Carib Scope

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  • Wild duck hunting is illegal, NEPA warns

    Wild duck hunting is illegal, NEPA warns

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a public advisory issued this Monday, Jamaica’s National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has reinforced longstanding legal protections for all wild duck populations across the island, reminding residents and visitors that harming, hunting, or trapping these birds is a criminal offense under national law. The official warning comes in response to verified, credible accounts of unregulated hunting and trapping activities documented across multiple Jamaican parishes, actions that NEPA confirms directly violate the island’s Wild Life Protection Act.

    This piece of legislation extends full legal protection to every native bird species in Jamaica, encompassing not only all year-round resident duck populations but also migratory duck varieties that travel to the island on a seasonal basis. To clarify the scope of protections, NEPA outlines key differences between the two groups: resident species such as the vulnerable West Indian Whistling Duck (*Dendrocygna arborea*) live and breed within Jamaica’s borders year-round, while migratory species including the Blue-winged Teal (*Spatula discors*) and Ring-necked Duck (*Aythya collaris*) rely on Jamaica’s warm, resource-rich landscapes as a critical stopover and wintering habitat each year.

    Jamaica’s expansive network of wetlands and inland waterways does more than support local waterfowl: these ecosystems serve as globally important conservation sites that underpin biodiversity across the Caribbean region and the broader Western Hemisphere. Illegal hunting of wild ducks, NEPA emphasizes, does not just threaten targeted waterfowl populations—it disrupts the delicate ecological balance of these critical habitats, putting the entire range of wildlife that depends on wetland ecosystems at risk.

    In response to the recently reported incidents, the agency confirmed that it has already launched formal investigations to identify and prosecute individuals involved in the illegal activity. NEPA also issued a clear reminder of the steep penalties for violations of the Wild Life Protection Act: anyone convicted of hunting, trapping, or illegally possessing protected wild species including wild ducks can face fines as high as JMD $3 million.

    To strengthen enforcement of these protections, NEPA is calling on the Jamaican public to become active partners in conservation. The agency is urging anyone with information about unreported illegal hunting activity to come forward and share details through multiple accessible channels. Tipsters can contact NEPA directly at 876-754-7540, reach the agency toll-free at 888-991-5005, or report incidents to local law enforcement via the national 119 emergency line or the nearest police station.

  • Mother of missing teen condemns political use of missing son’s photo

    Mother of missing teen condemns political use of missing son’s photo

    Nearly two years after her son Devin Isaacs disappeared without a trace, Tashana Thompson is confronting a new, agonizing blow: the exploitation of her missing child’s image for partisan political gain ahead of an election in the Bahamas.

    Devin, who was 16 when he vanished from his Carmichael Road home in May 2024 and turned 18 last year, has become the centerpiece of a misleading, defamatory social media post shared from an unofficial Facebook account named Bahamas Royal over the recent weekend. The post circulated an old photo of Devin wearing a shirt affiliated with the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), and tied the image to baseless claims that a vote for PLP Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis endangers children. The unsubstantiated post further went so far as to accuse the party of grooming young men and falsely claimed Devin had been sexually assaulted — claims backed by no evidence whatsoever.

    Thompson, speaking to The Tribune on Monday, condemned the post in sharp terms, saying the 2022 photo was captured in an entirely innocent context: Devin had volunteered that year at a back-to-school community event hosted by Golden Gates Member of Parliament Pia Glover-Rolle, a PLP representative. The mother, who has spent nearly two years holding out hope for her son’s safe return, said she was outraged and deeply shaken when she encountered the manipulated circulating content.

    “I’m physically, mentally, emotionally drained and weary,” Thompson told the publication. “God sees and knows it all. I hate how they’re using my child.” She labeled the post inhumane and irrational, noting that she has no insight into who operates the Bahamas Royal account, and is demanding the content be immediately removed from the platform.

