Carib Scope

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  • Haiti’s Government launches the «Back to the Neighborhoods» (Solino) project

    Haiti’s Government launches the «Back to the Neighborhoods» (Solino) project

    On July 25, 2026, Haiti took a landmark step toward national recovery and the repatriation of displaced residents with the official launch of the ambitious “Back to the Neighborhoods” (Solino) project. The launch ceremony, held as a community gathering at the Sainte-Rose de Lima Auditorium, kicked off what leaders frame as a people-centered reconstruction process rooted in inclusive dialogue, grassroots citizen participation, and renewed national hope.

    For years, widespread instability and displacement have left thousands of Haitian families cut off from their homes, local communities, and basic sense of security. The Solino project represents the Haitian government’s formal, long-term commitment to reversing this crisis, going far beyond simple physical infrastructure repairs. At its core, the initiative is designed to restore a fundamental human right: displaced families’ ability to return to their original neighborhoods, familiar surroundings, and lives with dignity. It aligns with the government’s broader national goals of establishing long-term public security, mending fractured social cohesion, and creating stable conditions for a full return to normal daily life across the country.

    The launch meeting, which included in-depth discussions with local community organizations, served a dual purpose: it introduced the public to the project’s operational framework and laid the foundational structure for local neighborhood committees. These committees will play an ongoing role in guiding reconstruction work and maintaining inclusive local governance throughout the initiative’s implementation.

    Led by civil engineer Pascale Oriol, the Solino project is organized around four clear, prioritized core objectives: restoring long-term public security to target neighborhoods, rebuilding damaged residential and community infrastructure, revitalizing local economic and social life, and gradually formalizing and securing property rights for returning residents. The project’s first phase will involve a comprehensive neighborhood-by-neighborhood needs assessment, with long-term plans to position Solino as a replicable reconstruction model for other vulnerable communities across Haiti.

    Oriol emphasized that the initiative marks a tangible shift from policy promises to actionable state commitment to the Haitian people. She highlighted three non-negotiable guiding principles for the project: full transparency in all decision-making and spending, sustained active participation from local residents in every stage of implementation, and a strict zero-tolerance policy to prevent corruption at any level.

    The initiative is being rolled out through coordinated collaboration between multiple Haitian government bodies, including the Public Buildings Construction and Housing Unit (UCLPB), the Public Enterprise for the Promotion of Social Housing (EPPLS), the Interministerial Committee for Territorial Planning (CIAT), and the Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities (MICT), with technical and operational support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Haiti office. For national leaders, the partnership demonstrates the government’s commitment to turning popular hope for recovery into tangible, on-the-ground change.

    Speaking on the project’s purpose, Haiti’s Prime Minister framed the safe return of displaced families not as just another policy goal, but as a binding national duty, a fundamental act of justice for displaced communities, and an indispensable step toward building a Haiti that is safer, more cohesive, and stronger for all citizens.

  • Elections : Haiti’s Prime Minister mobilizes the State to guarantee the success of the electoral process (speech, video)

    Elections : Haiti’s Prime Minister mobilizes the State to guarantee the success of the electoral process (speech, video)

    On July 25, 2026, Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé convened a high-stakes strategic gathering at the National Palace, centered on advancing the implementation of the June 2 electoral decree that lays the groundwork for the country’s upcoming general elections. Held under the theme “The Involvement of the Public Administration in the Application of the Electoral Decree”, the meeting drew a broad cross-section of key institutional and international actors, including cabinet members, senior public administration leaders, Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) President Jacques Desrosiers, national security force representatives, and global partners backing Haiti’s democratic transition. Among the attendees was Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Haiti, who used the occasion to reaffirm the UN’s ongoing backing for Haitian authorities as they work to stage the historic vote.

    This coordinated gathering marks a clear demonstration of the Haitian government’s commitment to mobilizing the full weight of the country’s state apparatus, operating in full alignment with constitutional and institutional rules, to support the CEP in carrying out its mandate. The overarching goal is to establish the conditions required for a vote that meets global democratic standards: free, credible, and transparent.

