Carib Scope

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  • Dominican Republic faces increased rainfall and flood risk through Sunday

    Dominican Republic faces increased rainfall and flood risk through Sunday

    Residents of the Dominican Republic are preparing for widespread wet weather through the early next week, as a convergence of distinct weather systems brings an extended period of elevated precipitation to the island nation. Leading meteorological analyst Jean Suriel has outlined that the upcoming rainfall will stem from three key interacting factors: a low-pressure trough positioned over the region, moisture-laden winds blowing in from both the Caribbean and Atlantic basins, and lingering atmospheric remnants left behind by former Tropical Storm Fay.

    Suriel warned that the combination of these conditions will not only produce sustained rainfall, but also spawn more severe hazards through Sunday. Heavy downpours, sudden thunderstorms, intense lightning strikes, and powerful gusty winds are all on the forecast, pushing the risk of dangerous urban flooding and fast-moving flash floods to higher-than-normal levels.

    The distribution of rainfall will vary across the country through the first half of Thursday. By Thursday afternoon, the most intense precipitation is projected to hit six regions: the southern, southeastern, eastern, northeastern, and northern portions of the country, as well as the Central Mountain Range. Meanwhile, the border region along the country’s edge will only see milder, moderate showers that are not expected to cause major disruption.

    The wet pattern will ramp up in intensity on Friday, when the core of the trough moves into the Dominican Republic, compounded by the indirect effects of a separate low-pressure system developing over the Atlantic Ocean. From Friday through the weekend, moderate to heavy showers will remain a regular occurrence, paired with ongoing thunderstorms, strong gusty winds, and the potential for small hail in higher elevation areas of the Central Mountain Range and other mountainous regions.

    Conditions are set to improve by Monday, according to Suriel’s forecast. As the trough shifts away from the Dominican Republic, overall rainfall totals will drop significantly. However, isolated scattered showers may hang on for an extra day, fueled by residual marine moisture and the lingering remnants of the combined weather systems. Alongside the tapering rain, the country can expect a sharp rise in temperatures, with hot, sweltering conditions returning by the start of the workweek.

  • Family mourns sudden death of 22-year-old at university in Ohio

    Family mourns sudden death of 22-year-old at university in Ohio

    A promising 22-year-old Bahamian university student with no pre-existing documented health issues has died suddenly after collapsing during an on-campus activity at Central State University in Ohio, destroying his family’s long-held plans to watch him walk across the graduation stage next year.

    Joshua Knowles, a senior majoring in management information systems, was found unresponsive and rushed to Miami Valley Hospital’s emergency department in Dayton, Ohio. His family received the devastating notification of his passing in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

    Xavier Knowles, Joshua’s older brother, shared in an interview with The Tribune that the entire family was stunned by the sudden loss. As of press time, the official cause of his death has not been confirmed. Xavier noted that there was no documented history of chronic health conditions or prior medical emergencies in Joshua’s medical record. “From everything we’ve been told, this was completely out of the blue,” Xavier explained from the Bahamas, as he prepared to depart for Ohio this week to make arrangements. “He was participating in a routine campus activity when he just collapsed. That’s all we know right now. He lost consciousness immediately, and was transported straight to the emergency room.”

    Xavier added that medical teams at the hospital attempted to resuscitate Joshua after his heart stopped beating, but their efforts were unsuccessful. This tragedy marks the third devastating loss for the Knowles family in less than six months: Joshua’s maternal grandmother passed away in April, and his paternal grandmother died in June, with Joshua returning to the Bahamas for both funerals.

    On Wednesday, Xavier spoke to reporters from the Nassau airport as he traveled to Ohio, where the family will complete several difficult tasks: formally identify Joshua’s remains, coordinate the transport of his body back to the Bahamas for burial, and clear out his on-campus dorm room. While the family has been overwhelmed by an outpouring of love and support from Joshua’s fraternity brothers, classmates and friends in Ohio, they are still reeling from the shock of the unexpected loss.

    Xavier described his younger brother as a deeply driven, goal-oriented young man who remained deeply connected to his family even while studying thousands of miles from home. “Joshua and our whole family were incredibly close,” he said. “We talked on video calls almost every single day. We’d catch up on school, talk about life back home, everything. We’d all been counting down the days until we could travel to Ohio for his graduation next year. Now that’s never going to happen. But even through all this pain, we remember how hard he worked, how focused he was on his studies and his music.”