    Devin’s disappearance has remained an open, unresolved case for Bahamian law enforcement. Four days after he was reported missing, police issued a Marco’s Alert to mobilize public assistance in locating him. In July 2024, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander released publicly available closed-circuit television footage collected from the area of Devin’s home. The footage, recorded shortly after midnight on the day Devin vanished, shows a car parked two properties away from the Isaacs home. It captures Devin leaving his residence, returning briefly, then walking toward Carmichael Road. Additional surveillance footage later confirmed Devin was seen alone, walking west near the Rubis Service Station on the same road.

    From the early stages of the investigation, law enforcement has floated the theory that Devin may have left home of his own free will. But Thompson has consistently rejected that conclusion, and holds the unproven belief that her son is being held against his will somewhere in the country. She has made clear she will not abandon her search, no matter how much time passes.

    The family’s suffering has only intensified since Devin turned 18 last year, granting him legal adult status under Bahamian law. Thompson now harbors a growing fear that even if clues emerge pointing to Devin’s location, authorities will treat the case with less urgency than they would for a missing minor, slowing efforts to bring him home.

  • Guyana says neither Spain nor Venezuela ever administered the Essequibo region

    Guyana says neither Spain nor Venezuela ever administered the Essequibo region

    At the United Nations’ highest judicial body, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) based in The Hague, Guyana has launched a comprehensive argument challenging Venezuela’s territorial claim to the resource-rich Essequibo region, centering its case on centuries of administrative and historical evidence that contradicts Caracas’ assertions of ownership.

    Spanning more than 61,600 square miles, Essequibo makes up roughly two-thirds of Guyana’s total land area. The region, which is teeming with untapped natural resources and extraordinary biodiversity, sits between the Essequibo River along its eastern edge and the Venezuela border to the west, making it one of the most contentious territorial disputes in the Western Hemisphere.

    During the opening round of oral arguments before the ICJ panel, Guyana’s legal team and diplomatic representatives laid out a detailed historical record of the region’s occupation and governance. Ambassador Donnette Streete, who leads the Frontiers Division at Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Carl Greenidge, Guyana’s designated agent for the case focused on the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award’s legal validity, emphasized that neither Spain nor Venezuela ever established formal control over the territory. The first European settlers to occupy Essequibo, they argued, were Dutch colonists arriving at the turn of the 17th century.

    Between the 17th and 19th centuries, the territory was subsequently populated by descendants of enslaved Africans and indentured Asian laborers brought to the region by Dutch and later British colonial rulers. Today, Streete told the court, Guyana exercises full, uninterrupted sovereign authority over Essequibo: the national government collects taxes there, provides public administration, elects nine members to Guyana’s national parliament from the region, and manages its ecologically valuable biodiverse landscapes.

    Data from Guyana’s 2022 national census puts Essequibo’s current population at more than 313,000 people, accounting for over a third of the country’s total population. This population includes members of nine indigenous communities, who Streete confirmed are the original, long-standing inhabitants of the land.

    Greenidge, a former Guyanese foreign minister, supplemented the historical narrative with tangible documentary evidence, including archival maps and place-name records. The maps, he explained, clearly place the farthest eastern Spanish outposts more than 650 kilometers outside Essequibo’s boundaries, while 35 existing settlements within the region still retain Dutch-origin names centuries after their founding.

    Post-Columbian European settlement in what is now Guyana, Greenidge argued, begins definitively with the 1598 arrival of Dutch explorers. By 1616, the Dutch had formally established the Colony of Essequibo, built Fort Kykoveral along the Mazaruni River (west of the Essequibo River) as their colonial administrative seat, and extended settlement and formal governance westward all the way to the Orinoco River. In 1621, the Dutch West India Company took over formal administration of the colony, and the administrative seat was relocated to Fort Zealandia in 1744. “The Spanish, they were nowhere to be found, not east of the Orinoco, at any rate,” Greenidge told the court. “Their nearest outpost was San Tome on the banks of the Orinoco. This was the easternmost Spanish settlement. The Spanish governor there was candid about his predicament. The settlement, he wrote, was so far distant from other Spanish positions.”