    In his remarks to attendees, CEP President Jacques Desrosiers praised the prime minister’s efforts to rally the country’s key national forces around this urgent priority. He stressed that a successful electoral process can only be achieved through shared responsibility, requiring collaboration between the CEP, national republican institutions, local stakeholders, and international supporting partners.

    Much of the discussion at the session focused on refining operational mechanisms to put the electoral decree into practice. The decree is widely viewed as a critical framework that will allow Haiti to take a decisive step toward restoring long-term democratic governance and concluding the country’s ongoing transition period.

    In his closing address, Prime Minister Fils-Aimé doubled down on his administration’s pledge to back the CEP throughout the election organization process. He noted that while the constitution assigns the CEP formal responsibility for staging the vote, delivering successful elections is fundamentally a national undertaking that demands buy-in from every state institution and core sector of Haitian society.

    “Organizing elections, although entrusted to the CEP, represents a mission of national importance that demands the firm, coordinated, and responsible commitment of the entire state,” Fils-Aimé said. “Democracy is not built in isolation; it is the collective work of a people and its institutions, united around a common ambition: to rebuild national trust and guarantee the sovereign expression of the Haitian people.”

    The prime minister called on all involved stakeholders to approach this historic moment with a sense of responsibility, dedication, and patriotism, working together to create the conditions for inclusive, transparent, and credible elections that can launch a new institutional era for Haiti.

    By the conclusion of the working session, Fils-Aimé reiterated that his government will prioritize strengthening the security, institutional, and logistical infrastructure needed for the electoral process to succeed. He also confirmed that all required resources will be allocated to provide the CEP with the support it needs to fulfill its mandate in the best interests of the Haitian nation.

  • Uitbreiding vrij verkeer binnen CARICOM moet meer beroepsgroepen kansen bieden

    Uitbreiding vrij verkeer binnen CARICOM moet meer beroepsgroepen kansen bieden

    Suriname is moving forward with plans to expand the free movement of people across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a regional integration bloc that aims to create a unified single market and economy for its member states. Once the required supporting legislation receives final approval from the country’s national legislature, the De Nationale Assemblée, the expanded framework will open visa-free, work permit-free access to professional opportunities in other CARICOM member states to a far wider range of skilled workers. This development was the central focus of the recent inauguration of a new national Commission for the Free Movement of Persons, a body tasked with guiding national policy implementation of binding CARICOM agreements.

    The new 10-member commission, headed by chair Steven Relyveld, was formally installed by Raj Jadnanansing, the Surinamese Deputy Minister of Public Health, Welfare and Labor, during an official ceremony held in Paramaribo. For context, CARICOM already operates a standardized skilled movement scheme that grants eligible workers the CARICOM Skills Certificate, a document that allows qualified citizens of any member state to reside and work in any other member state without requiring a local work permit. Beyond immediate employment access, the scheme also enables qualified workers to apply for permanent resident status and family reunification after completing a standard verification process. Currently, eligible professions include academics, media professionals, athletes, musicians, artists, teachers, and nurses, among other skilled roles.

    According to Deputy Minister Jadnanansing, legislative work to expand the eligibility list is already complete, and the new bill is now awaiting parliamentary approval. The upcoming expansion will add high-demand occupations including barbers, hairdressers, security guards, agricultural workers, and beauty specialists to the list of professions eligible for the CARICOM Skills Certificate, bringing thousands more Surinamese workers into the regional free movement framework.

    Beyond pushing through the expansion, the newly inaugurated commission carries three core responsibilities: guiding the day-to-day implementation of national CARICOM free movement policy, coordinating alignment and cooperation between all relevant government ministries involved in the process, and providing expert policy advice to the Surinamese cabinet on the full rollout of commitments outlined in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, the foundational legal document that establishes CARICOM’s single market and economy framework.

    The overarching goal of CARICOM’s free movement policy is to create a more integrated, efficient regional labor market that matches skilled workers with labor needs across national borders. For Suriname, the expansion is expected to deliver dual benefits: it will open new cross-border career opportunities for Surinamese workers seeking employment across the Caribbean, while also making it easier for Surinamese businesses and public agencies to recruit skilled workers from the region to fill persistent labor gaps in key domestic sectors.

