Carib Scope

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  • CARICOM and Spain sign new agreement to boost regional health response

    CARICOM and Spain sign new agreement to boost regional health response

    On May 6, 2026, a landmark new cooperation agreement between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Government of Spain was formally signed during the 10th convening of the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) for the CARICOM-Spain Joint Fund for Scientific and Technical Cooperation, unlocking expanded regional support for Caribbean healthcare systems and marking a new milestone in decades of cross-regional partnership. Dr. Carla Barnett, CARICOM Secretary-General, and María Cristina Pérez Gutiérrez, Spain’s Ambassador to CARICOM, put their signatures to the agreement in an official signing ceremony held alongside the meeting.

    Under the terms of the new pact, the Spanish government is committing €400,000 in funding to a targeted regional health initiative named “Strengthening Regional Leadership, Governance and Coordinated Action in Health to Address New and Existing Health Challenges in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).” The multi-stakeholder project will be executed collaboratively by the CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Public Health Agency, with the ultimate goal of shoring up fragmented local healthcare infrastructure and improving regional capacity to respond to both persistent public health gaps and emerging health threats across the bloc’s member states.

    Opening the JTC meeting, co-Chair Elizabeth Solomon, who also serves as Assistant Secretary-General of CARICOM’s Foreign and Community Relations Directorate, emphasized the deep, long-standing collaborative ties between the regional bloc and the European nation. Solomon noted that the CARICOM-Spain Joint Fund has grown far beyond a basic financing mechanism, evolving into a results-driven support program that prioritizes practical, demand-aligned action to advance Caribbean-led regional priorities, delivering measurable, on-the-ground benefits to residents across all CARICOM member states. “The CARICOM-Spain Joint Fund continues to play an important role in advancing regional priorities through cooperation that has evolved into a results-oriented programme of support that is both practical and responsive delivering tangible benefits to the people of the Caribbean Community,” Solomon stated in her opening remarks.

    Ambassador Pérez Gutiérrez echoed these remarks, reaffirming Spain’s unwavering commitment to long-term partnership with the Caribbean bloc. “Spain values its partnership with CARICOM and remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen resilience, sustainability and regional cooperation,” she said, underscoring the Spanish government’s continued focus on supporting Caribbean development priorities.

    Beyond the health agreement, meeting participants also conducted a comprehensive review of two additional proposed regional development projects that have a combined total valuation of $700,000 U.S. dollars. The first proposal, the Greening Caribbean Ports Programme (GCPP), centers on advancing sustainable maritime infrastructure across Caribbean Small Island Developing States, and is slated to be implemented by the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in partnership with the Port Management Association of the Caribbean if approved. The second proposal, focused on disaster preparedness, aims to “Strengthen the Caribbean Emergency Response Capabilities through the Next Level Regional Response Mechanism (RRM),” with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency tapped as the lead implementing body for the initiative.

    By the close of the meeting, representatives from both CARICOM and Spain issued a joint reaffirmation of the critical role the CARICOM-Spain Joint Fund plays in driving inclusive regional development. Both sides described the fund as an indispensable mechanism for advancing shared development priorities and deepening technical cooperation between the Caribbean bloc and Spain, with future collaborative projects expected to continue targeting climate resilience, public health, and sustainable infrastructure across the region.

  • Grenada advances smart farming with drones and RFID Technology

    Grenada advances smart farming with drones and RFID Technology

    Against a backdrop of global efforts to modernize small-scale agricultural systems, the Caribbean nation of Grenada has launched an ambitious tech-driven transformation of its farming and land management sectors, centered on a new drone training program for agricultural officials. This week, 10 officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry wrapped up a week of theoretical instruction on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAVs) — led by local technology provider Aerial Vision — before stepping into the field at Mirabeau Agricultural Station for their first hands-on flight testing exercises.

