Carib Scope

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  • Record-setting Parks helps Seajays win Beaubrun meet

    Record-setting Parks helps Seajays win Beaubrun meet

    The 10th edition of the annual Karen Beaubrun Swim Meet wrapped up on June 7 at the Rodney Heights Aquatics Centre, with host club Seajays delivering a dominant performance to extend their unprecedented winning streak to nine straight titles. Led by a cohort of standout swimmers including Sapphire Parks, Tristan Dorville, Jayden Xu, Tyler Dantes, Miles Andrew and Amber Francois, the home team outperformed every competing club across the two-day competition to claim the top spot on the overall standings.

    Seajays finished the meet with an commanding total of 1407 points, capping their victory with 172 overall medals — 74 of which were gold. The Sharks club, fueled by a strong showing from their women’s roster, secured second place with 966.5 total points, 85 medals and 29 gold medals. Third place went to Lightning Aquatics, which earned 626 points, 27 golds and 60 total medals. Fourth place went to RR Aquatics, which finished with 589.5 points, 24 event wins and 64 total medals. Rodney Heights Aquatics and Southern Flying Fish also participated in the annual competition, rounding out the full field of competing clubs.

    Leading the charge for Seajays was Sapphire Parks, a two-time high point winner at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships who carried her red-hot 2026 form into the meet. Parks put on an unmatched display in the 11-12 girls category, leading a full Seajays podium sweep, with teammates Maya Andrew and Khiara Hippolyte finishing second and third respectively.

    Parks earned a perfect 72 points across her eight individual events, and her performance was marked by multiple record-breaking swims. She lowered her own national record for the women’s 400m individual medley to 5:24.04, and improved three additional age-group records over the course of the competition. Her 50m freestyle time of 27.84 broke a 2018 record previously held by Naima Hazell, while her 200m freestyle finish of 2:14.89 erased Fayth Jeffrey’s 2022 mark. In the 50m backstroke, her 30.97 second finish improved on her own existing 2025 age-group record. Maya Andrew claimed victory in the 100m backstroke, 50m breaststroke and 100m breaststroke events, while Hippolyte took gold in the 100m freestyle and 200m backstroke.

    In the open boys division for swimmers aged 18 and older, Tristan Dorville topped the standings with a perfect 72 points, earning gold in the 50m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 50m butterfly events with three new personal best times. Shemar James finished second, while Olympic swimmer Jayhan Odlum-Smith, who is currently working his way back from an injury, claimed third to complete another Seajays podium sweep.

    Regional medalist Jayden Xu followed closely behind his teammates, earning 70 points to take the top spot in the 15-17 boys division. Xu clocked new personal best times in the 50m backstroke, 50m breaststroke, 50m butterfly and 400m IM, cutting more than 11 seconds off his previous personal best in the 400m individual medley. Noah Dorville finished second for Seajays, while Aaron Charles of Lightning Aquatics took third.

    Tyler Dantes, another CARIFTA gold medalist, earned 70 points to claim the title in the 11-12 boys division. He posted significant improvements in the 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 50m butterfly and 400m IM to finish ahead of Jayce Daniel of Lightning Aquatics and Dylan Corcoran of Seajays.

    Miles Andrew put on an undefeated performance in the 9-10 boys division, taking gold in all four freestyle races — including new personal bests in the 200m and 400m freestyle. He also added gold in the 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly and 200m IM, all with new personal record times. Tiago Nelson of Seajays finished second, while Andrew Charlemagne of RR Aquatics took third. Amber Francois completed a full Seajays sweep of the 9-10 age group, taking the girls’ division title with 64 points, finishing just ahead of Zoe Fortune of Sharks and Leamandia Brown of RR Aquatics.

    Outside of the Seajays standout performances, three additional competition records were broken by Mikaili Charlemagne of Sharks in the open girls division. The Tokyo 2020 Olympian scored 66 points at the meet, breaking records in the 200m freestyle (2:15.08), 200m backstroke (2:36.71), and 100m butterfly (1:06.79).

  • Opposition Backs Disaster Funding, But Wants Every Dollar Tracked

    Opposition Backs Disaster Funding, But Wants Every Dollar Tracked

    In a House of Representatives sitting held Thursday, Belize’s parliamentary opposition has confirmed it will greenlight emergency disaster and public health crisis funding, but only on the condition that every cent of public money is subjected to rigorous transparency tracking and parliamentary oversight. Opposition Leader Tracy Panton emphasized that the bloc has no intention of blocking critical emergency resourcing, but is standing firm on requirements that all spending adhere to strict accountability and prudent financial management standards for the Belizean public.