    Beyond his academic work, Joshua was an active member of the Central State community: he played bass drum for the university’s iconic Marching Marauders marching band, and held membership in the UNU chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. In the days after his passing, his bandmates have paid public tribute to their friend, sharing a memorial video that highlights his bass drum alongside a Bahamian flag.

    Officials at Central State University released a statement following the news, saying the entire campus community was “deeply saddened” by the passing of a beloved student. The institution extended formal condolences to Knowles’ family, friends, classmates, bandmates and fraternity brothers, and immediately activated free counseling and support services for any students, faculty or staff struggling to process the loss.

    Eric Walker, a consultant for the Invincible Marching Marauders, called Knowles a valued and irreplaceable member of the band’s close-knit community. “Our band is more than a group of performers — we’re a family,” Walker said. “We will support each other through this loss, and carry Joshua’s memory with us always.”

    Closer to Knowles’ home, Bahamian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Science and Technology Chester Cooper confirmed that he had personally reached out to the Knowles family to offer his support. Cooper extended heartfelt condolences on behalf of the ministry and himself to all who knew and loved Joshua, including his family, friends, former high school classmates, and teachers. Cooper also confirmed that Knowles was a graduate of Nassau’s Government High School and a participant in the country’s prestigious Public School Scholars Programme (PSSP). He received the Public School Scholars award in fall 2022, and was on track to graduate from Central State University in spring 2027.

  • Western Air suspends North Eleuthera flights

    Western Air suspends North Eleuthera flights

    A sudden temporary flight suspension at North Eleuthera International Airport has thrown a wrench into travel and economic plans for one of The Bahamas’ most anticipated annual cultural events, as crumbling runway infrastructure forces a major regional carrier to halt operations just days before crowds are set to arrive.

    Western Air, one of the primary airlines serving the North Eleuthera route, will end its scheduled services to the airport this Friday, October 2, just six days before the start of Harbour Island Homecoming – a signature island festival that draws thousands of visitors annually, and is a key economic boost for local businesses and vendors. The suspension comes on the heels of two other carriers cutting back service to the destination: Pineapple Air already exited the route entirely, leaving only Southern Air and Bahamasair offering limited connections. Southern Air, the only daily service remaining, operates small aircraft with a maximum capacity of just 15 passengers per trip, while Bahamasair only runs flights to the island at least once weekly.

    Former North Eleuthera Member of Parliament Rickey Mackey warned that the sudden loss of Western Air service will create widespread disruption for the community. “With Western Air now leaving until further notice, that is going to create major havoc here in North Eleuthera,” he said, noting that limited remaining capacity will be unable to meet the surge in travel demand from Homecoming attendees. Mackey added that the flight suspension is just the latest blow for an island already grappling with persistent daily challenges with water and electricity access.

    Sherrexcia “Rexy” Rolle, Western Air’s chief executive officer and president, confirmed the temporary suspension, emphasizing that the decision was driven exclusively by rapidly deteriorating runway conditions that pose unacceptable safety risks to passengers and crew. “The runway has a lot of uneven surfaces. As a result, they experience very rough take-offs and landings because the runway is sunken in different places,” Rolle explained in an interview with The Tribune. She noted that while the runway has degraded gradually over years, the situation has recently escalated to a dangerous level, and safety will always be the airline’s top priority. Rolle added that the airline did not make the call to suspend service lightly, especially as October is projected to bring a sharp increase in air travel demand to the island, making reliable connectivity all the more critical. The length of the suspension will remain flexible, she said, tied directly to when authorities complete necessary repairs to the runway. Western Air is working closely with government regulators to resume operations as soon as work is finished, she added. For passengers affected by canceled flights, the airline is offering full refunds via email request, and all unused tickets will remain valid for rebooking for up to one year.

    Bahamas’ Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation has acknowledged the suspension, confirming that relevant stakeholders are moving forward to address the runway issues. In an official statement, the ministry said project teams from the Ministry of Works, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and other key partners are already managing critical airside infrastructure work at the airport, and are now prioritizing addressing the safety concerns that prompted Western Air’s exit. The Ministry of Works is currently exploring urgent short-term remediation measures to prevent any further disruptions to air service, with work centered on protecting passenger safety while advancing long-term comprehensive redevelopment of the aerodrome.