    Beyond historical evidence, Guyana’s legal team built a robust case based on established international judicial precedent. Pierre d’Argent, a globally recognized expert in public international law representing Guyana, referenced two previous ICJ rulings on the border dispute issued in 2020 and 2023. He noted that Venezuela has never formally challenged the legal principle of res judicata — the rule that final court rulings are binding on all parties — nor has Caracas filed a formal application for review under Article 61 of the ICJ Statute, the only legal pathway to contest this binding precedent.

    “It must be concluded, therefore, that Venezuela has not discovered any new fact of such a nature had it been known as to be a decisive factor on the conclusions reached by the court in its judgments of 2020 and 2023 and in these conditions, these judgments remain res judicata for the parties in the court itself,” d’Argent told the panel.

    Paul Reichler, another senior member of Guyana’s legal team, added that Venezuela itself accepted, respected and abided by the 1899 Arbitral Award for more than six decades after it was issued. Caracas did not formally challenge the award’s validity until February 1962, when Venezuela’s UN permanent representative sent a formal letter to the UN Secretary-General contesting the ruling. Even at that time, Reichler noted, Venezuela explicitly acknowledged that the 1897 bilateral treaty underlying the 1899 award remained legally binding. It was not until 1963 — 66 years after Venezuela ratified the 1897 treaty — that Caracas first began to question the treaty’s validity.

    The ICJ is currently hearing the first round of oral arguments in the case, which is split into multiple three-hour sessions for each side. Both Guyana and Venezuela are presenting their full cases during this round, with proceedings set to continue through Friday and conclude next Monday.

  • PM: New airport to drive Cat Island trade, tourism

    PM: New airport to drive Cat Island trade, tourism

    In a landmark step toward spreading economic prosperity across The Bahamas’ outer Family Islands, officials have formally opened the renovated Arthur’s Town Airport on Cat Island, framing the infrastructure project as a cornerstone of the national government’s strategy to unlock new development outside major population centers.

    Speaking at the official commissioning ceremony, Prime Minister Philip Davis KC—who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador—emphasized that the modernized facility will act as a catalyst for increased visitor arrivals, expanded cross-border trade, and new professional opportunities for local residents. He noted that while the government has laid the foundational infrastructure, the direction and benefits of future growth are ultimately in the hands of Cat Island’s community.

    “The opening of this airport will bring more people, more trade and more opportunity, but it is up to you, the people of Cat Island, to determine how you wish to expand that community, how you wish to share that tranquility, and how you wish to seize those opportunities,” Davis told attendees. Framing the project as an intergenerational investment, he added, “All that I’m looking forward to is that a good foundation is laid for the future. This is about the future, so my grandkids can be here to enjoy what I left behind.”

    Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper, who also holds portfolios for tourism, investments and aviation, described the upgraded airport as far more than a transportation hub, calling it a gateway to widespread economic renewal for Cat Island’s northern region.

    “This is the kind of investment that changes how people live, how they travel, how they do business and how they see the future of their own island. This airport is a major transformation,” Cooper said. He positioned the Arthur’s Town project as a key component of the most ambitious national airport expansion initiative in The Bahamas’ history, noting that the current administration has already delivered upgraded terminal facilities across multiple Family Islands.

    Infrastructure of this kind, Cooper explained, is the backbone of growing the country’s critical tourism sector and supporting small business expansion across outer islands. “These are not just airports. These are lifelines and engines for opportunity. They help our people move more easily. They help our visitors arrive more safely. They help our businesses grow. They help tourism to thrive,” he said.

    Cooper also confirmed that the project will deliver immediate connectivity gains, with the first scheduled international commercial air service set to launch on May 12. Makers Air will operate direct flights from Florida to Arthur’s Town twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, opening direct international access to the island for the first time.

    Clay Sweeting, Bahamas’ Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs, added that the airport’s completion marks a fundamental shift in how the national government approaches infrastructure delivery for outer island communities. For decades, he noted, local residents had to adapt their daily lives and economic activity to inadequate, outdated infrastructure. Now, he said, the government has built infrastructure tailored to serve community needs.