    Panton directly addressed Prime Minister Briceño during the debate, calling on the administration to deliver on its pledge of the “gold standard of transparency.” She reiterated that permanent parliamentary oversight must be baked into the management of all emergency appropriations, to ensure funds are used for their intended public purposes.

    Following the discussion, Minister of Public Service and Disaster Risk Management Henry Charles Usher updated the House on pre-emptive drought preparedness measures already underway. He confirmed that the government has activated its anticipatory disaster funding mechanism, issuing early cash advances to agricultural producers across the northern and western districts of Corozal, Orange Walk and Cayo. The region is bracing for a projected prolonged drought throughout 2026, and the allocated funding will be directed to upgrading on-farm water storage infrastructure, expanding irrigation access, and procuring drought-resistant seed varieties for smallholder and commercial farmers.

    Usher noted that while the initial advance disbursements were modest in size, the early activation of the fund represents a proactive shift in disaster planning that prioritizes mitigation before a crisis escalates. He added that even though meteorological forecasts predict a below-average Atlantic hurricane season for 2026, the government cannot afford to be complacent about climate-related disaster risk, making advance preparedness funding all the more critical.

    The funding motion ultimately earned bipartisan support from all members of the House, and has now been forwarded to the Finance and Economic Development Committee for detailed procedural review before moving toward final approval.

  • Sentencing reform debate highlights shift to public health approach to crime

    Sentencing reform debate highlights shift to public health approach to crime

    A landmark two-day symposium focused on transforming sentencing and penal reform kicked off this week at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre in Barbados, bringing together regional justice experts, policymakers and probation officials to reimagine how Caribbean nations tackle rising crime and recidivism.

    Opening the convening hosted by the Barbados Probation Service, Home Affairs Minister Gregory Nicholls made a forceful case for shifting the long-dominant regional approach to crime and violence, arguing these issues can no longer be treated as solely law enforcement priorities. Instead, he emphasized, they must be addressed as complex public health challenges that demand early intervention, cross-sector coordination and sustained long-term investment.

    Nicholls noted that communities across the Caribbean have long borne the brunt of evolving crime trends, while formal institutions have often failed to acknowledge the full scope of these burdens. He referenced the 2024 Georgetown Declaration — a regional commitment agreed by CARICOM member states late last year — that codified this new public health-centered framework, and stressed that Barbados is moving from global and regional commitments to tangible on-the-ground action. “Frameworks, however well-intentioned, do not implement themselves,” Nicholls told attendees. Meaningful reform requires deliberate political choices around updating legislation, allocating sustained resourcing, and expanding diversion programs that steer vulnerable people away from the full weight of the criminal justice system before it becomes entrenched, he added.

    The minister pushed back against widespread criticism that diversion programs are a “soft on crime” approach, countering that it is actually one of the most evidence-based, effective tools Barbados has to reduce reoffending and strengthen community safety. This cross-sector, collaborative dialogue that brings together stakeholders from across government, public health and community organizations is exactly what is needed to get reform right, he said.

    Echoing Nicholls’ call for systemic change, Chief Probation Officer Dr. Angela Dixon — who also serves as president of the Caribbean Association of Probation and Parole (CAPP) — laid out the urgent challenges facing regional justice systems and outlined a roadmap for reform. She highlighted that inconsistent recidivism data collection and fragile connections between community supervision and critical support services, including housing, employment assistance and mental health care, have long undermined efforts to cut reoffending across the Caribbean.

    Dr. Dixon emphasized that research consistently shows custody alone does little to reduce future offending. By contrast, probation-centered interventions — including pre-custody diversion, alternative sentences to incarceration, and high-quality post-release supervision — are proven to drive down recidivism and make communities safer. Aligning with the Georgetown Declaration’s mandate, the conversation around crime and punishment must shift from a focus on punishment to prevention, from mass incarceration to targeted intervention, and from cycling repeat offenders back through the system to meaningful rehabilitation, she said.

