks to ordinary members of the public who came forward to share what officials described as “credible information”. That critical tip, the team confirmed, directly enabled investigators to take the alleged perpetrator into custody. Following the arrest, the suspect has been remanded to prison pending further legal proceedings. The successful resolution of the incident has been widely celebrated as a win for community cooperation in Antigua.

  • Belize’s Campaign Finance Reform Is Still MIA and Election Season Is Already Here

    Belize’s Campaign Finance Reform Is Still MIA and Election Season Is Already Here

    As Belize enters the final stretch of preparation for upcoming municipal elections, a long-deferred and contentious policy issue has returned to the national spotlight, sparked by a small, targeted campaign gesture from a local opposition politician. In early May 2026, United Democratic Party (UDP) caretaker Edward Broaster rolled out a $2 gas subsidy for local constituents, a move that appeared routine on its surface but quickly reignited long-simmering public debate over a gaping hole in Belize’s election regulation framework: the complete lack of mandatory campaign finance disclosure rules.

    With less than 10 months remaining before voters head to the polls, the status of campaign finance transparency in Belize remains identical to what it was ahead of the 2020 general election: there is no legal requirement for political candidates or parties to disclose who is funding their campaigns, leaving voters with no insight into the financial backers shaping election outcomes.

    The promise of sweeping campaign finance reform is not a new talking point for the current ruling People’s United Party (PUP). Long before the PUP won control of government, when current Prime Minister John Briceño served as opposition leader, he laid out a clear four-part framework for what the promised reform legislation would include. Briceño outlined that the bill would first establish formal legal definitions and universal operational standards for registered political parties. Second, it would settle the core question of what funding model is allowed for election campaigns, with three frameworks — strictly private funding, strictly public funding, and a mixed public-private model — all under consideration, alongside new rules to restrict the types of donations that parties can accept.

    When the PUP took power, reform advocates initially saw tangible momentum toward turning that promise into law. By May 2021, Briceño publicly pledged that the full reform legislation would be passed before the end of the year, with formal support already secured from two of the country’s most influential non-governmental bodies: the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC). The BCCI even took the extraordinary step of drafting its own full proposed bill and presented the text to the public, in a push to pressure the government to move forward. Then-BCCI President Marcelo Blake explained at the time that the group’s goal was to outline the key components of meaningful reform for media and the public, then collaborate with the Briceño administration to turn the draft into enforceable law.

    The NTUC, the country’s leading union federation, also threw its full institutional weight behind the reform push, with its leadership making clear the high stakes of closing the campaign finance transparency gap. NTUC President Ella Waight argued that the current anonymous system opens the door to persistent corruption, a particularly unacceptable outcome in a small country with limited public resources. Waight warned that without donation limits and disclosure rules, wealthy individuals, large corporations and powerful business interests can fund major parties during election cycles, then expect favorable policies and favors in return after candidates take office, leaving public resources misallocated to reward donors rather than serve the broader public.

    Five years after that high-profile push, that clear warning has not resulted any tangible policy change. Years of public consultations, multiple draft proposals, and repeated public promises from political leaders have failed to produce a single enforceable campaign finance reform law on the books. Political critics across the spectrum argue that the lack of progress is no accident: both of Belize’s major ruling parties benefit from the current opaque system, which allows them to keep their donors hidden and their campaign spending unaccountable to voters, giving them little incentive to alter the status quo ahead of the 2026 vote.

  • ‘Love SVG’ targets 100 projects to upgrade tourism product by November

    ‘Love SVG’ targets 100 projects to upgrade tourism product by November

    On May 14, 2026, St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Sustainable Development Kishore Shallow made a key policy announcement during a press briefing held in Villa: the island nation is rolling out a six-month nationwide tourism enhancement initiative dubbed “Love St. Vincent and the Grenadines” (Love SVG), with the ambitious goal of delivering at least 100 priority infrastructure and service improvement projects ahead of the 2026/27 tourism season kicking off this November.

    Unlike fragmented, agency-specific tourism upgrades that the country has rolled out in the past, this new campaign is built on a cross-sector collaboration model that brings together government departments, statutory bodies, private industry stakeholders and local communities. Shallow emphasized that the six-month timeline was deliberately scheduled to align with the tourism off-season, allowing the country to complete upgrades without disrupting visitor experiences, and wrapping up all work just as the high season gets underway.