    “Today is not just an opening of an airport. It’s about opening opportunities, because for far too long, Family Island communities like Arthur’s Town have had to work around infrastructure. Today, we are building infrastructure that works for you,” Sweeting said. He added that the improved facility will boost both connectivity and quality of life for local residents, bringing easier access to mainland services, safer travel, and stronger links to national and global markets.

    The opening of Arthur’s Town Airport caps years of planning and investment under the Davis administration’s flagship economic diversification strategy, which prioritizes spreading development beyond Nassau and Freeport to unlock the untapped economic potential of The Bahamas’ smaller outer islands.

  • Mitchell tells PLPs ‘give more vouchers’

    Mitchell tells PLPs ‘give more vouchers’

    A political firestorm has erupted in the Bahamas over the distribution of Treasury-financed gift vouchers in Abaco that bear the names of non-government employed Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) election candidates and party officials, with Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell becoming the first sitting government leader to publicly endorse and defend the controversial program.

    Mitchell’s unapologetic support for the initiative puts him sharply at odds with many within his own party, where multiple PLP figures have privately voiced shock that more than $200,000 in taxpayer money was allocated to the voucher program. Prime Minister Philip Davis has also refused to publicly address the growing controversy, leaving Mitchell’s outlier stance even more notable in the context of intra-party dynamics.

    The decision to attach non-government PLP affiliates’ names to public-funded assistance has sparked intense debate over whether the program violates anti-electioneering laws. The Bahamas’ Parliamentary Elections Act explicitly criminalizes giving, offering, or funding gifts, cash or other benefits with the intent of swaying voter behavior or securing a candidate’s election to Parliament.

    Speaking at a raucous PLP campaign rally in Bimini Saturday night, Mitchell brushed off widespread criticism from the opposition, arguing that Abaco residents prioritize access to tangible assistance over quibbles over political branding on the vouchers. “Duane Sands is an amazing fella, he is complaining because vouchers were being given out in Abaco and he says the PLP is connected in giving out those vouchers,” Mitchell told the crowd. “Well, let me ask you this, you think the people in Abaco care whose name was on the voucher? They want the vouchers, they want the help, that’s all that is necessary, and I’m happy the PLP is connected with giving out the vouchers. Give out more vouchers, the more vouchers you give out, the better.”

    Mitchell also pivoted to attack the opposition’s own record of ethical missteps, pointing to a past court case involving former opposition figure Frank Smith where a judge cited a multi-million dollar contract awarded to a key prosecution witness. “He has no complaint to make about giving out vouchers and trying to influence voters,” Mitchell said of Sands.

    The foreign minister doubled down on his defense of the program, asserting the entire initiative was ethically sound and framing opposition pushback as a deliberate tactic to halt the PLP’s public outreach work. “The fact is, ladies and gentlemen, there is no offence connected with it,” he said.

    Opposition Free National Movement (FNM) leader Michael Pintard has strongly condemned the Davis administration, accusing the government of breaking national law by using public funds to distribute gift certificates branded with PLP candidates’ names. Pintard has called the action an “egregious” violation of election rules and is pushing for criminal charges to be filed against responsible parties.

    Chris Lleida, chief executive officer of Premier Importers, the firm handling the vouchers, confirmed that the certificates were issued at the formal request of the Bahamas’ Ministry of Finance, confirming the program’s official government backing.

  • Willie Stewart’s ‘Have a Little Faith’ tops South Florida Reggae Chart

    Willie Stewart’s ‘Have a Little Faith’ tops South Florida Reggae Chart

    An all-star reggae collaboration born from a desire to honor disaster resilience has claimed the number one position on one of South Florida’s most prominent reggae rankings, marking a heartfelt win for humanitarian art amid ongoing recovery efforts.