  • Police Admit Administrative Error Led to Confusion Over Firearms Shipment

    Police Admit Administrative Error Led to Confusion Over Firearms Shipment

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force has publicly confirmed that an internal administrative error is to blame for widespread public confusion over a recent shipment of 15 firearms and over 1,500 rounds of ammunition imported into the federation. The admission comes amid growing public backlash over law enforcement’s decision not to file criminal charges against the individuals linked to the shipment.

    Earlier this July 2026, police first announced that customs officers had uncovered the cache of weapons and ammunition inside a shipping container at a private residence on the island of Nevis. The initial announcement quickly sparked public concern, and anxiety deepened when authorities confirmed no criminal charges would be pursued against the parties involved, leaving many community members questioning the decision.

    During a recently held press conference, senior police officials laid out new details clarifying the sequence of events: the firearms are owned by retired North American law enforcement officers who are relocating to Nevis, and the group submitted a formal application for an import permit before the shipment ever arrived in the country.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police Cromwell Henry told reporters that the application included every required document, but it was accidentally overlooked by police staff amid a surge of correspondence ahead of the annual St. Kitts Music Festival. “The visitors did send an application ahead of the weapons being shipped…we got an application via email requesting an import permit. There was an import permit that was submitted, a list of the firearms and their serial numbers, copies of their licences to keep those firearms in Canada, as well as their passport bio page,” Henry explained. “We missed it among the list of emails that we got,” he added, confirming the internal oversight.

    In addition to the police error, Assistant Commissioner Travis Williams noted another breakdown in inter-agency communication: the shipment was properly declared to customs upon arrival, but customs officials never shared this information with the police force. “Customs knew that they were in the container before they opened the container. However, Customs did not relate that to us,” Williams said. This lack of communication led investigating officers to initially assume the firearms had been brought into the country illegally, as they had no knowledge of the pending permit application.

    After a full review of the case, Williams said investigators found no evidence of criminal intent — a core requirement to file smuggling or other criminal charges against the individuals. “Because there was an attempt to inform us, to notify us, we could not prove that they had intended to smuggle them in. Smuggling requires an intent to evade the authorities, and we cannot establish that they wanted to evade the authorities when they had already sent a list of what they are bringing in to the authorities,” Williams explained.

    While criminal charges have been ruled out, police confirmed that the retired officers did not complete the full required administrative process, as the import permit was never issued before the shipment arrived. As a result, the case has been transferred to the Customs and Excise Department for administrative action under the national Customs Act. “The law gives Customs that leeway to levy penalties for that violation. So we turned it over for Customs to deal with the persons under the Customs Act,” Williams said, adding that “because we could not prove intent, which is an important element of any crime, we leave Customs to deal with it administratively.”

    As of the latest update, the firearms remain in police custody while customs officials conclude their administrative review of the case.

  • “This Is What Our Guests Are Coming to See”: Fish Die-Off Reported in Caye Caulker

    “This Is What Our Guests Are Coming to See”: Fish Die-Off Reported in Caye Caulker

    On July 25, 2026, a devastating mass mortality event of small fish has hit the Caribbean island of Caye Caulker, leaving local communities reeling and demanding answers after footage captured hundreds of lifeless fish drifting across the waters surrounding La Isla Cariñosa.

    The ongoing incident has triggered widespread alarm among island residents, who report that the stench of decaying fish has already drifted across multiple residential zones in the village. As speculation grows over the root cause, many locals are pointing to the persistent, years-long buildup of sargassum seaweed along the island’s coastlines, questioning whether the unmanaged influx has pushed the fragile coastal ecosystem past its breaking point.

    One local resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, placed blame squarely on the worsening sargassum crisis and criticized national authorities for failing to implement meaningful solutions. “The cause is clear: it’s the sargassum, and politicians have refused to invest in a real, long-term fix,” they said. “We can’t fault our local village council — they don’t have the budget or resources to handle a problem this big. But the responsible minister can’t stand by and claim there’s no funding to address this.”

