Carib Scope

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  • WATCH: PM Browne says Lamin Newton could become future prime minister

    WATCH: PM Browne says Lamin Newton could become future prime minister

    As the April 30 general election in Antigua and Barbuda draws closer, the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) has intensified its on-the-ground campaigning across key constituencies. During a high-energy campaign stop in the All Saints district, incumbent Prime Minister Gaston Browne took the stage to rally support behind his party’s local candidate, Lamin Newton, framing him as a rising political star with the credentials to one day lead the entire nation.

    Addressing a crowd of enthusiastic ABLP supporters, Browne positioned Newton as the face of a fresh, next-generation leadership that the country needs to sustain its forward momentum. “This is a man who can even become prime minister of this country,” Browne told attendees, emphasizing the candidate’s readiness to take on responsibility and deliver tangible results for local residents.

    In a sharp rebuke of opposition leader Jamale Pringle, Browne drew a clear line between the ABLP’s candidate and the head of the opposition. He argued that after two terms leading the opposition bloc, Pringle has failed to grow into the role of a national leader, claiming that “Pringle just not ready yet… After two terms, he has not grown. If anything, he has disintegrated.”

    Browne went on to lay out key policy pledges that Newton would deliver if elected, focusing on bread-and-butter issues that matter most to All Saints constituents. He urged local voters to embrace new political talent, noting that Newton has already taken proactive steps to advance development in the area. Among the candidate’s top commitments are targeted upgrades to local infrastructure, starting with repairs for crumbling existing roads, expanded access to educational scholarships for local students, and expanded access to land ownership for area residents.

    In a specific announcement that resonated with attendees, Browne confirmed that Newton has already secured identification of a 50-acre plot of land in the All Saints region that will be subdivided into smaller parcels and distributed directly to local residents. The initiative, designed to address longstanding demand for affordable buildable land in the constituency, is being framed as a concrete example of the ABLP’s commitment to delivering on campaign promises before voters even cast their ballots.

    The campaign blitz marks a key milestone in the lead-up to the April 30 vote, with the ruling party leaning into incumbency and a promise of continued progress to lock in support across key swing districts.

  • Benjamin Rejects Four-Day Work Week as “Theoretical” for Antigua and Barbuda

    Benjamin Rejects Four-Day Work Week as “Theoretical” for Antigua and Barbuda

    As the April 30 general election campaign in Antigua and Barbuda heats up, a leading candidate and senior government official has pushed back against one campaign policy proposal that is gaining global traction, arguing it is completely disconnected from the nation’s economic reality. Sir Steadroy Benjamin, the country’s Attorney General and incumbent candidate seeking re-election for the St. John’s City South constituency, has publicly dismissed calls to adopt a four-day work week, labeling the idea a theoretical, unworkable concept for the small island developing state.

    During a recent candidate interview ahead of the vote, Benjamin drew a clear distinction between the economic conditions of large, developed nations and the unique structure of Antigua and Barbuda’s economy. He noted that while a shortened work week may deliver positive results in advanced, diversified economies, that success cannot be replicated when the policy is transplanted without adjustment into smaller, developing contexts. “That four-day work week works in countries which are developed, diversified economies; those do not work in societies like ours,” Benjamin stated, adding that “these fanciful theoretical ideas that they’ve got, you can’t transplant that into Antigua and Barbuda.”

    The pushback from Benjamin comes as the four-day work week has emerged as one of the new policy topics being debated by candidates and voters across the country during this election cycle. Framing the debate around the four-day work week as a microcosm of a larger divide in this campaign, Benjamin positioned the proposal as an untested, imported idea that contrasts sharply with the incumbent government’s track record of proven, practical governance.

    Benjamin emphasized that all national policies must be tailored to Antigua and Barbuda’s specific economic challenges and structural idiosyncrasies, rather than being copied wholesale from other countries. Echoing a widely held principle of context-specific policy making, he argued, “We have our own special idiosyncrasies… we must cut the cloth to fit our bodies.” To back up his argument for a grounded approach to governing, he pointed to existing incumbent policies that have delivered tangible results for residents, including recent public sector wage increases and a portfolio of ongoing economic development initiatives moving forward across the country.