    At its core, the initiative aims to upgrade tourism-related facilities and services across both the main island of St. Vincent and the smaller Grenadines islands. Shallow shared that the tourism ministry and its partner agencies have already shortlisted more than 120 candidate projects, which will be narrowed down to a final, achievable list of exactly 100 projects that will run from the announcement date through the end of October 2026. Shallow noted that the targeted number of 100 was chosen intentionally to keep the initiative focused and deliverable, rather than overextending on unfeasible commitments.

    Projects cover a wide spectrum of scales and needs, ranging from small, high-impact basic amenity upgrades to large-scale infrastructure overhauls. To address common visitor complaints, the campaign will prioritize adding waste disposal bins at popular tourist sites, increasing on-site staffing for public facilities, and delivering customer service training for frontline tourism workers. Long-stalled high-profile projects will also be prioritized for completion, including the long-overdue renovation of Fort Charlotte — a major heritage attraction that has been closed to the public since 2023. Additional planned upgrades include improvements to the Dark View Falls recreational area and the little-known Pavement waterfall site on the windward coast, with a number of new projects also earmarked for popular tourism destinations across the Grenadines.

    Permanent Secretary Tamira Browne framed the Love SVG campaign as a pivotal shift from long-term development vision to tangible on-the-ground action. She described the initiative not as a standalone marketing slogan, but as an integrated component of the country’s broader national development strategy, calling for a “whole-of-government and whole-of-society” commitment to the campaign’s success.

    To ensure broad participation, a structured project submission and reporting framework has been created for all participating sectors. Starting May 15, 2026, all line ministries and state agencies will receive a simplified project submission form, which will also be distributed to private sector businesses and community organizations through local media outlets. Browne explained that projects of all sizes are eligible: from micro-projects such as installing new public recycling bins across the islands to large-scale engineering works focused on beautifying public spaces.

    All participating sectors are being given clear participation targets: every government ministry and statutory body is expected to deliver a minimum of five projects aligned with the campaign’s core goals of boosting sustainable recycling, cutting litter, improving nationwide cleanliness, beautifying public spaces, and preparing the country for the upcoming high tourist season. Private sector entities are also invited to meet similar targets, or opt to adopt and upgrade specific tourist sites under the programme.

    The campaign organizes all proposed projects into five core priority categories: natural attractions and eco-tourism sites, heritage and cultural landmarks, transport and access infrastructure, hospitality service quality upgrades, and community-focused and community-led tourism initiatives.

    Shallow outlined the phased timeline for the initiative: between May and June 2026, the project management team will finalize the 100 selected projects and secure all required funding and resources to deliver the work. The second phase will consist of full-scale execution of all projects simultaneously. Shallow highlighted a secondary, equally important benefit of the large-scale programme: widespread job creation. With hundreds of upgrade projects running across the country, hundreds of local workers will be hired to support the work, injecting immediate economic stimulus into local communities. Shallow confirmed that the overall investment in the campaign will total millions of dollars, with all final work wrapping up in October 2026 to leave the country fully prepared to welcome visitors for the new 2026/27 tourism season.

  • Waitukubuli Dance Theatre Company marks 55th anniversary with ‘Rhythms of Our Roots’ production

    Waitukubuli Dance Theatre Company marks 55th anniversary with ‘Rhythms of Our Roots’ production

    This May, one of Dominica’s longest-running cultural institutions is stepping into the spotlight to celebrate five and a half decades of artistic legacy. The Waitukubuli Dance Theatre Company, a cornerstone of Dominica’s performing arts scene since its founding, is bringing its decades-long journey to the stage with a special anniversary production titled ‘RHYTHMS OF OUR ROOTS’, a showcase that honors the company’s origins, evolution, and enduring impact on local Caribbean culture.

    Far from a single-genre performance, the anniversary show weaves together a diverse tapestry of movement and sound to reflect the company’s deep connection to both native heritage and global cultural exchange. Audiences can expect dynamic choreography spanning multiple styles, from soul-stirring gospel dance and vibrant Afro-beats to beloved local bouyon and kadanse traditions, with a dash of international flair from salsa. To add an authentic, immersive layer to the experience, the production will feature live drumming from the renowned Paix Bouche drumming group, alongside vocal performances from some of Dominica’s most popular contemporary artists: Janae Jackson, AbiYah Yisrael, Phael Lander, and Nyel Grove, according to an official press release from the company.