    She detailed the underlying social and health drivers that push many people into contact with the justice system, noting that unaddressed trauma, substance dependence and untreated mental illness disproportionately affect justice-involved populations. These are not issues that policing or incarceration can solve — they require integrated public health and social support responses, she stressed.

    Barbados is already taking major legislative steps to modernize its probation system, Dr. Dixon revealed. The country is set to replace its 1946 probation legislation with a new, modern bill that will introduce formal parole into the national criminal justice system for the first time. The update is a core part of broader national efforts to strengthen community supervision and expand rehabilitation access for people who have come into contact with the law.

    Even with this progress, Dr. Dixon acknowledged significant gaps remain in the current system. While referral pathways between probation services and mental health and substance abuse treatment have been established, overstretched public health resources limit what probation officers can do to connect people to care even when needs are identified early. Similarly, while officers regularly flag unmet needs for stable housing and employment, the support pathways to address those needs are often limited or unavailable when people need them most.

    On the regional level, Dr. Dixon noted that outdated, inconsistent data collection has held back progress across the Caribbean. While many countries collect data on probation and parole outcomes, there is no uniform standard for collection or a shared regional platform to analyze trends and scale evidence-based programs that work. To address this gap, CAPP is developing a regional data observatory that will aggregate anonymized, standardized data on caseloads, program outcomes and service completion from across CARICOM nations. This platform will shift regional conversations about reform from anecdote to empirical proof, helping build support for evidence-based policies with policymakers, judicial leaders and the general public, she said.

  • ECCB Career Opportunity: Facilities Maintenance Technician

    ECCB Career Opportunity: Facilities Maintenance Technician

    The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), the primary monetary authority for the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) with its headquarters in Basseterre, Saint Christopher and Nevis, has announced an open call for qualified applicants from across ECCU member states to fill a vacant position of Facilities Maintenance Technician specializing in Electricals within the organization. The role is housed in the Facilities Maintenance Unit of the bank’s Support Services Management Department (SSMD).

    The selected candidate will be permanently based at the ECCB’s headquarters in St. Kitts, with an initial two-year fixed-term contract. Following the completion of the initial contract term, the appointment may be renewed, or the technician may be transitioned to a permanent role within the bank, contingent on satisfactory work performance.

    To be considered for the position, applicants must meet a set of clear academic and professional requirements. A minimum qualification of a technical certification from an accredited apprenticeship program, a diploma, or an associate degree in Electrical Engineering Technology is required, with a full bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline listed as a preferred qualification. Candidates must also have 3 to 5 years of hands-on professional experience troubleshooting critical industrial machinery and building infrastructure, with prior experience working in a commercial office setting considered a strong advantage.

    Beyond academic and experience credentials, the ECCB is seeking candidates with a robust skill set aligned to the role’s demands. Required soft and technical skills include advanced engineering and technical troubleshooting abilities, working knowledge of modern energy management protocols and regional building codes, strong written and verbal communication capabilities, advanced analytical and critical thinking skills, a proactive professional attitude and demonstrated strong work ethic, flexible scheduling, excellent time management and proven multitasking skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively on cross-functional teams while also completing independent work with minimal supervision.

    The successful hire will report directly to both the Director of SSMD and the Facilities Engineer of the Facilities Maintenance Unit. Core job responsibilities include conducting specialized maintenance for campus solar energy systems and passenger elevators, servicing and inspecting core campus electrical infrastructure and specialized life safety systems, performing scheduled and reactive maintenance for the campus’s backup generator fleet, ensuring all work adheres to regional and organizational health and safety compliance standards, and completing any other job-related tasks assigned by the ECCB’s executive leadership and department management.

    Interested candidates can access full vacancy details and official application forms via the ECCB’s official careers page at https://www.eccb-centralbank.org/careers. All applications must be submitted no later than Friday, June 19, 2026.

    In addition to the completed application form, applicants are required to submit a full updated curriculum vitae, two original professional reference letters, certified copies of all academic and professional credentials, official academic transcripts, and a recent original or certified copy of a criminal record check or police character certificate. All supporting documentation can be uploaded directly to the corresponding fields in the online application form, or alternatively submitted via email to the ECCB’s Human Resource Department at [email protected].

    This vacancy announcement was published via NOW Grenada, which notes that it is not responsible for the content, opinions or statements shared in contributor-provided announcements, and provides a channel for users to report any abusive content.