  • Anchor Concierge Seeks Retraction Over Claims Involving Principal Nicholas Line

    Anchor Concierge Seeks Retraction Over Claims Involving Principal Nicholas Line

    The leadership team at Anchor Concierge Super Yacht Services Ltd. has issued an official statement pushing back against and correcting false allegations shared publicly by Honorable Minister E. P. Chet Greene during a recent radio talk show segment.

    In the on-air discussion, Greene made two damaging and unsubstantiated insinuations about Nicholas Line, the founding principal of the super yacht services firm. First, he incorrectly claimed that Line backs an independent candidate running in the upcoming national election set for April 30, 2026. Second, he implied that Line’s purported support for the candidate is rooted in affiliation with a so-called “White Power” movement. Both claims are completely factually inaccurate, according to the company’s statement.

    The false narrative carries significant reputational risk, the firm notes: it has already created unnecessary confusion among Anchor Concierge’s mixed base of local and international clients, as well as its key partners across the global maritime industry. As a prominent stakeholder in the yachting and maritime sector, Line, his family, and his entire team hold uncompromising commitments to professional integrity and transparent public positioning. For this reason, the company says it is critical to push back against the blatant misrepresentation of Line’s political beliefs and affiliations.

    To address the damage already done to Line’s personal reputation and the standing of Anchor Concierge Super Yacht Services Ltd., the firm has formally requested that Minister Greene issue a full public retraction of the false claims, paired with a formal public apology. This action is necessary to mitigate long-term harm to the professional standing of both Line and the company.

    In closing, the leadership expressed gratitude for the ongoing trust and support extended by its clients and the general public in the lead-up to the April 2026 polls, as the company works to resolve this misinformation campaign.

  • Pirates hijack St. Kitts and Nevis flag bearing ship in Somalia – WIC News

    Pirates hijack St. Kitts and Nevis flag bearing ship in Somalia – WIC News

    In a development that has amplified growing international alarms over a resurgence of maritime piracy off the Horn of Africa, a group of armed pirates has seized control of the MV Sward, a cargo ship flying the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis, off the coast of Somalia. The hijacking marks the second such attack in less than a week in the region.

    According to initial operational updates from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the incident unfolded Sunday evening in waters near the coastal town of Garacad. The MV Sward, which was carrying a cargo of cement, was en route to the Kenyan port of Mombasa when it was overtaken by attackers. On board the detained vessel are 15 crew members: 13 Syrian nationals and two Indian citizens, whose current status remains unclear as operations to monitor the situation continue.

    As a common global shipping practice, the MV Sward is registered under St. Kitts and Nevis as a Flag of Convenience (FOC). This arrangement, standard across the commercial shipping industry, means the ship does not belong to the federation; instead, owners register vessels in foreign jurisdictions to access lower regulatory fees, looser tax requirements, and other administrative advantages.

    Security analysts with British maritime security firm Vanguard have confirmed that the hijacked vessel is now being navigated by the attackers deeper into offshore waters that have long been labeled a high-risk zone for pirate activity. A senior official with the Puntland Maritime Police Force, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that nine armed assailants boarded the vessel and secured full control of the ship and crew. “The ship is presently under the control of armed men,” the official stated, adding that Puntland security teams are actively monitoring the hijacking as it develops.

    Maritime authorities have not yet released details on how the attackers gained access to the MV Sward. However, historical patterns of piracy in the region show that similar operations typically involve heavily armed groups using small, high-speed speedboats to approach unsuspecting transiting vessels.

    This latest hijacking comes just six days after another seizure off Somalia’s coast. On April 21, a team of six gunmen took control of the Honour 25, a fuel tanker flying the flag of Palau, while it was transiting Somali waters. The tanker, which carried 17 crew members and a cargo of 18,500 barrels of crude oil, had departed from the semi-autonomous Somali region of Puntland at the time of the attack, the BBC reported.

    In response to the escalating threat, UKMTO has issued an official public warning to all commercial vessels transiting the region. “Due to increased threat of possible pirate armed group activity, vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity as authorities continue to investigate,” the advisory, published as UKMTO WARNING 046-26, reads.