    What makes the production particularly meaningful is the coming together of the Waitukubuli Dance Theatre Company’s extended artistic family. Both current senior and junior company members will share the stage with alumni dancers who contributed to the group’s legacy over the decades. Most of the evening’s pieces were choreographed by Raymond Lawrence, the company’s long-serving Artistic Director, with additional creative work from Jaylen Olivacce, Dorelle Diolen, and other senior company members.

    In comments ahead of the show, Lawrence highlighted the company’s deep roots in Dominican Creole dance heritage, and expressed gratitude for the 55 years of opportunities the group has received. Beyond stage productions, Waitukubuli has long played an active role in the local community, organizing popular teenage pageants and completing regional performance tours that have carried Dominican culture across the Caribbean.

    Over its 55-year history, the company has earned widespread recognition for its contributions to the arts, collecting some of the region’s top cultural awards. These honors include the prestigious Golden Drum Award, which the group received in 2003, and back-to-back wins of the Edward Oliver Leblanc Trophy in 1984 and 1985. Beyond award shelves, the company has built a far-reaching performance resume, headlining major cultural festivals across Dominica and touring across 12 Caribbean nations and territories: Trinidad, Barbados, Antigua, Montserrat, St. Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. Martin.

    Lawrence extended his gratitude beyond current and former company members, acknowledging the core sponsors that have made the anniversary production and the group’s ongoing work possible. Key supporters include the Dominica Lotteries Commission, OECS PEARL, ICWI, Reuben’s Bakery, the National Bank of Dominica, Republic Bank, the AID Bank, and Luxurious Loos.

    The company is now encouraging all members of the public to attend the celebratory production and support the preservation of Dominican cultural arts. ‘RHYTHMS OF OUR ROOTS’ will run for two weekends at Dominica’s St. Gerard’s Hall, with shows scheduled for 8:00 PM on Saturday, May 30, 2026, and 6:00 PM on Sunday, May 31, 2026. Ticketing options are structured to welcome the whole community: tickets for the Saturday evening performance are priced at $40 per person, while Sunday’s matinee offers $40 adult tickets and discounted $20 tickets for children under 12. Tickets are available for advance purchase at Depex and Bulls Eye Pharmacy, and will also be sold at the door at St. Gerard’s Hall on both performance nights.

  • Grenada to compete in Roger Boyce Classic Semi Pro and IFBB Pro World Cup

    Grenada to compete in Roger Boyce Classic Semi Pro and IFBB Pro World Cup

    The Grenada Bodybuilding, Weightlifting and Fitness Federation (GBBWF) has formally named and deployed an eight-athlete contingent to Barbados for two of the Caribbean region’s most anticipated elite bodybuilding competitions: the Roger Boyce Classic Semi Pro and the IFBB Pro World Cup, scheduled to run from May 14 to 16, 2026.

    Departing their home island with high ambitions and months of focused training behind them, the team brings Grenada’s top competitive bodybuilding talent to an international stage where they will face off against the top athletes from across the Caribbean. The delegation is led by GBBWF President Cecil Mitchell and IFBB-certified professional coach Vonne Francis, who will guide the mixed lineup of elite professional and amateur-semi professional competitors across two event divisions: Men’s Physique and open Bodybuilding.

    In the Elite Pros Men’s Physique category, Grenada will be represented by three seasoned athletes: Odel Cato, Grantley Charles, and Renaldo Parkes. The Amateur/Semi Pro division features four Men’s Physique competitors — Javon Joseph, Shonric Felix, Rashid Bridgeman, and Daniel Louison — alongside Kevon Frederick, who will compete for honors in open Bodybuilding.

    The 2026 outing comes on the heels of a breakout 2025 competitive season for Grenada’s bodyboarding program, which delivered a string of standout results that cemented the nation’s growing status as a dominant regional force in the sport. Last year, Grenadian athletes secured multiple top-three finishes at major regional events, earned two coveted IFBB Pro Cards and two additional SemiPro cards — results that turned heads across the international bodybuilding community and raised expectations for this year’s delegation.

    GBBWF officials have voiced full confidence in the team’s preparation for the Barbados competitions, and extended formal appreciation to individual supporters, corporate sponsors, and the Grenadian public for their ongoing backing of the nation’s bodybuilding program. Ahead of the team’s departure, the federation issued a statement wishing all athletes safe travel and strong performances as they represent Grenada on the regional competitive stage.