  • Calls for cultural shift as abuse against men rises

    Calls for cultural shift as abuse against men rises

    Across Barbados, a hidden public health and social crisis is quietly unfolding: a rising tide of male domestic abuse survivors are enduring their trauma in silence, blocked from seeking help by deep-seated social stigma, public ridicule, and inconsistent enforcement of existing protections, advocates have warned. This gap in support exposes long-entrenched cultural biases that permeate the island’s justice system, and top stakeholders are now calling for urgent systemic change to address the unmet needs of male victims.

    The issue was brought to center stage during the recent National Consultation on Victims and Victim Support, where Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice Michael Lashley joined Fabian Sargeant, head of the Men’s Empowerment Network, to push for widespread public education and foundational cultural shifts to tackle the growing problem. Lashley shared a harrowing anecdote from his early career practicing law in the magistrates’ courts that laid bare the severity of public bias against male victims. He recalled a man who appeared in court seeking a protection order, telling the bench he feared for his life – and in response, the entire courtroom erupted in laughter. That mockery did not end when the proceeding adjourned: as the victim stepped out onto the court steps, bystanders continued laughing and pointing at him, Lashley said.

    The minister lamented that this cruel reaction stems from a deep-rooted cultural double standard that has shaped public and institutional attitudes for generations. “We hold this view that men should not need protection either,” Lashley explained, adding that he commended the victim for choosing to pursue legal protection rather than responding with violent retaliation. “He didn’t pick up a rock, a hammer or a stick to strike back at the woman… but that’s how harmful stereotyping works.” Lashley emphasized that every stakeholder across the criminal justice system has a critical part to play in dismantling these harmful biases, noting that legal protections on paper are only effective if they are enforced consistently and fairly.

    Sargeant fully echoed Lashley’s concerns, explaining that harmful socialization and pervasive stigma push a growing number of male abuse victims to suffer alone. Speaking to Barbados TODAY on the sidelines of the symposium, Sargeant acknowledged that decades of research and public awareness have rightfully centered women as the primary victims of domestic violence, but that has come at the cost of ignoring a fast-growing crisis affecting men. “Because of our culture, and the way we socialize boys from a young age, men don’t think it’s appropriate to come forward and report abuse, so they suffer in silence,” he said.

    This culture of silence triggers a devastating domino effect that harms individuals and strains public services across the island, Sargeant argued. Unaddressed abuse erodes male survivors’ self-esteem, cuts into workplace productivity, and eventually pushes more people into already overburdened social and mental health systems, including psychiatric care. Compounding the issue, many men do not even recognize their own experiences as domestic abuse, Sargeant added: even when men are stabbed, scalded, beaten or attacked by their partners, they often dismiss the harm as a minor conflict they can overcome on their own. This lack of recognition stems in part from decades of public messaging that has exclusively framed women as the only victims of domestic abuse, leaving no space for male survivors to see their experiences reflected.

    “For our organization, education is the most critical tool we have to change this narrative and help men understand what abuse looks like when they experience it,” Sargeant said.
    While legal protections such as protection orders are already available to male victims under existing law, advocates stressed that formal frameworks are not enough to fix the crisis when the people working within those systems still hold biased attitudes. Sargeant raised specific concerns about how male survivors are treated when they reach out to law enforcement or social services for help, noting repeated cases where victims were met with dismissive attitudes, laughed at, or had their reports minimized as unimportant or unworthy of action.

    Looking toward long-term solutions, the consultation emphasized that addressing the crisis is critical to protecting the well-being of future generations, noting that unaddressed adult conflict and poor emotional regulation directly harm youth development. “An emotionally unintelligent parent cannot raise an emotionally intelligent child,” Sargeant said. “Change has to start with empowering adults to regulate their emotions and address abuse, so we can build a better future for everyone.”

  • HAPA launches carnival band for autistic children in Saint Lucia

    HAPA launches carnival band for autistic children in Saint Lucia

    One of Saint Lucia’s leading disability advocacy organizations, the Helen Association for Persons with Autism (HAPA), is breaking new ground in community inclusion with a first-of-its-kind initiative that will welcome autistic people to the island’s iconic carnival celebration in 2026.