    The initiative marks a major milestone in the Grenadian government’s long-term strategy to update the country’s agricultural industry through digital innovation. Officials have invested more than EC$200,000 to acquire 9 new drones, bringing the total fleet of UAVs managed by the Ministry of Agriculture to 12. This pilot program builds on a collaborative UAV initiative first launched in 2023 between the ministry and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which was created to integrate cutting-edge aerial technology, big data analytics, machine learning and agriculture-specific artificial intelligence tools into local farming practices.

    Beyond boosting crop yields and streamlining production monitoring, the program targets one of the most persistent and costly challenges facing Grenadian farmers: praedial larceny, or the theft of agricultural produce and livestock. For many small-scale producers in the country, losing even a small number of livestock can erase months of hard work and critical income, making anti-theft protection a top policy priority.

    To address this gap, the training program includes instruction on a complementary technology: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) livestock tagging. The system uses electronically coded micro-tags attached to animals to enable real-time identification and tracking, giving farmers and law enforcement a reliable tool to recover stolen livestock. Leon Williams, UAV Officer for the Ministry of Agriculture, explained that the curriculum extends far beyond basic drone operation. Trainees are also introduced to a suite of emerging digital tools designed to improve agricultural data collection, land management and resource allocation across the country’s rural areas.

    The uses for the new drone fleet extend well beyond farming and anti-theft work too. UAVs will also be deployed to monitor remote forested areas for illegal logging and other unauthorized activities, track the health of tree populations, and conduct rapid aerial assessments of terrain that would take ground-based officers hours or even days to survey manually.

    In the coming weeks, the Ministry of Agriculture will expand the program, holding additional demonstrations for local farmers and extension officers to roll out technology-driven practices across the sector. Government officials believe the integrated approach — combining drone monitoring, digital tracking, and traditional Grenadian farming knowledge — will strengthen the country’s food security, boost operational efficiency, and build greater resilience for the agricultural sector in the face of evolving economic and environmental challenges.

  • Preparation on track for Roger Boyce Elite

    Preparation on track for Roger Boyce Elite

    Preparations for the highly anticipated 2025 Roger Boyce Elite Pro Show, the English-speaking Caribbean’s premier elite bodybuilding competition, are moving forward smoothly ahead of next week’s tournament, according to Dr. Alfred Sparman, President of the Body Building and Fitness Federation (BBFF).

    Scheduled to take place on May 16 at Barbados’ iconic Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, the annual competition has grown far beyond a simple athletic contest, emerging as a cornerstone event for the regional fitness community. In an exclusive interview with Barbados TODAY, Sparman shared that the federation remains proud to bring this elite gathering back to Barbados for another year, emphasizing the core values that the event embodies.

    “This event presents far more than competition. It reflects discipline, hard work, healthy living, sacrifice and the relentless pursuit of excellence,” Sparman said. “We are honored to host this elite event and elite athletes coming from all over the region and internationally, while also showcasing the warmth and hospitality of Barbados.”

    Beyond celebrating top-tier athletic achievement, the Roger Boyce Elite Pro Show plays a critical role in raising the bar for bodybuilding and fitness standards across the entire Caribbean. It also serves as a launching pad for emerging talent, giving seasoned and new athletes alike a platform to model dedication, resilience, and good sportsmanship for the next generation of fitness competitors.

    “To all competitors I want to commend the commitment and the preparation they’ve brought to the stage,” Sparman added. “They have already embodied the spirit of champions. We also extend sincere thanks to our sponsors, organizers, judges, volunteers, and supporters whose contribution makes this event possible.”

    Organizers are projecting a landmark turnout for 2025, with between 150 and 200 competitors expected to participate – a figure that continues an annual trend of growing participation. Sparman noted that the event has seen a consistent 25% year-over-year increase in athlete entries since its launch, and this year’s edition will draw competitors from as far afield as Spain and France, alongside top talent from across the Caribbean.

    Sparman outlined several key factors that have driven the event’s rapidly growing popularity across the global bodybuilding community. Unlike any other large-scale bodybuilding competition previously hosted in the region, the Roger Boyce Elite Pro Show has drawn elite industry leadership, including the president and vice president of the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness, who attend the event annually.