    Another resident shared a firsthand account of the events leading up to the mass die-off, recounting unusual activity along the island’s popular north split on Thursday. “All that sargassum washed up onto the north split shore Thursday evening,” they explained. “We saw hundreds of birds gathering to feed, and even crocodiles came out in the early afternoon to feed on the bait fish that were already alive but clearly struggling. When we woke up the next morning, every last fish was dead. And nothing has touched the carcasses since.”

    A third resident’s widely shared video offers a stark visual of the damage: murky, brown-tinged coastal waters littered with the pale bodies of dead small fish, with what appears to be a dead eel floating among the remains. “This is what our tourists come to Caye Caulker to see? Brown, polluted water and dead fish,” the resident said in the footage, describing the unregulated sargassum influx as “a plague that is choking all our marine life.”

    As of press time, no official cause for the die-off has been confirmed by environmental or government authorities. However, marine scientists have long warned of the severe risks that decomposing sargassum poses to nearshore marine ecosystems. When large accumulations of the seaweed break down, they rapidly deplete dissolved oxygen levels in surrounding waters, while releasing toxic gases and compounds that place lethal stress on fish, shellfish, and other aquatic organisms.

  • Champions League 2026 : The «Yankees» crush our Grenadiers [3-0]

    Champions League 2026 : The «Yankees» crush our Grenadiers [3-0]

    The 2026 CONCACAF U-20 Champions League kicked off its group stage matches on July 25, with Haiti’s under-20 national side, known affectionately as the Grenadiers, falling to a dominant 3-0 defeat at the hands of the United States U-20 men’s national team at the Estadio Universitario BUAP in Puebla, Mexico.

    Haiti entered the match facing a late roster adjustment, as starting player Medinel Zamor was forced to withdraw from the tournament entirely due to an injury just days before kickoff. Shaun A Brun of the US-based Tacoma Defiance stepped into Zamor’s spot in the starting eleven. Haiti’s full starting lineup featured Carlos Bré of Real Hope FA; captain Arthur Alcimé (Real Hope FA); Stanley Volcin (AS Capoise); Marckidens Tanis (AS Capoise); Miguel Joseph (Exafoot); Ramy Fabilus (Real Hope FA); Clavens Exantus (Violette AC); Franco Célestin (Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant); Emerson Laissé (Mount Pleasant); Brun; and Nikolai Pierre of US club Orlando City. Five second-half substitutions were made by the Haitian coaching staff: J. Charles replaced Fabilus, W. Leconte took over for Pierre, D. Resil came on for Exantus, all in the 67th minute; M. Jean Jules replaced Brun in the 75th minute; and K. Romulus replaced Leconte just two minutes later.

    From the opening whistle, the United States controlled the flow of play, holding 69% of total possession and outshooting Haiti 8 to 3 on target. The Americans broke the deadlock in the 38th minute, when Dino Klapija slotted a right-footed shot from the left edge of the Haiti penalty box past the goalkeeper. The goal came off a neatly worked set piece: after a United States corner, Colin Guske headed a looping ball back into the center of the box, setting up Klapija for the easy finish.

    The match turned further against Haiti in the 61st minute, when starting defender Stanley Volcin was shown a red card and ejected from the game, leaving the Grenadiers down to 10 men for the final half hour. Seven minutes after the red card, the United States earned a penalty kick, and Ruben Ramos converted the spot kick to double the American lead to 2-0. As Haiti pushed for an equalizer late in stoppage time, the Americans earned a second penalty, which Santi Morales converted in the 89th minute to seal the 3-0 victory and secure all three points for the US in Group A play.

    Following the opening match defeat, the Haitian Football Federation released a statement affirming the team’s continued commitment to the tournament, noting: “Despite this result, the team continues its training with the same determination in order to best prepare for its upcoming matches. Each match is a new opportunity to demonstrate the character, discipline, and pride of a team that defends its country’s colors. Our support remains a valuable asset for our players.”