    Beyond the immediate travel chaos for the Homecoming festival, the suspension has sparked widespread concern over its potential short and long-term economic impact on North Eleuthera, which relies heavily on tourism and event-related travel to sustain local businesses. Javaughn Rolle, chairman of the Harbour Island Commonage Committee for North Eleuthera and former head of the North Eleuthera Regatta Association, said the community was caught off guard by the sudden announcement of the suspension. Even so, he noted that local residents understand the urgent need for runway repairs, as improved airport infrastructure has long been a top priority for the area.

    This year’s Homecoming festival is set to host 15 to 20 local vendors, and Rolle said most vendors were already aware that the 2025 event could face unexpected logistical challenges. For vendors who were caught unprepared, however, many are now scrambling to identify ways to recoup the upfront investments they made to participate in the festival. Looking past the immediate crisis, Rolle emphasized that the suspension underscores a broader, long-standing need for targeted infrastructure investment across the island to support its growing tourism and cultural economy, noting that upgrades to core public assets are essential as local events work to honor their cultural roots while adapting to modern, growing demand.

  • HRB proposes NIB benefit change for long-serving workers retiring early

    HRB proposes NIB benefit change for long-serving workers retiring early

    A prominent Bahamian human rights advocacy group is pushing for sweeping changes to the country’s National Insurance (NIB) retirement system, arguing that long-term contributors who have paid into the scheme for decades deserve the right to retire early without facing permanent penalties to their benefits.

    Human Rights Bahamas (HRB), through its Labour Division, has put forward a targeted reform proposal that centers contribution history as a core factor in determining early retirement benefits, a shift from the current framework that only offers full benefits to individuals who reach the official retirement age of 65. Under existing rules, workers who choose to start drawing benefits as early as 60 accept a permanent reduction to their monthly payouts that lasts for the rest of their lives.

    Nedra Adderley, chair of HRB’s labour division, is questioning the fairness of penalizing workers who entered the workforce young and fulfilled decades of contribution obligations just because they have not yet hit the 65-year age threshold. In an official statement, the organization emphasized that the proposal does not request unearned benefits for workers who have not paid into the system. Instead, it calls on the Bahamian government and national policymakers to honor the decades of work, regular contributions and personal sacrifice that early-entry workers have made to the country’s social security system.

    HRB has laid out multiple potential paths for reform. The first framework would enable workers who reach age 60 with at least 35 years of contributions to access an increased early retirement benefit, while workers with 40 years or more of contributions would be eligible for full or nearly full benefits with no or minimal permanent reduction. As an alternative, the group suggests developing a flexible formula that combines a worker’s current age, total years of contributions and full contribution history to calculate a fair early retirement payout.

    To illustrate the gap the reform would close, HRB points to common career trajectories: a worker who enters full-time employment at 16 would already have 44 years of work experience by age 60, while a worker starting at 18 would have 42 years of contributions by that same age. The organization particularly highlights the hardships faced by workers in physically demanding industries, including hospitality, construction, sanitation, healthcare and transportation. Many workers in these sectors who start their careers young already deal with work-related injuries, chronic physical wear and tear, and reduced capacity to perform their job duties by age 60, yet cannot afford to leave the workforce due to the permanent benefit penalty tied to early retirement.

    Currently, NIB already incorporates the number of contributions paid and a worker’s average insured income when calculating retirement benefit amounts. HRB’s proposal would expand this framework to give explicit credit for long contribution histories, eliminating or reducing the financial penalty that currently applies to claims made before age 65.

    In a nod to fiscal responsibility, the group acknowledges that any proposed changes would require rigorous actuarial analysis to assess their potential impact on NIB’s long-term financial stability. The organization notes that while actuarial review is a non-negotiable step to protect the scheme’s sustainability, fiscal responsibility and fairness for long-term contributors should not be framed as opposing goals. Both principles, the group argues, must be embedded in any responsible social security reform moving forward.