    He credited the late Roger Boyce, the event’s visionary founder, with creating a world-class competition that has filled a long-held gap in the regional fitness calendar. “All of these islands now feel we don’t have to go to the States for a big show. We don’t have to go all the way over to Europe, we can come right here in Barbados,” Sparman explained. “At the same time, when they come here, we’ll showcase what we have here, this warmth and beautiful island that we live on.”

    For this year’s athletes, the stakes are high: coveted pro cards will be awarded to winners across all competitive categories. Following last year’s tournament, which issued between 16 and 20 pro cards to qualifying athletes, the 2025 edition will offer the same opportunity for up-and-coming competitors looking to turn professional and advance their careers in elite bodybuilding.

    In closing, Sparman extended an open invitation to local and regional sports fans to attend the event, saying, “We look forward to an exciting and memorable competition, and we invite the public to come out and support these outstanding athletes.”

  • Greaves continues record breaking form

    Greaves continues record breaking form

    The Junior Pan American Track Cycling Championships in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, kicked off its 1km time trial qualification round on Friday morning with a stunning display of speed from young Barbadian rider Arielle Greaves, who delivered yet another record-breaking performance to stamp her authority on the event.

    Crossing the finish line, Greaves posted an extraordinary official time of 1 minute 12.011 seconds, a result that not only secured her a spot in the afternoon’s final as the fourth-fastest qualifier but also etched a new junior national record next to her name. The mark improves on her own previous benchmark of 1:15.601, which she set just months earlier during a competition in Lima, Peru in 2025.

    Greaves’ latest standout performance comes on the heels of an already impressive showing earlier in the championships. On Wednesday, she notched another new national junior record in the opening round of the flying 200m event, though her run in that competition came to an end at the quarterfinal stage. Undeterred by that early exit, the young rider bounced back with focused determination to deliver a career-best effort in the 1km time trial qualifier.

    Speaking to reporters immediately after her qualifying ride, an energized and self-assured Greaves shared her excitement about the result, crediting much of her success to the guidance of team mechanic and personal mentor Elisha Greene. “The ride felt really good from start to finish,” she said. “I went out onto the track and stuck exactly to the race plan we mapped out together.”

    “Qualifying fourth overall is an incredible starting point for my medal hunt, and getting another national record on top of that has given me a massive confidence boost heading into the final,” Greaves added. “I’m really looking forward to competing this evening, I’m going to give it everything I’ve got, and my goal is to take home the win.”

    Deidre Hinkson, manager of the Barbados national team, spoke publicly about the team’s immense pride in Greaves’ groundbreaking achievement, highlighting the extraordinary barriers the young athlete has overcome to reach this point. Unlike many competing nations, Barbados does not have a dedicated domestic track cycling training facility, forcing Greaves to relocate for her preparation ahead of the continental championships.

    “Arielle is such a strong, driven young athlete, and she has all the tools to go as far as she wants in this sport,” Hinkson said. “Even without a home training track, she has still managed to pull out the best performances of her career here. We are incredibly grateful to Trinidad and Tobago for opening their facilities to her to let her prepare for this event.”

    As Greaves prepares to line up for the 1km time trial final in Heat 5 this afternoon, Hinkson said the team is placing no unnecessary pressure on the young rider. “We just want her to go out, leave every ounce of energy on the track, and do her best,” Hinkson explained. “Whatever the result, if she gives 100% effort, we will all be thrilled. A medal would just be the perfect cherry on top of what has already been an incredible championships for her.”

  • UDP’s Edward Broaster Calls PM’s Fuel Tax Cut “Peanuts”

    UDP’s Edward Broaster Calls PM’s Fuel Tax Cut “Peanuts”

    On May 8, 2026, political tensions over fuel pricing in Belize flared up after United Democratic Party (UDP) caretaker candidate for Belize Rural Central Edward Broaster publicly dismissed Prime Minister John Briceño’s recently announced fuel tax cut as nothing more than “peanuts” — a negligible gesture that fails to address the crippling cost pressures facing working-class Belizeans.