    Centered on the transformative slogan “Embracing Uniqueness, Unlocking Potential,” the project will roll out two interconnected community events in July 2026, designed specifically to remove longstanding barriers to cultural participation for neurodivergent people. The first event, a relaxed, accessible Carnival Social, is scheduled for Saturday, July 11, and will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Serenity Park. The following day, participants will take part in the island’s popular national Kiddies Carnival as members of the custom inclusive marching band dubbed the Spectrum Warriors.

    This marks the first time a formal, sensory-adapted carnival participation program has ever been launched on the island, opening the door for autistic people and their families to engage with one of Saint Lucia’s most beloved cultural traditions. For years, overstimulating environments and a lack of accessible planning have excluded many neurodivergent residents from joining large public celebrations, a gap this new initiative directly addresses.

    The Carnival Social is intentionally crafted to serve as a low-pressure, safe gathering space that welcomes a broad cross-section of the community. Beyond offering core activities like face painting, hands-on arts and crafts, gentle live music, dancing, and complimentary refreshments, the event prioritizes opportunities for connection between autistic people, their caregivers, their families, allies, and casual community members. While the program’s primary focus is supporting autistic participation, HAPA has extended invitations to people living with all other disabilities and their families, expanding the organization’s core mission of cross-disability inclusion and collective community building.

    For the Kiddies Carnival parade, organizers have integrated a full suite of sensory-friendly adjustments to the Spectrum Warriors band to ensure all participants can enjoy the experience without discomfort. Details of these adjustments have been tailored to common sensory sensitivities common among autistic people, from volume controls for music to designated quiet break areas along the parade route.

    Dr. Delia Samuel, president of HAPA, emphasized the deep cultural and social importance of the new program in a public announcement. “HAPA believes that every individual deserves the opportunity to participate in and enjoy our cultural celebrations,” she stated. “True inclusion means ensuring that everyone, including autistic individuals, has the opportunity to participate, belong, and create joyful memories with their families.”

    The initiative has already earned widespread backing from across Saint Lucia’s cultural and civic sectors. Two prominent local cultural groups, Take Over Tent and Kaiso Pros Tent (Keep People Talking), have signed on as official partners, with calypsonians from both organizations set to deliver performances at the July 11 Carnival Social designed to keep the energy warm and inclusive.

    HAPA is also collaborating closely with local schools, national government agencies, neighborhood community groups, and private sector partners to coordinate logistics, expand outreach, and ensure the program delivers on its accessibility goals. To build long-term public buy-in, the association is calling on all Saint Lucian community members to support the initiative and engage with participants. Residents are specifically encouraged to welcome the Spectrum Warriors during the Kiddies Carnival parade and to take advantage of opportunities to learn more about autism and neurodiversity.

    Beyond public participation, HAPA is also seeking additional support from private businesses, government bodies, and individual residents in the forms of sponsorships, volunteer hours, advocacy, and direct event participation.

    the organization emphasizes that meaningful inclusion begins with public understanding and acceptance, and that cross-sector collaboration is the foundation of building a society where every resident feels seen and valued. Through this carnival initiative, HAPA aims to drive long-term shifts in public attitudes toward autism, breaking down systemic barriers and replacing exclusion with widespread support that allows all people to take an active role in national life.

  • GCF Private Sector Readiness REOI

    GCF Private Sector Readiness REOI

    The Caribbean island nation of Grenada, whose core economic pillars of tourism, agriculture, and construction are disproportionately vulnerable to climate shocks ranging from extreme hurricanes to accelerating sea-level rise, is taking a key step to unlock critical climate investment by launching a search for a specialized Climate Finance Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Strategist.

    As the country charts a path toward the low-carbon, climate-resilient economic transition laid out in its official Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and National Adaptation Plan (NAP), official estimates indicate more than $500 million in targeted investment will be required over the next decade to meet these climate goals. However, persistent gaps in access to international climate finance and limited familiarity with innovative green financing mechanisms have created a critical barrier to progress, making expanded private sector participation an urgent priority.

    To address this gap, the Government of Grenada is leading the “Getting Grenada Private Sector Ready for Grenada’s Climate Finance (GPS-4-GCF)” initiative, implemented by the Grenada Development Bank (GDB) with funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) through its Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme. The overarching goal of the project is to build local institutional and industry capacity to leverage climate finance, including targeted training and framework development for private sector stakeholders on core skills such as green finance management, climate risk screening, and climate-aligned investment planning. By cultivating a supportive ecosystem for private sector climate action, the project aims to unlock local contributions to both national climate adaptation and emissions reduction efforts.