    HRB is now calling on the Bahamian government, the minister responsible for NIB and the NIB board to launch a formal review of the proposed contribution-based framework as part of upcoming social security reforms. The group also urged that a wide range of stakeholders, including trade unions, employers, current workers, retirees, actuarial experts and civil society organizations, be included in public discussions about the potential changes to the system. As of press time, Minister of Labour and Public Service Pia Glover Rolle has not responded to requests for comment on the proposal.

  • British diver murder trial delayed again after 11 years

    British diver murder trial delayed again after 11 years

    More than a decade after British diver Gary Vanhoeck was fatally shot in the Bahamas, his long-awaited murder trial has hit yet another postponement, driven by a prosecution request that the accused murderer secure new legal representation. Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier confirmed the latest hold-up in comments to The Tribune on Wednesday, linking the delay to the case’s long-standing defense counsel Murrio Ducille KC, who has represented accused Brian Miller Jr. for nearly three years.

    Frazier told reporters that prosecuting officials have requested an urgent case management hearing to formalize the requirement that Miller retain a new legal team, with a goal of scheduling a trial date either before the end of 2024 or no later than January 2025. The proceedings have been adjourned until October 1 to rule on the prosecution’s request.

    The development has reignited anguish for Vanhoeck’s widow Kat, who spoke publicly about her pain in an interview with British tabloid The Sun earlier this week. The couple first left the United Kingdom for the Bahamas in 2011, drawn by the promise of a quiet new life anchored to their shared love of diving. Living full-time aboard their 36-foot yacht *Lucky Break*, they built a life in the local diving industry and spent four years enjoying the island nation’s coastal lifestyle before their world was destroyed in a brutal 2015 attack.

    On May 1 of that year, masked armed robbers boarded the couple’s anchored yacht. The attackers dragged 51-year-old Gary Vanhoeck off the vessel and executed him with a gunshot to the head, before binding Kat Vanhoeck with duct tape. She managed to free herself and alert local authorities to the crime, according to The Sun’s reporting.

    Investigators ultimately charged Brian Miller Jr., who was 23 at the time of the attack, with Vanhoeck’s murder, alongside counts of armed robbery, burglary, and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. Miller has maintained his innocence on all charges and has remained free on bail throughout the years-long procedural delays that have kept the case from going to trial.

    For Kat Vanhoeck, the latest delay is a devastating new blow that has left her questioning the Bahamian justice system. In her interview with The Sun, she described the ongoing delays as a demoralizing kick in the teeth, saying she feels deflated, furious and frustrated by the lack of progress 11 years after her husband’s death. “There’s no excuse for it. It’s as if they want me to give up but I won’t,” she told the outlet. She emphasized that she will continue pushing for a trial to conclusion, no matter how long it takes, saying she needs answers to find any sense of closure. Until a verdict is reached, she added, her life remains indefinitely on hold.

  • Pintard leaves convention timing up to FNM council

    Pintard leaves convention timing up to FNM council

    Internal political maneuvering within the Bahamas’ Free National Movement (FNM) has entered the public spotlight this week, as party leader Michael Pintard has declined to publicly back or reject a push from the party’s own chairman to move up the group’s upcoming national convention.

    Last month, FNM Chairman Dr. Duane Sands broke ranks to argue that the party’s scheduled 2027 convention is too far out on the timeline to effectively unify the party and prepare for upcoming electoral contests. Sands called for the gathering to be held within just a few months, kicking off open debate within the opposition party about its internal leadership timeline.

    When pressed repeatedly by reporters on Thursday to clarify his own stance on the proposal, Pintard repeatedly sidestepped questions about his personal preference, emphasizing that the FNM’s governing council holds the exclusive authority to set the convention date.

    “My personal opinion is whatever it is, that’s not what the issue is,” Pintard told reporters. “The issue is the council of the Free National Movement decides on the date of the convention, and they have my full support, whether they call it the first quarter or any other quarter. I’m in support regardless of the outcome.”

    Pintard pushed back against suggestions that he and Sands are at odds over the future direction of the party, noting that the pair maintain consistent communication and are broadly aligned on the core work of rebuilding the FNM following its recent general election performance. When pressed again to confirm whether that broad alignment included support for an earlier convention, Pintard once again deferred to the party’s governing body. He added that he has no personal objections to holding the convention as early as the first quarter of the coming year, and stressed that Sands also has pledged to abide by whatever decision the council reaches.