    Broaster made the critical remarks during a local event at the Northern Gas Station in his constituency, where he personally rolled out a temporary $2 per gallon fuel subsidy for local residents, covering costs for up to 10 gallons per qualifying vehicle. During the event, he argued that the prime minister has deliberately chosen to leave the most burdensome fuel levies untouched, even after announcing a 68% cut to the national excise tax on fuel. In Broaster’s view, the remaining environmental taxes and general sales tax (GST) applied to fuel are what continue to squeeze household budgets for ordinary working people across the country.

    “That is giving the government the big bite from the fuel that the prime minister refused to touch,” Broaster told attendees. “He can’t blame it on the war.”

    The local subsidy initiative has sparked pushback from ruling party politicians, who have framed Broaster’s move as a cynical political stunt. Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, the sitting Area Representative for Belize Rural Central, has already dismissed Broaster’s program as a blatant “political gimmick” designed to score cheap votes ahead of potential elections. Additionally, Dr. Louis Zabaneh, the Area Representative for Dangriga, had previously challenged Broaster to expand his fuel relief program to a national scale — a call Broaster has rejected, arguing that meaningful national relief is the responsibility of the incumbent administration, not individual opposition politicians.

    Broaster doubled down on his criticism of the Briceño government, arguing that the administration has failed to deliver the substantive cost-of-living relief it promised to voters. “They really don’t care about the people,” he said. “They’re the ones who have the power to reduce fuel prices across the board.”

    In additional comments made during an interview earlier this week, Broaster revealed that he is already developing a follow-up initiative: a week-long fuel relief program specifically targeted at public bus commuters, who rely on fuel-powered transit for daily travel to work, school, and essential services.

  • Harlem takes win against police in friendly match

    Harlem takes win against police in friendly match

    On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, a unique community-focused friendly football match took place at the Dominica Football Association (DFA) Technical Center, bringing together law enforcement and local residents through athletic competition. The game was organized by the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF) Community Policing Initiative, in partnership with the force’s own Police Sports Club, which went head-to-head with the local Harlem Football Club.

    What began as a competitive 90-minute contest quickly evolved into a demonstration of cross-group connection, with police officers and community members building rapport through shared enthusiasm for the sport. The event was designed to leverage the unifying power of athletic competition to break down barriers between law enforcement and the communities they serve, aligning with the CDPF’s broader community outreach strategy.

    After a tightly contested match, Harlem Football Club claimed the win with a final score of 5-1. Despite the less-than-favorable outcome for the Police Sports Club, the team remained undeterred, with players and coaching staff reaffirming their commitment to ongoing preparations for the upcoming DFA League season. The side has continued training with consistent focus and strong collective team spirit as they gear up for formal league competition.

    In a post-match statement, a CDPF spokesperson emphasized that the force will continue centering community engagement through accessible, inclusive programming. Beyond traditional policing work, the CDPF plans to expand its use of recreational and sports-based initiatives to strengthen trust, foster positive interactions, and build lasting collaborative relationships between police officers and Dominica’s local communities.

  • Sharks swimmers top LA Relay Carnival

    Sharks swimmers top LA Relay Carnival

    On May 3, the Rodney Heights Aquatic Centre in Gros Islet played host to the highly anticipated fifth annual Lightning Aquatics Relay Carnival, where six competitive local swim clubs gathered to battle for the top title. After a full day of intense, fast-paced races across multiple age divisions, it was Sharks Swim Club that emerged as the overall tournament champions, outperforming a strong field of competitors to claim the crown.

    In the final team standings, Sharks, sporting their signature red team uniforms, secured first place with a cumulative total of 787 points. Runner-up honors went to Sea Jays, who finished just 67 points behind with 720 total points, a impressive performance anchored by several standout CARIFTA medallists. Third place went to RR Aquatic, who racked up 450 points to round out the top three, while event hosts Lightning Aquatics took fourth position with 326 points. When broken down by gender division, Sharks’ female athletes delivered a dominant showing, scoring 447 points – nearly 200 points ahead of the second-place Sea Jays girls’ squad. On the men’s side, Sea Jays claimed the division lead, posting 472 points, a margin of just over 130 points ahead of Sharks’ boys team.