    After the first round of group matches, the Group A standings place both the United States and Cuba at the top with three points each, after Cuba also earned a 3-0 opening win over El Salvador. El Salvador and Haiti sit at the bottom of the group with zero points, having each conceded three goals without scoring. The Grenadiers are set to return to play on July 28, when they face Cuba in their second group stage match, before closing out group play against El Salvador on July 31.

  • How a young entrepreneur turned his grandmother’s recipe into a growing liqueur brand

    How a young entrepreneur turned his grandmother’s recipe into a growing liqueur brand

    In the lead-up to one of St. Lucia’s most anticipated annual celebrations, Carnival, 24-year-old entrepreneur Ajan-I Lansiquot and his family gathered at Bay Gardens Marina Haven to launch a limited-time pop-up bar. The pop-up showcased their homegrown, handcrafted spirit brand, Leonas Liqueur, serving up custom cocktails to thirsty Carnival attendees and hotel guests, drawing a lively, engaged crowd to the waterfront venue.

    Leonas Liqueur is a family-owned artisanal brand that specializes in premium creamy milk-based liqueurs, available today in three distinct, customer-favorite flavor profiles: Dark Ambition, a rich coffee-infused blend; Black and Ivory, a sweet cookies and cream variation; and Crimson Velvet, a unique combination of strawberry and peanut.

    What began as a planned feature profiling local business performance during the high-traffic Carnival season quickly became an intimate first-hand look at the grit and vision of a young small business owner building something meaningful from intergenerational roots. A correspondent from St. Lucia Times spent several hours on-site with the Leonas Liqueur team as they served Carnival revellers picking up their costumes from a nearby mas camp along with guests staying at the Bay Gardens resort.

    Speaking with St. Lucia Times, Lansiquot described Leonas Liqueur as more than just a beverage brand—it is a premium lifestyle label rooted in the values of progress and excellence. “It’s crafted for people who want to build something bigger than themselves,” he explained, his steady, grounded delivery matching the ambition of his brand mission.

    Observers on-site noted the 24-year-old carries a thoughtful, intentional demeanor as he navigates the day-to-day demands of business ownership and leadership. Every customer interaction, every detail of the pop-up bar—from the neatly displayed branded bottles with sleek, chic Leonas labeling to the preparation of each handcrafted cocktail—is handled with deliberate care, a reflection of the brand’s core values.

    That intentionality is no accident: it grows directly from the brand’s foundational purpose of honoring and extending a family legacy. The recipe for Leonas Liqueur originated with Lansiquot’s grandmother, Leona, for whom the brand is named. For decades, Leona sold her homemade liqueur from a roadside stall, and she passed the original recipe down to her grandson.

    Lansiquot’s journey to full-time brand ownership began after a turning point in his early career. He had been working a contract role at a local warehouse, a position he enjoyed that taught him valuable operational and business skills he still uses today. He always planned to launch his own venture eventually, taking careful notes on business operations every day, fully expecting his contract would be renewed. When the extension fell through, he chose to channel his frustration into building something lasting, rather than waiting for another opportunity. A core goal from the start was to build a business that prioritizes the well-being of its team: “Once you work with Leonas, or anything I build now or in the future, you’re in good hands,” he says.

    Two and a half years into building the brand, Lansiquot is open about the challenges his team has faced, noting the journey has required pushing through unexpected setbacks and financial losses to earn the small wins and growth the business enjoys today. Beyond building a profitable brand, Lansiquot is committed to growing as a leader, and setting a positive example for his 17-year-old brother Kamari, who he brought on as a co-owner and co-producer of the brand.

    Kamari shares that working on the business has been a valuable learning experience, even with its challenges. “It has ups and downs like any other venture,” he explains. “The hardest part for me is balancing my school work with the demands of the brand.” Still, he embraces the learning curve, as he nurtures his own entrepreneurial ambitions for the future.

    As the team mixed signature liqueur cocktails behind the pop-up bar, Ajan-I joked that growing the brand has unexpectedly taught the whole team professional bartending skills. Onlookers noted the team looked entirely natural as they handed off beautifully garnished drinks—some topped with fresh cherries, others with cookie crumbles—to waiting customers. Many patrons reacted with immediate positive feedback, smiling and giving thumbs up before they even finished their first sip.