    The string of recent attacks has reignited long-standing international concerns over a full-scale resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia’s Indian Ocean coast. After reaching a peak between 2008 and 2018, coordinated international anti-piracy patrols drove a dramatic decline in attacks for years. But starting in late 2023, pirate activity began to climb again, leaving shipping companies and security officials scrambling to adjust security protocols for the world’s busiest east-west shipping lane.

  • KPB 2.0’ stands her ground

    KPB 2.0’ stands her ground

    On the eve of the first anniversary of her United National Congress (UNC) administration taking office, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar delivered a blunt, unapologetic warning to her political opponents and critics during an exclusive interview with local outlet the Express: “If you come for my eye, I will take your whole head.”

    April 28, 2026 marks exactly 12 months since the UNC secured victory in the 2025 general election, ending a decade-long tenure of the previous People’s National Movement (PNM) government that left the Caribbean nation with soaring crime and economic stagnation. Referred to by the UNC as “KPB 2.0”, this iteration of Persad-Bissessar’s leadership marks a sharp departure from the more conciliatory approach she adopted during her earlier time in office.

    In a wide-ranging 19-question interview, the 74-year-old prime minister outlined a new, hard-nosed governing philosophy rooted in data-driven decision-making and uncompromising action for law-abiding citizens. “My disposition is more stoic, hard-nosed and focused on helping those who help themselves,” she explained, rejecting calls for the passive “turn the other cheek” approach she embraced in past tenures. “I have no intention of trying to please everyone. My aim is to please the law-abiding people who go out every day and make an honest day’s work to positively contribute to society. It is either peace or total war, no in-between.”

    Addressing widespread criticism that her confrontational tone is unbefitting of a head of government and undermines national unity, Persad-Bissessar pushed back forcefully, arguing that repeated concessions to bad-faith critics only embolden hostility. She dismissed most criticism as the product of personal bias, political allegiance and irrational hatred, noting that she only accepts input from qualified, fair-minded analysts. She rejected the idea of unifying with opposition factions that she accuses of pushing exploitative policies that would steal from hardworking workers to reward their political base.

    Responding to questions about ongoing labor protests and fears of growing civil unrest amid worker dissatisfaction, the prime minister emphasized that legal protest is a protected right, but it will not shift her government’s policy priorities, which are rooted in what is best for the country as a whole. She pointed to her administration’s fulfillment of a key campaign promise: a 10% wage increase that has already been rolled out to more than 51,000 workers across the public service, national energy, and education sectors.

    On the international and regional front, Persad-Bissessar has upended long-standing Trinidad and Tobago diplomatic norms by openly breaking with traditional neutrality to align closely with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, while taking an unusually firm stance against long-standing operating procedures within the Caribbean Community (Caricom). When asked about the diplomatic shift, she explained that the U.S. administration’s conservative, pro-capitalist policy framework aligns with her own, and that she expects the alignment to deliver tangible benefits: increased foreign direct investment, accelerated economic growth, and improved regional security against transnational criminal networks. She pushed back against claims of regional isolation, confirming Trinidad and Tobago has no plans to leave Caricom, but declined to publicly outline future negotiating strategies for regional reform.

    Crime, long the most urgent domestic issue facing Trinidad and Tobago, has been a core focus of the Persad-Bissessar administration. The prime Minister expressed full confidence in her national security ministers Roger Alexander and Wayne Sturge, highlighting significant early gains: murders are down 42%, serious crimes have dropped 30%, and violent crime has fallen 32% from the previous administration’s highs. She defended the decision to implement two states of emergency, noting that while the measure is not a permanent solution to the country’s crime crisis, it is a valuable tactical tool. Persad-Bissessar also criticized the previous PNM government for delaying the measure until just before the 2025 election, using it as a political gimmick after more than 5,000 murders and 8,000 sexual assaults occurred on their watch. She declined to detail full future crime-fighting strategies, arguing that tipping off criminal organizations would undermine operational success.