    Competition across age divisions brought no shortage of breakout performances and unexpected upsets. In the Under-11 girls’ bracket, a team of Zoe Fortune, Kayla Rose Richard, Cristi-Anna Brown and Dominique Destang took home three out of four possible gold medals in 100m relay events, clinching top spots in freestyle, butterfly, and medley. For the oldest division, open to swimmers 15 and older, Olympic-qualified swimmer Mikaili Charlemagne teamed up with Mya Prospere, Cayla Benjamin and Isabella McLean to secure wins in both the 200m freestyle and 200m medley relays, showcasing the elite level of talent at the event.

    For the 11-14 age group, CARIFTA medallists Sapphire Parks and Maya Andrew joined forces with Jasmine Vigier, Khiara Hippolyte and Kai Chung to pull off a rare clean sweep, winning all four relay events on the schedule: 200m freestyle, breaststroke, medley, and butterfly. Parks added to her medal haul by also taking home three individual gold medals, solidifying her status as one of the event’s most impressive competitors.

    Sea Jays’ male swimmers turned in a standout performance across every age division, pushing Sharks to the final wire for the overall title. In the Under-11 boys’ division, the foursome of Miles Andrew, Tiago Nelson, Zev Steele and Tristan Charlemagne swept all four relay events, winning freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly, and medley. Andrew matched Parks’ individual success, claiming five gold medals in individual races. In the 11-14 boys’ bracket, CARIFTA medallist Tyler Dantes paired with Nathan Lewis and Alec Alfred to take gold in three relay events: 200m breaststroke, butterfly, and medley. Dantes also matched Andrew’s five individual gold medals, while Caden Calderon and Henri-Christian Theobalds delivered a critical win for Sharks in the 11-14 200m freestyle relay.

    In the 15-and-over boys’ division, Noah Dorville, Malik Peter, and Shemar James led Sea Jays to first-place finishes in the 200m freestyle, breaststroke, and medley relays. The only boys’ relay win for Lightning Aquatics in this division came in the 200m butterfly, where Ethan Hazell, Aaron Charles, Khalil Maraj and Jayce Daniel crossed the finish line first to claim gold.

    Beyond the team titles and individual medals, the carnival also made history with two new national age-group short-course records, both set by standout Sea Jays athletes. Sapphire Parks shaved nearly a third of a second off her own previous 11-12 girls 100m freestyle record, dropping her time from 1:02.25 to a new mark of 1:01.95. Tyler Dantes followed up his five individual gold medals by breaking a 2019 record held by Tristan Dorville in the 11-12 boys 50m backstroke, finishing the race in 29.90 seconds to beat the old record of 30.73 seconds.

  • KestheBand makes NPR Tiny Desk debut ahead of international ‘Roots, Rock, Soca’ tour

    KestheBand makes NPR Tiny Desk debut ahead of international ‘Roots, Rock, Soca’ tour

    One of the Caribbean’s most dynamic musical forces, KestheBand, has exploded into global online conversation following their first-ever appearance on NPR’s iconic Tiny Desk Concerts, the long-running, internationally acclaimed performance series based at NPR Music’s Washington, D.C. headquarters.

    Now in its 18th year, the Tiny Desk Concerts series has built its reputation on showcasing emerging and established artists from every corner of the globe, delivering intimate, stripped-down sets that prioritize authentic musical storytelling over large-scale production. For their highly anticipated debut, KestheBand crafted a nonstop, high-energized continuous performance structured as a seamless medley, designed to trace the dynamic evolution of the group’s signature Caribbean sound.

    The set reimagined a diverse lineup of fan-favorite tracks spanning genres and generations, including the group’s own hits alongside creative reinterpretations of well-known songs such as *Hello*, *Fallin’*, *Rum and Coca Cola*, *Jolene*, *Cocoa Tea*, *Wotless*, and *Savannah Grass*.