    A broad cross-section of local stakeholders stand to benefit from the initiative, including commercial and development banks, credit unions, financial regulatory bodies, insurance providers, private sector businesses ranging from micro-enterprises to large hotel operators, commodity boards and state-owned enterprises, private education and medical providers, construction firms, architects, and engineering professionals.

    The selected consultant will be tasked with delivering clear, results-driven outputs aligned with the project’s objectives. Three core deliverables have been outlined: first, supporting private sector stakeholders to identify existing barriers to investment in climate resilience and emissions reduction, and co-developing actionable recommendations to remove these barriers while helping local actors leverage available public climate finance; second, designing a formal PPP Strategy and Investment Framework for climate mitigation and adaptation infrastructure projects, including the identification of high-priority, investment-ready climate-resilient PPP opportunities; and third, leading outreach and sensitization campaigns to educate private sector actors on the unique investment and development opportunities PPP structures can unlock for climate action in Grenada.

    This is a fixed-price consultancy assignment scheduled to run over a four-month period. The GDB has outlined strict qualifications for interested candidates, requiring a master’s degree or equivalent in finance, climate finance, economics, public policy, development studies, or a related field, with a Certified PPP Professional (CP3P) certification considered a major advantage.

    Candidates must demonstrate a minimum of seven years of hands-on experience developing and implementing PPP investment strategies, with preference given to candidates with existing work experience in the Caribbean or other small island developing states that share similar geographic, financial, and cultural contexts. Additional requirements include at least five years of experience working with the Green Climate Fund, multilateral development banks, or private investors in structuring capital investment arrangements, proven experience delivering climate adaptation and mitigation projects, deep expertise in climate finance, institutional capacity building, and climate risk management, and a track record of collaborating with Caribbean governments and regulatory bodies to design PPP frameworks and policies. Candidates must also have direct experience structuring PPP transactions, blended finance deals, and building pipelines of investment-ready projects, with technical expertise in blending commercial and concessional financing for both sovereign and non-sovereign projects, identifying and mitigating financial, operational, and political climate investment risks, conducting qualitative research and data analysis to develop evidence-based strategies, and building cross-sector partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders from private investors to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

    The GDB is currently accepting expressions of interest from individual candidates, though firms may nominate one qualified individual candidate per firm for the role; selection will be based solely on the individual candidate’s qualifications and experience, not the nominating firm’s credentials.

    The selection process adheres to the procedures for Individual Consultant Selection laid out in Grenada’s Public Procurement Act 39 and Public Procurement Regulations SRO 32. Candidates will be evaluated on two core criteria: relevant qualifications account for 35% of the total score, while relevant professional experience accounts for the remaining 65%. Only candidates shortlisted through the expression of interest stage will be invited to submit full technical and financial proposals for the assignment.

    Interested candidates must submit their expressions of interest no later than 3 pm Eastern Standard Time on June 26, 2026, with the subject line “GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme – Climate Finance Public-Private Partnership Strategist”. Submissions must include a Statement of Capability confirming the candidate’s availability for the four-month assignment, and a detailed curriculum vitae highlighting relevant completed projects. All expressions of interest must be sent via email to [email protected], with a copy to [email protected], addressed to the General Manager of the Grenada Development Bank in St George’s, Grenada. Full detailed Terms of Reference for the role are available for download on the Grenada Public Procurement website (www.procurement.gd) and the Grenada Development Bank website (www.grenadadevelopmentbank.com), or can be requested via email.

  • Victims to be prioritised in criminal justice reforms

    Victims to be prioritised in criminal justice reforms

    Barbados has kickstarted a transformative overhaul of its national criminal justice framework that shifts the long-standing institutional focus from offender prosecution to victim-centered support and healing. The launch of the initiative took place Monday at the opening of a high-profile two-day stakeholder symposium held at the Radisson Hotel, where government officials outlined a plan to build a rigorous, compassionate and tightly coordinated support system that ensures trauma survivors do not have to navigate the aftermath of violence and crime on their own.

    The symposium brought together a cross-section of key stakeholders, including senior judiciary representatives, officers from the Barbados Police Service, officials from multiple government ministries, licensed social workers, trauma counsellors, and leaders from local non-governmental organisations focused on victim support. Addressing the gathered delegation, Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice Michael Lashley pledged rapid, tangible action to close long-standing gaps in institutional care for vulnerable crime survivors.