    When asked to rate her government’s performance after one year, Persad-Bissessar said that judgment should be left to the voting public, but acknowledged that the administration has made significant progress cleaning up the mess left by 10 years of PNM rule. “We have been there for 12 [months] and the fixes cannot be made overnight,” she said. “I do think we are off to a good start: We employed 15,000 people and got murders down by 42%, stabilised the economy with growth in 2027 projected at 3%.” She pointed to progress on the legislative agenda, financial management and national security as the administration’s biggest early wins, and confirmed she has not received any corruption complaints against her cabinet, which she described as corruption-free.

    On questions of internal party governance, Persad-Bissessar said there is currently no leadership vacancy, and argued that political power must be earned rather than handed over. She added that the UNC membership will select the next party leader when the time comes, closing with another sharp warning to potential challengers: “if you come for my head, make sure you don’t miss!” She expressed full confidence that the UNC will win re-election in the 2030 general election.

    Addressing criticism that some UNC ministers engage in unprofessional, distasteful outbursts on social media, the prime minister said she does not micromanage ministers’ personal expression, and that freedom of speech is protected within the bounds of the law. She noted that voters will ultimately hold ministers accountable for their behavior at the ballot box.

    Looking ahead to the administration’s second year in office, Persad-Bissessar promised continued progress on job creation and economic expansion, alongside a ruthless crackdown on criminal networks and their associates that refuse to comply with the law. When asked about personal reflections on her 74th birthday, held earlier in April, she shared a quiet personal note: she mourns her late parents and loved ones, and urged all citizens to cherish their close family members. Closing with a sharp quip about persistent unsubstantiated rumors about her health circulating among opposition supporters, she joked that PNM fans seem to know more about her health than she does.

  • 3 denied bail for Eversley murder

    3 denied bail for Eversley murder

    A high-profile murder case of a serving municipal police officer took another dramatic turn on Tuesday, as three men already charged with killing corporal Anuska Eversley appeared in court to face a raft of new offenses tied to one of the largest illegal firearms caches uncovered in recent memory. All three suspects were denied bail and remanded into custody following the hearing, held before Master Delicia Bethelmy.

    The three accused—28-year-old municipal police officer Jivan “Bigs” Cooper, 20-year-old construction worker Kwame Arnold, and 24-year-old scrap iron dealer Nicholas “Nico” Ramdass, all residents of Claxton Bay—had the charges, formally laid by ASP Maharaj, read aloud in court. The allegations stem from the April 19 killing of Eversley, whose body was discovered inside the Municipal Police Station at King’s Wharf, San Fernando. A post-mortem examination confirmed she died after being strangled and beaten, and her funeral service was held on the same day as the court appearance.

    Beyond the murder charge, the trio is also accused of robbing Eversley of her government-issued service weapons and ammunition, and committing acts of violence against the officer during the fatal attack. The new firearms charges reveal a far larger stockpile of illegal weapons than law enforcement had previously disclosed publicly: 114 pistols, one revolver, six shotguns, two MPX submachine guns, and 173 firearm magazines intended for trafficking, along with a total of 4,395 rounds of assorted ammunition—4,355 9mm rounds, 30 12-gauge shells, and ten .38 caliber rounds. Prior to this court hearing, official police updates to the media had only acknowledged the recovery of 60 weapons and 1,532 rounds of ammunition, marking the first time the full scope of the seized cache has been confirmed.

    None of the accused were required to enter pleas at this stage of the proceedings. Cooper is represented by defense attorney Keith Beckles, while duty counsel Krysan Rambert appeared for Arnold and attorney Perusha Lord represented Ramdass. Both Arnold and Ramdass announced following the hearing that they plan to retain private legal counsel going forward.

    Beckles raised a series of critical procedural concerns during the hearing, centered heavily on widespread pre-trial publicity across social media platforms. He told the court that his client’s driver’s permit was widely circulated online before formal charges were even filed, and Cooper had already been named and sensationalized as the primary suspect in the case. Beckles argued that this pervasive, misleading coverage could taint the jury pool and create irreversible bias against his client. He also questioned significant delays in the submission of the full case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and raised objections to a further detention order issued against Cooper after an initial temporary detention order expired during his pre-trial custody.