    Beyond the convention timeline debate, Pintard also addressed swirling political speculation surrounding deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright, who has been the subject of rumors that he could mount a challenge for the FNM’s top leadership position at the upcoming convention. Pintard told reporters that Cartwright has not given any indication he intends to run for leader, but added that the deputy leader would be fully within his rights to do so if he chooses.

    Pintard praised Cartwright as a gifted young Bahamian politician with a long future ahead in the country’s political landscape, saying he holds no concerns about Cartwright’s ambitions. The FNM leader’s comments come months after his decision to omit Cartwright from the FNM’s Senate delegation following the May general election, a move that sparked surprise and behind-the-scenes gossip within Bahamian political circles.

    Looking ahead, Pintard said he expects the party’s upcoming post-election conclave to serve as a productive, unifying discussion for all members of the FNM political family, as the group works to consolidate its position as the Bahamas’ official opposition.

  • Dominican Republic launches framework for verifiable digital credentials

    Dominican Republic launches framework for verifiable digital credentials

    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – The Dominican government has unveiled an ambitious digital transformation initiative: the National Framework for Verifiable Credentials, a groundbreaking digital system that will enable citizens to store and share official personal information securely, while facilitating instant verification with public agencies and approved private third parties. The new framework marks a major step forward in the country’s push to modernize public services and cut reliance on paper-based administrative processes.

    The project was officially launched by the Ministry of Public Administration (MAP) and the Government Office of Information and Communication Technologies (OGTIC) during the Regional Forum on Digital Public Infrastructure. The forum was organized as a pre-conference event ahead of two major regional governance gatherings: the XX Annual Meeting of the Inter-American Network of Digital Government (Red GEALC) and the IX Ministerial Meeting of Digital Government of the Americas, bringing together digital governance leaders from across the hemisphere to discuss innovation in public administration.

    Under the new framework, verifiable digital credentials will be integrated into two existing government digital platforms: Soy Yo RD, the national digital identity system, and the Citizen Folder, a centralized digital portal for citizen government services. The long-term goal of the integration is to phase out the widespread requirement for physical documents – including printed photographs, identification copies, official certifications and other paper materials – for most common public and private administrative procedures.

    Edgar Batista, Director General of OGTIC, who will hold the presidency of the GEALC Network in 2026, emphasized that the new system offers far more functionality than a simple digital copy of a physical document. Unlike static digital scans of official paperwork, the verifiable credential system allows users to cryptographically prove that their information was directly issued by the responsible government institution and has not expired or been altered since issuance. This added layer of security eliminates common fraud risks and streamlines verification processes for receiving institutions.

    The framework was formally established through an official resolution from MAP, and operates on a federated data governance model rather than a centralized database structure. Under this model, every individual government agency retains full ownership and control over its own official records and citizen data. The system does not create a new, consolidated central repository of personal information, instead pulling directly from pre-existing, official data sources to verify credential information in real time.

    Sigmund Freund, Minister of Public Administration, explained that the core objectives of the initiative are to make official citizen information more accessible and portable across the digital ecosystem, while breaking down data silos and fostering closer operational integration between different government institutions. By enabling seamless information sharing between agencies without consolidating data, the framework balances data security with administrative efficiency.

    Dominican government officials project that the national framework will lay the groundwork for a far more interconnected, agile and efficient digital public sector, drastically cutting the red tape and paper waste that have long slowed down government service delivery for citizens. The launch positions the Dominican Republic as a regional leader in digital public infrastructure innovation, ahead of the upcoming regional digital government meetings hosted in the country.

  • Dominican government to release public institution audit results starting October 2

    Dominican government to release public institution audit results starting October 2

    SANTO DOMINGO — In a landmark move to reinforce government accountability and open access to official oversight data, the Comptroller General of the Dominican Republic (CGR) has announced it will begin publishing completed audit results from public sector institutions this Friday, October 2, at 4:00 p.m. local time. The rollout of this transparency initiative comes directly from an official directive issued by President Luis Abinader, marking a key commitment to opening the current administration’s oversight work to the Dominican public.