    Lashley acknowledged that while Barbados’ existing criminal justice system has long been recognised as fair and impartial, its historical structure has always prioritised the investigation and prosecution of offenders over the physical, emotional and legal healing of the people harmed by crime. “We have built our criminal justice system around the investigation of offences and the prosecution of offenders. One thing you can say about our system is that it is fair and that it is impartial, but we have not focused centrally on victims. How we treat the most vulnerable among us is a measure of who we are as a nation. If we are working on rebuilding the Barbadian civilisation, this matters,” Lashley told attendees.

    Drawing on decades of professional experience as a practicing attorney, Lashley shared first-hand accounts of the profound fear and secondary trauma that victims often face when navigating the country’s current legal ecosystem. He recalled a specific case from his private practice involving a domestic violence survivor who had successfully obtained a court-issued protection order, but was left trembling in terror after the perpetrator easily accessed her confidential safe housing location.

    Lashley explained that the current fragmented system, lacking a centralised, cross-agency coordination unit, leaves victims exposed to unnecessary harm when they enter the often-intimidating court environment. Survivors are regularly forced to relive traumatic events repeatedly during testimony and face aggressive cross-examination from experienced defence legal teams, he added. “Ask yourself what happens to the victim after the police report is filed. Who calls them weekly to check and see if they are safe? Who explains what bail means? Imagine a victim going into the court for the first time in their life, having to face trained and experienced legal counsel in a courtroom with jurors, and then the media is there too to report everything. The system itself can feel like a further burden through delays and complexity,” Lashley argued.

    Under the proposed reform plan, a dedicated specialised victim advisory unit will likely be established to conduct individual needs assessments, advocate on behalf of survivors within the legal system, and connect victims to critical support services including trauma counselling, emergency alternative housing, and personalised legal guidance. Lashley noted that recent legislative updates, including the recently passed anti-gang legislation, upcoming parliamentary debates on a specialised gun court, and proposed amendments to the Evidence Act, all work hand-in-hand with the new victim-centered reforms to strengthen overall public safety.

    To address deep-rooted systemic gaps, the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice has already conducted extensive cross-sector consultations with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, national prison authorities, domestic violence and victim shelters, and individual trauma survivors to gather on-the-ground insight. Preliminary findings from these consultations confirmed that while a range of victim support services currently exist across Barbados, they operate in isolated institutional silos that create gaps in care, eroding public trust in the rule of law.

    Lashley emphasised that legislative change means little without consistent, robust implementation and enforcement, particularly when it comes to domestic violence protection orders. “An order on paper is only as good as its enforcement. We need to ensure that victims understand how to report breaches, and that breaches are responded to in a swift manner. Any new system must be designed with survivors, not just for them. Their feedback must drive continuous improvement,” he said.

    The minister assured attending stakeholders that the outcomes of the two-day symposium would not be left unused, pledging that a dedicated inter-agency working group would be formed immediately after the event’s closing session to translate symposium recommendations and priority actions into enforceable operational policy. “We are not just about talk. I don’t want out of this symposium a document dated and signed and then there is no action on it. There will be action on it. No victim should navigate the aftermath of crime alone,” he stated.

    Marilyn Rice-Bowen, event chairperson and a victim support program practitioner with 22 years of direct experience, echoed Lashley’s call for tangible action, stressing that the symposium must move beyond abstract academic debate to deliver concrete structural change for vulnerable Barbadian citizens. “Over the next two days, we will not be debating whether Barbados needs a national victim support framework; that question has already been answered. What we will be doing is something more purposeful. We will be designing it together with rigour, with compassion, and with a commitment to those who need it most at the centre of every decision we make,” Rice-Bowen said.

  • CARICOM Secretariat hosts Guyana Defence Force Senior officers for eecurity Engagement

    CARICOM Secretariat hosts Guyana Defence Force Senior officers for eecurity Engagement

    In a move designed to deepen ties with regional security bodies across the Caribbean, the CARICOM Secretariat recently hosted a cohort of senior military leaders from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) participating in the 20th iteration of its Senior Command and Staff Course (SCSC #20).