    *Have A Little Faith*, the brainchild of former Third World drummer Willie Stewart and a collective of renowned Jamaican and Caribbean musicians, has reached the peak of the South Florida Top 25 Reggae Chart after making its initial chart entry back in February. The track, which assembled a roster of iconic and emerging talent including Leroy Sibbles, Carlene Davis, J C Lodge, Gem Myers, Dwisdom, Glen Washington, Wayne Armond, Alecia Marie, Carl McDonald, and Patrick Ulysees Pinkney, is far more than a commercial release—it is a tribute to the strength of Jamaican communities in the wake of devastating natural disaster.

    The song traces its origins to October of last year, when Hurricane Melissa tore through southwestern Jamaica, leaving widespread destruction across multiple parishes. At the time, Stewart and his family were watching the recovery unfold from their home in South Florida. Struck by the unyielding courage of Jamaican people navigating the crisis, he began crafting the track as a love letter to their resilience.

    “Three days after the hurricane, inspired by the outpouring of humanitarian aid and my wife’s suggestion, I realised I could contribute to the recovery effort by writing a song,” Stewart explained in an interview with Observer Online. “After sharing the idea with Steve Lane, we decided to build this project together, bringing in dozens of talented musicians who joined the effort even while navigating their own personal and professional challenges.”

    Stewart co-produced the single alongside Ian Sanderson, with executive producer Steve Lane handling distribution via his Digital 1 Media Service. Beyond its digital release, the track got a high-profile live debut earlier this year: Stewart and his orchestra performed *Have A Little Faith* at the 2025 Rhythms Of Africa festival, held April 18-19 at the Miramar Cultural Center in South Florida. The festival, which Stewart has curated and produced annually since 2010, carried the theme “Run di Riddim: Every Beat For Jamaica” this year, with all programming centered on supporting post-Hurricane Melissa recovery.

    In addition to the headlining performances from Stewart’s collective, J C Lodge, and Gem Myers, this year’s event included a moving tribute segment to three giants of reggae: the iconic Jimmy Cliff, celebrated guitarist Stephen “Cat” Coore—Stewart’s former bandmate in Third World—and legendary drummer Sly Dunbar. Coore passed away in November 2024, followed by Dunbar in January 2025, making the tribute a bittersweet celebration of their enduring contributions to reggae music.

  • Department Of Correctional Services 50th Anniversary | 50Yrs of Excellence In Securing, Rehabilitating and Reintegrating Lives for a Safer Jamaica

    Department Of Correctional Services 50th Anniversary | 50Yrs of Excellence In Securing, Rehabilitating and Reintegrating Lives for a Safer Jamaica

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  • WATCH: KSAMC to fix sewage, streetlight problems on Beckford Street

    WATCH: KSAMC to fix sewage, streetlight problems on Beckford Street

    In downtown Kingston, Jamaica’s busiest commercial hub, a long-standing public infrastructure crisis on Beckford Street is finally drawing coordinated action from local authorities. Mayor Andrew Swaby, head of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), has announced a multi-phase strategy to address persistent sewage problems that have disrupted daily commerce and quality of life for vendors and visitors alike.

    On Sunday, joint teams from KSAMC launched on-site clean-up operations, with technical representatives from Jamaica’s National Water Commission (NWC) and Jamaica Public Service (JPS) joining the effort to conduct full infrastructure assessments of the affected area. In an interview following the clean-up, Swaby acknowledged the growing frustration among local street vendors, who have borne the brunt of unsanitary conditions for months.

    He emphasized that while the municipal corporation is working to deliver immediate relief to vendors within the constraints of current resources and space, the broader sewage issue affects the entire downtown Kingston district. Permanent resolution will depend on the national government’s upcoming rollout of a comprehensive downtown infrastructure master plan, which will address systemic root causes of the problem.

    Beyond sewage remediation, the initiative targets other pressing public space concerns on Beckford Street. Swaby confirmed that JPS technical crews will return to the district this week to fix long-standing broken street lighting that has left the area unsafe after dark. The municipal authority is also moving to restore public order and improve accessibility, asking vendors to strictly operate within their legally allocated vending zones to keep roadways clear.