    Responding to the defense’s concerns, police prosecutor Reagan Ramanan explained that the July 24 target date for file submission is necessary due to the extraordinary complexity and size of the case. The case file currently includes hundreds of witness statements, physical evidence exhibits, crime scene photographs, video footage, interview transcripts, and a full report from the Cyber Crime Unit, with additional statements still pending. Ramanan also clarified that neither he nor ASP Maharaj had prior knowledge of the additional detention order issued under the Emergency Powers Regulations, as such orders are issued directly by the Minister of Homeland Security.

    Master Bethelmy issued a formal scheduling order outlining next steps for both the prosecution and defense, and ruled that the three accused would reappear for a further hearing on October 15. The court also advised the defendants that they may submit written applications for bail ahead of that date.

    In the wake of Eversley’s killing, Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro submitted a formal recommendation to Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen, calling for a new policy requiring all municipal officers’ firearms to be stored for safekeeping at central police stations before being issued for duty. Ameen subsequently issued a directive ordering all chief executive officers of city, borough, and regional corporations to comply with the new protocol.

  • WIN FOR SHAMFA

    WIN FOR SHAMFA

    In a decisive internal election held Sunday, Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis has claimed victory in a head-to-head contest for the leadership of the People’s National Movement (PNM) Tobago Council, defeating rival candidate Kelvon Morris. The former Member of Parliament for Tobago West made history as the fourth woman to hold a top national political leadership position in Trinidad and Tobago, following in the footsteps of President Christine Kangaloo, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, and Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles.

    Speaking to reporters Monday outside the PNM Tobago headquarters in Scarborough, Cudjoe-Lewis called for unified action to rebuild the party’s standing in Tobago, noting that internal elections often create rifts that need mending. “My first priority will be reaching out to my challenger and every candidate who stepped forward to serve,” she said. “That work is critical to rebuilding our party, strengthening our connections, and repairing any damage done over the course of the campaign. We are one family, so we need to have those difficult conversations to move forward—we need every hand on deck to rebuild the PNM.”

    Cudjoe-Lewis expressed that she feels both grateful and humbled by the outpouring of support from party members, saying she is fully prepared to take on the challenges of the new role. “I’m pleased, and I’m humbled that so many people placed their confidence and trust in me for this enormous task,” she shared. “I know this will not be easy. It will take serious commitment and discipline, but I am ready to get to work.”

    With unofficial results showing she secured 63% of the vote—1,228 votes compared to Morris’ 730, ahead of the official release of full results—Cudjoe-Lewis emphasized that her victory is a win for the party’s grassroots base. She ran a people-focused, grassroots campaign centered on listening to rank-and-file members about their priorities for the PNM, a strategy rooted in her past experience as a youth leader and sitting legislator. “This campaign was about knocking on doors, calling members, and having the intimate conversations I’ve always had with our supporters,” she explained. “We connected, we listened, we engaged, and we showed up for the people of Tobago.”

    Looking ahead to her first term as leader, Cudjoe-Lewis outlined an early policy priority: cleaning up and verifying the PNM Tobago Council’s membership roll to ensure more smooth internal elections in future cycles.

    For his part, defeated candidate Kelvon Morris—who had earned the backing of high-profile PNM figures including former Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles and former political leader Tracy Davidson-Celestine—has extended a hand of cooperation to the new leader, saying he will fully support Cudjoe-Lewis moving forward. Morris framed unity as the top priority for the party after the election, noting that the democratic process had spoken clearly. “First and foremost, I want to extend my sincere congratulations to Mrs. Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis,” Morris said. “This is what democracy is all about: the membership has made their choice, and she has my full support, now and going forward.”

    Morris pushed back against any suggestion that his association with senior party figures hurt his electoral performance, noting both candidates ran on a platform of party unity. “Mr. Charles and Mrs. Davidson-Celestine are valuable assets to the PNM, and I don’t believe my connection to them had any bearing on this result,” he said. “Nothing went wrong in this campaign. This was simply a case of members having two good options, and on this occasion they chose Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis as their preferred leader. People make their choices based on their own priorities, and I am proud of the campaign we ran.”

    Morris closed by reaffirming his unwavering commitment to both the PNM and the people of Tobago. “As we move ahead, my commitment to the party remains unchanged, and Tobago will always be my top priority,” he said. “I will play my part in holding the current leadership accountable, while continuing to contribute meaningfully to the development of both our party and our island. My commitment to the people of Tobago does not end today—it continues with purpose, responsibility, and resolve.”