    Centering the performance around a celebration of shared Caribbean cultural identity, with soca music framed as a unifying cultural force, the group invited two standout regional guest artists to join them: Teddyson John, the acclaimed vocalist from Saint Lucia, and Terri Lyons, the newly crowned 2026 Calypso Monarch of Trinidad and Tobago, who delivered powerful backing vocals throughout the set.

    Musically, the performance featured a full live ensemble that masterfully blended traditional Caribbean instrumentation with modern contemporary arrangements. Legendary pannist Dane Gulston brought authentic Caribbean tonality with his steelpan work, while Denilson Gulston added layered rhythmic depth on percussion. These traditional elements wove together seamlessly with the band’s core vocals and modern instrumentation to create a rich, textured live sound that felt both rooted in heritage and fresh for global audiences.

    For frontman Kees Dieffenthaller, a Trinidad and Tobago native who has led the band for its entire career, the Tiny Desk debut stands as a defining career milestone. He described the moment as “a full-circle moment of fulfilment” in comments shared as part of the band’s official announcement.

    “Performing at Tiny Desk is an incredible honour that we’ve dreamed of for a very long time,” Dieffenthaller said. “This moment is a powerful reminder of how far Caribbean music can travel when it stays true to its roots. To strip it down, feel every note, and share that energy with the world in such an intimate space—it’s something we’ll carry with us for the rest of this journey.”

    Dieffenthaller also highlighted the platform’s unmatched global reach, which draws roughly 20 million monthly viewers across streaming and digital platforms, noting that Tiny Desk’s commitment to authentic, unfiltered musical storytelling aligns perfectly with KestheBand’s artistic mission. “We are vessels of sound and song, and this moment is so much bigger than us: it’s about our culture, our people, and our joyful connection we bring through music,” he added.

    Bobby Carter, the veteran host and producer of NPR Tiny Desk Concerts, praised KestheBand’s groundbreaking debut in a statement, noting that the group brought a one-of-a-kind energy to the storied studio space. “KestheBand brings something truly special to the NPR Tiny Desk — a sound that feels both deeply rooted and globally resonant,” Carter said. “Ahead of Caribbean American Heritage Month that’s celebrated across the United States throughout June, this performance is a celebration of Caribbean culture in its most dynamic form.”

    The release of KestheBand’s Tiny Desk performance coincides perfectly with the wrap-up of the European and United Kingdom leg of the group’s ongoing *Roots, Rock, Soca* world tour. Launched in Paris on April 30, the first leg included sold-out shows in London and two back-to-back packed performances in Amsterdam, produced in partnership with global entertainment leaders Live Nation and WME. The tour will next launch its North American leg on May 28 in Seattle, Washington, expanding the band’s already extensive global itinerary.

    Before kicking off the North American run, KestheBand is scheduled to perform at the 2026 Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival on May 8 at Pigeon Island, continuing their tradition of connecting with Caribbean audiences ahead of international tours. The full official lineup for the historic Tiny Desk performance features lead vocalist Kees Dieffenthaller, Jon Dieffenthaller on guitar, Riad Boochoon on bass, Dean James on drums, Mario Callender and Geiron Mang on keyboards, Robert “Robby Styles” Persaud on cuatro and shakers, Dane Gulston on steel pan, Denilson Gulston on percussion, and backing vocalists Terri Lyons and Teddyson John.

    The confirmed North American leg of the *Roots, Rock, Soca* tour includes stops across the United States and Canada: May 29 at Portland’s Wonder Ballroom, May 30 at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom, June 2 at Sacramento’s Ace of Spades, June 3 at San Francisco’s The Fillmore, June 5 at Santa Ana’s The Observatory, June 6 at Los Angeles’ The Bellwether, June 7 at San Diego’s House of Blues, June 21 at Virginia Beach’s Point Break Festival, June 26 at Baltimore’s Pier Six Pavilion, June 27 at New York’s Forest Hills Stadium, July 2 at Boston’s Leader Bank Pavilion, and July 4 at Toronto’s RBC Amphitheatre. As the band continues traversing multiple continents, they remain focused on sharing their soca-driven rhythms, virtuosic live musicianship, and heartfelt cultural storytelling with audiences of all backgrounds.