    This report from NOW Grenada carries a standard content disclaimer: the outlet is not liable for personal opinions, statements, or third-party contributor content, and invites users to report any violating content via official platform channels.

  • Protesten in Havana escaleren door stroomuitval en brandstoftekort

    Protesten in Havana escaleren door stroomuitval en brandstoftekort

    On Wednesday evening, mass public demonstrations broke out across Havana, Cuba, as the capital grapples with the most severe nationwide electricity outage the country has seen in 60 years. The crisis, rooted in a months-long United States fuel blockade that has cut off the island’s access to critical energy supplies, has sparked widespread anger among hundreds of local residents who gathered in multiple suburban neighborhoods to decry ongoing power shortages.

    Protesters took to the streets, blocking roadways with burning debris, banging metal pots and kitchen utensils in a display of public discontent, and chanting slogans including “Turn the lights on!” and “The people, united, will never be defeated!” According to Reuters reporting from the ground, the demonstration marked the largest single night of public unrest in Havana since the deepening energy crisis began earlier this year.

    Power outages have grown exponentially worse across Cuba since January, when former US President Donald Trump implemented a full fuel embargo and threatened harsh secondary sanctions against any nations that continue to supply energy to the island. Local Havana resident Rodolfo Alonso shared that his neighborhood has gone more than 40 hours straight without access to electricity, a situation that hits vulnerable groups like the elderly and chronically ill the hardest. “Our food stores are spoiling, and we just ask for a few hours of power a day,” Alonso explained in an interview.

    Earlier the same day the protests erupted, Cuba’s Minister of Energy and Mines Vicente de la O released an official statement confirming that the country has exhausted all available stockpiles of diesel and fuel oil, leaving the national power grid in “critical condition.” Currently, most neighborhoods across Havana face 20 to 22 hours of blackout per day, a reality that has pushed public tensions to a breaking point.

    The US blockade on fuel imports, now in its fourth month, has brought most public services across the island to a near-standstill. Even after limited negotiations to secure alternative fuel imports, spiking global oil and transportation costs driven by the escalating Israel-Hamas conflict and escalating US-Iran regional tensions have compounded the island’s crisis.

    Historically key fuel suppliers for Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela have halted all oil shipments to the country since the embargo took effect. Only one Russian crude oil tanker, the Anatoly Kolodkin, has delivered energy supplies to Cuba since December, providing only temporary relief to the strained system.

    Last week, the United Nations officially designated the US blockade as “illegal”, noting that it severely undermines the Cuban people’s fundamental rights to development, food access, education, healthcare, and clean water.

    Amid the deepening humanitarian crisis, the US government has offered a $100 million humanitarian aid package to Cuba, contingent on the island’s communist government implementing what Washington calls “meaningful reforms”. In an official statement, the US State Department emphasized that Cuba faces a choice: accept the terms of the aid, or “bear responsibility for blocking life-saving assistance” to its people.

    Critics of the US offer have framed it as a pressure tactic designed to advance Washington’s decades-long campaign to destabilize the communist government in Havana. A strict US trade boycott has been in place against Cuba since the 1960s, justified by claims of political repression on the island.

    Trump has repeatedly threatened to target Cuba for regime change, particularly after his administration oversaw political shifts in Venezuela. During a recent summit of Latin American leaders, Trump spoke of “the final moments of the old Cuba” and promised a “new beginning” for the island under new leadership. The US has stated it intends to distribute the proposed $100 million aid through independent organizations, primarily the Catholic Church, rather than through Cuban government channels.

    The humanitarian situation across Cuba remains critical at present. Public transit has been paralyzed, food prices have skyrocketed, and hospitals struggle to maintain basic operations without consistent access to electricity. At the same time, US pressure on the island has intensified, with new rounds of sanctions and increased military surveillance operations along Cuba’s coasts.

    Across Havana and other Cuban population centers, residents continue to voice their frustration with the devastating conditions, with many emphasizing that their grievances are not rooted in partisan politics, but in a basic fight for daily survival.

  • FIU Warns Public About Fraudulent Emails Impersonating Staff

    FIU Warns Public About Fraudulent Emails Impersonating Staff

    On May 14, 2026, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has issued an urgent public warning about a growing email scam that targets ordinary residents through sophisticated impersonation of the agency’s official staff.