  • Bloody Sunday

    Bloody Sunday

    Three brutal killings unfolded across three different Trinidad and Tobago communities within a six-hour window on Sunday, sending shockwaves through local neighborhoods and pushing the country’s overall murder toll to 117 for the current year.

  • President en luchtverkeersleiders maken afspraken om rust te herstellen

    President en luchtverkeersleiders maken afspraken om rust te herstellen

    On Monday, Suriname President Jennifer Simons convened a high-stakes meeting at her cabinet with leadership of the Suriname Air Traffic Controllers Association (SATCA) to address escalating recent disruptions and long-running frictions in the country’s aviation sector. The dialogue produced preliminary agreements covering two of the most contentious issues: air traffic controllers’ pay framework and the uninterrupted delivery of critical air navigation services.

    According to official statements from the Communication Service of Suriname, Raymond Landveld, Minister of Transport, Communication and Tourism, described the closed-door talks as candid, solution-focused, and aimed at restoring stability to the country’s civil aviation authority after days of operational disruption.

    During the meeting, President Simons made clear her dissatisfaction with the industrial action taken by air traffic controllers to press their demands. She emphasized that the group should have flagged the persistent challenges to the national government much earlier, which would have allowed policymakers enough time to develop targeted, collaborative solutions before service was interrupted. In a turn that de-escalated tensions, SATCA representatives acknowledged that the action strategy they chose was not the appropriate way to resolve their grievances.

    The core sticking point in the dispute remains the existing pay structure for air traffic controllers. SATCA has argued that there is an unfair pay gap between its members and other technical staff at the civil aviation authority, who earn higher compensation for comparable roles. To move negotiations forward, both sides have agreed to reconvene within two to three weeks to refine and finalize a mutually acceptable proposal that addresses the union’s concerns.

    Minister Landveld additionally confirmed that the ongoing training program for new air traffic controllers will continue as scheduled, and will be accelerated wherever possible to address the chronic staff shortages that have exacerbated the current crisis.

    In recent days, the existing personnel shortfalls and industrial action have created widespread disruptions for Surinamese communities and travelers. Passengers have missed connecting and outbound flights, and a medical air ambulance service was even forced to divert to neighboring Guyana to land during the peak of the disruption. Suriname’s national government is now pinning its hopes on the agreed resumption of normal work to head off further chaos and restore reliable aviation services across the country.

  • Spain launches regularization process to recognize rights of Dominicans

    Spain launches regularization process to recognize rights of Dominicans

    In a high-profile diplomatic meeting held in Santo Domingo, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has announced a landmark new regularization scheme that will grant formal legal status to Dominican residents living in Spain, marking a significant step forward in recognizing the rights of one of the country’s largest migrant communities from the Caribbean.

    Following extensive talks with his Dominican counterpart, Roberto Álvarez, Albares publicly acknowledged the far-reaching contributions the Dominican diaspora has made to Spain’s economic dynamism and social diversity over decades. The minister confirmed that the program will expand in the coming weeks, allowing a growing number of undocumented Dominican residents to formalize their status and access full legal protections.

    Beyond migration policy, the two top diplomats used the meeting to align on a range of shared regional priorities, most notably coordinated action to promote long-term stabilization in neighboring Haiti, which has grappled with years of political collapse and humanitarian crisis. Albares underlined Spain’s long-standing commitment to nurturing close strategic collaboration with the Dominican Republic, emphasizing that both nations view their bilateral partnership as a cornerstone of their foreign policy in the Latin American and Caribbean region.

    Albares also reaffirmed Spain’s consistent support for inclusive development initiatives across the Dominican Republic, highlighting the shared Spanish language as a foundational cultural and political bridge that fosters constructive dialogue and peaceful cooperation amid an increasingly fragmented global order. Looking ahead, the Spanish foreign chief drew particular attention to the upcoming Ibero-American Summit, set to take place in Madrid on November 4 and 5, framing the gathering as a critical multilateral platform for advancing regional integration and addressing pressing geopolitical challenges facing Spanish-speaking nations worldwide.