    The official visit, held on June 4, centered on a structured knowledge-sharing workshop organized by the Secretariat’s specialized Crime and Security Programme, according to an official statement released by CARICOM. The interactive session was designed to give participating GDF officers firsthand, nuanced insight into how CARICOM operates to advance and synchronize cross-border security initiatives across the Caribbean bloc.

    Leading the discussion were two senior leaders from the CARICOM Crime and Security Programme: Sherwin Stephenson, the programme manager, and Mareesha Stephens, the programme’s project officer. Over the course of the workshop, participants engaged in open dialogue and collaborative problem-solving, exploring the CARICOM framework for tackling both longstanding and newly emerging crime and security risks that impact countries across the region. Attendees also received a detailed briefing on how the regional bloc facilitates functional cooperation between its 15 member states and specialized regional institutions, with the goal of building more robust, coordinated collective responses to shared security threats.

    Beyond the technical policy discussions, the GDF delegation took part in a guided tour of the CARICOM Secretariat headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana. The tour gave officers the chance to gain a clearer understanding of the organization’s governing structure, core mandates, and overarching mission to drive deeper regional integration and cross-sector cooperation across the Caribbean. As a formal gesture of gratitude for the Secretariat’s hospitality and the opportunity for engagement, Captain Stephion Gordan of the GDF delegation presented a commemorative plaque to Stephens, in a moment captured by CARICOM Communications photographers.

    CARICOM officials emphasized that the visit underscores the critical value of sustained, intentional partnership between the regional bloc and national defense and security agencies across the Caribbean. It also reaffirmed the organization’s longstanding commitment to developing aligned, collective strategies that strengthen cross-border crime prevention, deepen security cooperation, and uphold lasting stability for all CARICOM member states.

  • West Indies Women lose World Cup warm up

    West Indies Women lose World Cup warm up

    Ahead of the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup, one of the most anticipated global events in women’s cricket, India’s national women’s team picked up a confidence-boosting 26-run win over the West Indies women’s side in a warm-up fixture held in Cardiff on Monday.

    With regular West Indies captain Hayley Matthews sidelined for the warm-up encounter, all-rounder Chinelle Henry stepped up to lead the Caribbean side. After winning the pre-game coin toss, Henry made the call to send India into bat first, putting her bowling unit to an early test. India’s top order delivered a dynamic batting performance, building up to a competitive total of 179 runs for the loss of eight wickets at the close of their 20 overs.

    Emerging batter Bharti Fulmali emerged as India’s standout performer with the bat, striking an unbeaten half-century off just 40 deliveries to anchor the late-innings push. Star opener Smriti Mandhana added a quick-fire 39 runs from 23 balls, giving India’s innings a powerful early momentum, while Yastika Bhatia chipped in with 36 runs before retiring out per warm-up match protocols. For West Indies, veteran spinner Afy Fletcher turned in a dominant bowling display, claiming four wickets for just 23 runs to keep her side in contention. Karishma Ramharack, Deandra Dottin and Aaliyah Alleyne each picked up one wicket to round out the West Indies bowling effort.

    Chasing the 180-run target, West Indies got off to a flying start, putting on 63 runs without losing a wicket by the ninth over. But a sudden batting collapse turned the tide of the match: the Caribbean side slumped to 102 runs for five wickets by the 14th over, and could never recover their early momentum. They were eventually restricted to 153 runs for eight wickets, falling 26 runs short of India’s total. Opener Dottin led the West Indies batting with a 44-ball 49, and opening partner Shemaine Campbelle scored 25 runs before retiring out, but the rest of the batting line-up failed to build on the solid opening stand. For India, young spinner Shreyanka Patil was the pick of the bowlers, taking four wickets for 36 runs, while left-arm spinner Radha Yadav supported her with three wickets for just 25 runs to seal the win.

    Following the match, Fletcher reflected on her strong individual performance, noting that she was pleased to see her off-season pre-tournament preparation pay off ahead of the World Cup. “It’s always good to be among the wicket takers, so I mean to see that work that has been done and to come out and just keep it simple and executing, it’s a good feeling,” Fletcher said. “Then the contribution from the team was excellent work. It’s always good to be contributing to the team.”

    West Indies will wrap up their warm-up schedule against defending champions Australia in Cardiff on Wednesday, before kicking off their official World Cup campaign against New Zealand in their opening group match on June 13.