    The core goal of this policy is to strengthen both institutional transparency and public access to unredacted audit findings generated by the national government’s oversight mechanisms. According to Comptroller General Geraldo Espinosa Pérez, the publication process will proceed progressively, covering all completed audits conducted between August 2020, when the current administration took office, and December 2025, the end of the current presidential term.

    Audit results will be released in staggered batches over the coming months to ensure full coverage of the entire period. The only exceptions will be public institutions whose financial accounts are currently still under active audit by the Chamber of Accounts, which will remain unpublished until their audits are finalized. This phased approach allows the CGR to systematically clear the backlog of completed audits while maintaining the integrity of ongoing oversight work, aligning with the administration’s pledge to root out corruption and increase openness in public spending.

  • Trump praises U.S. Ambassador Leah Campos for her work in the Dominican Republic

    Trump praises U.S. Ambassador Leah Campos for her work in the Dominican Republic

    In a statement delivered from the White House in Washington, D.C., former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly lauded the efforts of Leah Campos, the sitting U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, highlighting what he called her exceptional work advancing bilateral relations between the two nations. Trump noted that Campos has exceeded expectations in her role, telling attendees at a recent closed-door gathering that her on-the-ground effectiveness has drawn widespread attention across diplomatic circles. “She is doing an absolutely outstanding job, and everyone is talking about it,” Trump was quoted as saying, stopping short of outlining specific policy outcomes from Campos’ tenure but emphasizing that her work has aligned with his administration’s priorities for strengthening partnerships in the Caribbean region. Diplomatic observers note that public praise from a sitting president for an ambassador serving overseas is relatively uncommon, and the remark is widely seen as a signal of the White House’s satisfaction with current engagement between the United States and the Dominican Republic, a key trading partner and popular tourist destination for U.S. travelers. As of this report, the U.S. State Department has not issued an official comment following Trump’s public statement, and Campos has not released a response from her post in Santo Domingo.

  • Regering dient begroting 2027 in met tekort van SRD 10,8 miljard

    Regering dient begroting 2027 in met tekort van SRD 10,8 miljard

    On September 30, the Surinamese government officially delivered the 2027 draft national budget to the National Assembly, marking a key step in locking in the country’s fiscal framework for the coming fiscal year. The submission was held in conjunction with the annual address from President Jennifer Simons, and was accompanied by two complementary policy documents: the 2027 Financial Year Plan and the 2027 National Debt Plan.

    According to the official projections outlined in the budget documents, total government outlays for 2027 are forecast to hit SRD 80.9 billion, while total public revenues are estimated to reach approximately SRD 70.1 billion. This gap translates to a nominal overall budget deficit of roughly SRD 10.8 billion for the 12-month period.

    Breaking down revenue projections, the Financial Year Plan shows that current revenues are expected to total SRD 64 billion. Of this sum, SRD 46.8 billion will come from various tax streams, with the remaining SRD 17.2 billion generated through non-tax revenue sources.

    On the expenditure side, current spending is penciled in at around SRD 63.9 billion. Personnel costs, which have risen to SRD 21.3 billion, reflect the 15% wage adjustment implemented in September 2026 for public sector workers including civil servants, teachers, and security personnel, the plan explains. Subsidies and transfer contributions are allocated SRD 22.9 billion, while spending on goods and services is set at SRD 13.4 billion, and interest payments on existing public debt are projected at SRD 6.3 billion. Capital expenditure for infrastructure and long-term public projects carries a budget allocation of SRD 16.8 billion.

    Fiscal analysts highlight that the planned primary deficit for 2027 sits at just SRD 78 million, which rounds out to effectively 0% of the country’s projected gross domestic product. The overall financing deficit is forecast at SRD 6.4 billion, equal to 2.4% of nominal GDP. The government’s baseline projections assume a total 2027 nominal GDP of SRD 267.7 billion.

    The Financial Year Plan notes that three core factors are shaping overall public expenditure levels for 2027: available revenue streams, the implementation capacity of existing government programs, and the prioritization of high-priority policy initiatives. Beyond addressing near-term spending needs, Suriname’s 2027 fiscal policy is centered on four key long-term goals: reducing the country’s overall public debt burden, strengthening tax collection systems and compliance, improving overall public financial management, and positioning the domestic economy to capitalize on expected growth in the offshore oil and gas sector, a key emerging industry for the nation.