    According to the FIU’s official announcement, scammers behind the fraudulent scheme have mastered techniques to forge convincing fake emails that closely mimic official communications from the unit. The malicious messages replicate real FIU staff names, job titles, official logos, personalized signatures, and are even designed to use email addresses that look almost identical to the organization’s legitimate domain. To trick recipients into falling for the trap, scammers frame their messages around familiar financial topics, including pre-approved loan offers, government-backed financial assistance programs, pending payment processing, requests to update banking details, and other seemingly routine financial transactions that make the fraudulent outreach appear authentic.

    The FIU has clarified a critical core policy to help the public distinguish legitimate communications from scams: the agency never approves or issues personal loans, never processes direct private financial transactions, and will never reach out via unsolicited, unexpected emails to request sensitive personal data or private banking information.

    Agency officials are calling on all residents to exercise extreme vigilance whenever receiving unprompted electronic messages that ask for personal identifiers, account passwords, banking credentials, upfront payment fees, or confidential personal documents.

    For anyone who encounters a suspicious email claiming affiliation with the FIU, the agency has outlined clear safety steps: do not reply to the message, do not click any embedded hyperlinks, do not download any attached files, and under no circumstances share personal or financial details or move forward with any loan application or payment transaction initiated through the suspicious message.

  • US team ‘devastated’ by lack of home support, says World Cup doc maker

    US team ‘devastated’ by lack of home support, says World Cup doc maker

    LOS ANGELES – When a national soccer team hosts a major international tournament, the roar of a home crowd is widely seen as one of the most valuable competitive advantages a squad can have. For the United States Men’s National Team, however, this dynamic has flipped into a persistent, demoralizing challenge – one that is weighing heavily on the group as they prepare to serve as co-hosts for this summer’s World Cup.

  • Wray, Pottinger register wins at ACC outdoors

    Wray, Pottinger register wins at ACC outdoors

    LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The second day of the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Outdoor Track and Field Championships delivered standout performances from two Jamaican competitors, who claimed gold medals while hitting new career milestones on the track and field circuit. Florida State University’s Despiro Wray emerged as the surprise star of the men’s shot put competition, unleashing a personal-best throw of 18.63 meters to secure the top spot on the podium. This mark not only shaved 38 centimeters off Wray’s previous personal best set this past March but also ranks as the sixth-best shot put performance in Florida State University’s (FSU) athletics history. Wray’s win marks the first ACC men’s shot put title for FSU since 2018, with his Jamaican compatriot and teammate Shamar Reid also notching a strong fifth-place finish with a throw of 18.12 meters.

    In the men’s high jump, another Jamaican athlete Brandon Pottinger followed up Wray’s win with another ACC title, matching his own career-best clearance of 2.15 meters to claim gold. The performance marked a major improvement for Pottinger, who took home second place at the ACC Indoor Championships earlier this year.

    Other Jamaican competitors turned in impressive results across the ACC championship bracket. Clemson University’s Shantae Foreman landed a wind-assisted leap of 6.59 meters (with a tailwind of 2.1 meters per second) to take second place in the women’s long jump, while teammate Kimeka Smith hit a new personal best of 16.91 meters in the women’s shot put to claim fourth place. Smith’s throw broke her previous career best of 16.54 meters and elevated her to the second spot on Clemson’s all-time women’s shot put performance rankings.

    The wave of strong Jamaican performances extended to other major collegiate conference championships unfolding across the United States on the same day. At the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor Championships hosted by Auburn University in Alabama, Louisiana State University’s Jordan Turner jumped 7.91 meters (with a 0.4 meters per second wind) to take second place in the men’s long jump, while the University of Texas’ Shaiquan Dunn finished eighth in the men’s shot put with an 18.34-meter throw.

    Over at the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships hosted by the University of North Texas, University of Memphis athlete Jazmyn James delivered a personal best throw of 16.54 meters to claim the women’s shot put conference title. East Carolina University’s Shakiel Dacres also notched a new career best of 17.34 meters to finish fourth in the men’s shot put, while North Texas’ own Fabrienne Foster placed eighth in the women’s hammer throw with a 54.81-meter effort. At the Big East Conference Championships hosted by the University of Connecticut, St. John’s University’s Juliet Smith claimed third place in the women’s shot put with a 13.56-meter throw.