    Swaby stressed that unobstructed access is a critical public safety issue. Emergency services including police and fire departments require unimpeded access to the area at all times in case of accidents or incidents, a need that has been repeatedly blocked by unauthorized vending structures and tarpaulins set up in the middle of the roadway. “Our core goal right now is to reestablish orderly, safe public use of Beckford Street,” he explained.

    Local vendors have largely welcomed the intervention. Keisha, a street vendor who has operated her business on Beckford Street for more than 25 years, said the clean-up campaign addresses long-held concerns among local business owners. Many vendors had worried they would be displaced during infrastructure work, but the campaign has clarified that the current effort is a pre-Labour Day clean-up rather than a permanent displacement. “We’ve wanted this area to be clean for a long time, and we’re happy to see progress happening,” she noted.

  • Digicel 25th | A Jamaican Journey Powered By YOU

    Digicel 25th | A Jamaican Journey Powered By YOU

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  • Cape Verde bans passengers from cruise with suspected virus deaths

    Cape Verde bans passengers from cruise with suspected virus deaths

    Off the coast of the West African archipelago nation of Cape Verde, a cruise ship anchored near the capital Praia remains in limbo after local authorities rejected requests for passengers to disembark, following a suspected hantavirus outbreak that has claimed three lives. The decision, framed as a critical protective measure for local communities, comes even as global health officials have stressed that overall public risk from the incident remains low.

    The MV Hondius, operated by Netherlands-based adventure cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions, was en route from Ushuaia, Argentina when the outbreak unfolded. In its first official public statement on the incident, the operator confirmed the three fatalities: two people died while aboard the vessel, and a third passed away shortly after disembarking earlier in the journey. Currently, one passenger with a confirmed hantavirus infection is receiving intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa, while two additional people on the ship remain in need of urgent medical attention. No official confirmation of hantavirus has yet been released for these two symptomatic individuals.

    Cape Verdean public health authorities made the ban on disembarkation clear in comments Sunday to local public broadcaster RTC. Maria da Luz Lima, president of the country’s National Institute of Public Health, confirmed that the vessel has not been granted permission to dock at Praia’s port, and no passengers or crew will be allowed to leave the ship while it is anchored off the coast. “There would be no contact between the passengers and the country,” Lima stated, emphasizing that the policy is designed solely to protect Cape Verde’s resident population. Local medics have been allowed to board the vessel to assess the condition of the two sick crew members, but no approval has been granted to move these individuals to onshore medical facilities.

    Dutch authorities have stepped forward to lead an international coordination effort to repatriate the two symptomatic people on board to the Netherlands for treatment. A spokesperson for the Dutch foreign ministry confirmed to AFP that officials are actively exploring all options for a medical evacuation, and the ministry will take charge of coordination if the operation moves forward. Oceanwide Expeditions noted that the evacuation is contingent on multiple variables, chief among them receiving formal authorization from Cape Verdean local officials.

    The World Health Organization has moved quickly to support the response effort, even as it works to calm public anxiety. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, reiterated in an official statement that the risk to the general global public from this event remains low, and there is no need for widespread panic or new travel restrictions. Kluge explained that hantavirus infections are rare in humans, and most cases are tied to exposure to virus-carrying rodents. While rare, the agency notes that the virus can occasionally spread between people, and may cause severe respiratory illness that requires close, ongoing medical monitoring.

    As of Sunday, the WHO confirmed that one case of hantavirus has been definitively confirmed, with five additional suspected cases linked to the ship. The organization says it is working urgently with all affected countries to provide support for medical care, evacuation coordination, epidemiological investigation, and public health risk assessment. A key outstanding question remains at the center of the ongoing investigation: while one passenger has tested positive for hantavirus, authorities have not yet formally confirmed that the virus was the cause of the three deaths. Oceanwide Expeditions says the exact origin of the fatalities and any potential link to hantavirus remain under active investigation.