  • LIAT Air Launches Direct Antigua-Guadeloupe Service

    LIAT Air Launches Direct Antigua-Guadeloupe Service

    Caribbean-based regional carrier LIAT Air has marked a key milestone in its network expansion strategy with the launch of its first-ever nonstop service connecting Antigua and Guadeloupe, a move set to strengthen travel links across the Caribbean archipelago and open up new opportunities for both leisure and business travelers. The new cross-regional route officially entered operation on Friday, with the maiden direct flight taking off from V.C. Bird International Airport in Antigua promptly at 8 a.m., according to the airline’s official announcement. Going forward, the service will maintain a consistent twice-weekly schedule, giving travelers a reliable new option to move between the two popular Caribbean destinations. Beyond just adding a new flight route, the introduction of this direct connection eliminates the need for inconvenient layovers at intermediate Caribbean hubs that travelers previously had to rely on to travel between Antigua and Guadeloupe. “Passengers can now enjoy direct flights between Antigua and Guadeloupe two times a week, opening the door for seamless business travel, weekend escapes, cultural exchange, and unforgettable Caribbean adventures,” the airline stated in a press release outlining the new service. The launch of this route is part of LIAT Air’s broader push to rebuild and expand its regional network following a period of restructuring, with the carrier aiming to reconnect key tourism and business hubs across the Caribbean that have long lacked convenient direct air links. In closing, LIAT Air extended its gratitude to its loyal passenger base, regional industry partners, and community supporters who have stood by the airline throughout its growth journey, enabling the company to continue rolling out new connectivity options across the Caribbean region. Industry analysts note that the new route is expected to bring tangible benefits to both destinations, boosting cross-border tourism, supporting small business trade across the islands, and making it easier for local communities to maintain personal and professional connections across the Caribbean Sea.

  • Dredging Barge Arrives in Antigua for Crabbs Peninsula Energy Project

    Dredging Barge Arrives in Antigua for Crabbs Peninsula Energy Project

    The long-awaited dredging barge tasked with supporting major coastal preparations for the Crabbs Peninsula energy project has arrived at Antigua’s St. John’s Harbor, marking a key milestone in the country’s ambitious plan to expand its renewable energy capacity and upgrade national energy infrastructure.

    Project officials confirmed that the 120-meter coastal dredging vessel reached its destination early Wednesday morning, after a two-week voyage from its previous deployment in Trinidad and Tobago. Over the next 12 weeks, the barge and its on-site crew will carry out extensive seabed dredging work along the 2.5-kilometer coastline adjacent to the project site. The work is designed to deepen coastal channels, clear sediment buildup, and prepare the seabed for the installation of undersea cables and onshore construction access routes that will support a new 70-megawatt solar-wind hybrid energy facility.

    The Crabbs Peninsula energy project, a joint initiative between the Antiguan government and a regional renewable energy developer, is projected to meet nearly 40 percent of Antigua and Barbuda’s total domestic electricity demand once completed. It is also expected to create over 200 local construction jobs and reduce the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuels, which currently account for more than 90 percent of its energy generation.

    Project manager Carlos Mendez told reporters on Thursday that the timely arrival of the dredging barge keeps the entire project on track for its scheduled completion in late 2025. “This is more than just an energy project; it’s a foundational step for Antigua and Barbuda’s transition to cleaner, more affordable energy independence,” Mendez said. “The dredging work we’re about to undertake eliminates a major bottleneck for the rest of construction, so we’re pleased to be moving forward as planned.”

    Local business leaders have welcomed the development, noting that the project’s infrastructure upgrades will also open new opportunities for coastal tourism development along the Crabbs Peninsula. Environmental monitoring teams have already been deployed to the area to ensure dredging activities comply with regional marine protection standards, with measures in place to minimize disruption to local coral reef systems and fish populations.