    For the Lansiquot family, the Carnival pop-up is just one step in a much longer journey. While the festive season brings a welcome boost in foot traffic and sales, Ajan-I’s long-term goal is to turn Leonas Liqueur into a year-round staple for locals and visitors across St. Lucia. As the business grows, the core team is expanding too, adding brand ambassadors and new strategic partners to scale operations. Today, the brand accepts personal orders and deliveries via its dedicated social media pages, caters private events, and is building consistent, sustainable supply chains. All signs point to Leonas Liqueur being a lasting, growing presence in St. Lucia’s artisanal food and beverage scene.

  • Antigua and Barbuda Business Community Backs the U20 National Team

    Antigua and Barbuda Business Community Backs the U20 National Team

    With kickoff of the 2026 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship just one day away in Puebla, Mexico, the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) has publicly celebrated the collective support of local businesses and individual backers that have stepped in as Official U20 Corporate Partners, making the nation’s historic tournament run possible.

    The group of official partners spans multiple sectors of Antigua and Barbuda’s local economy, including the CIP Unit, Dr. Philmore Benjamin, Dawn till Dusk, Photogenesis, Justin Pereira, a joint partnership between Fitzroy’s Rewinding and Faster Freight, RVS Enterprises, and News Co Ltd. This diverse coalition reflects the widespread unity across the country’s business community in lifting up the next generation of Antiguan football talent.

    Among the most impactful contributions comes from the collaborative effort between Fitzroy’s Rewinding and Faster Freight, which sourced and donated high-altitude simulation training masks for the squad. This targeted support addresses a critical logistical challenge for the team: Puebla sits roughly 7,000 feet above sea level, and the thinner air at this elevation presents a significant physical barrier for visiting teams competing there. The donation is a tangible example of how local private sector support is directly preparing the team to compete at their best.

    For Justin Pereira, a former national player who now works as a coach and business owner, the partnership opportunity is more than just financial support—it is a chance to give back to the sport that shaped him. “As a former player, now coach and business owner, it is a real pleasure to be able to contribute to this undertaking. These are huge steps being made in Antigua football,” Pereira said.

    Antigua and Barbuda’s under-20 squad carries notable regional pride into this year’s tournament. Selected as one of just 12 teams to compete in the final championship, they are the only nation from the Eastern Caribbean to qualify, and one of only four Caribbean countries overall in the field. The team will open its Group B play against tournament host Mexico on July 24 at Puebla’s iconic Estadio Cuauhtemoc, followed by matches against Guatemala on July 27 and Costa Rica on July 30. For all participating teams, the CONCACAF U20 Championship serves as a direct qualifying route for two of global football’s most prestigious youth competitions: the FIFA Under-20 World Cup and the Summer Olympic Games.

    In closing, the ABFA reiterated its gratitude to all corporate partners, emphasizing that their belief in young Antiguan footballers and commitment to growing the sport in Antigua and Barbuda has been foundational to the team’s journey to the tournament.

  • UWP’s Juliette Shillingford outlines vision for Roseau Central; says the capital ‘deserves better,’

    UWP’s Juliette Shillingford outlines vision for Roseau Central; says the capital ‘deserves better,’

    As the 2025 general election race in Dominica heats up, United Workers Party candidate Juliette Shillingford has stepped forward to contest the Roseau Central constituency, bringing a professional, community-focused platform rooted in her decades of experience as an urban planner. Shillingford, a lifelong resident of the constituency, says her decision to enter politics stems from a long-held conviction that Dominica’s capital city has been overlooked for far too long — and that Roseau deserves more attentive, forward-thinking leadership than it has received to date.

    Unlike many candidates who limit their engagement to criticizing incumbents’ failures, Shillingford says she chose to run to be part of the solution, turning decades of professional expertise in urban design into actionable policy for the community she calls home. Her core vision for Roseau centers on reimagining the capital as a regional Caribbean model that balances thoughtful modern development with careful preservation of the city’s unique cultural and natural heritage, a balance she argues current leadership has failed to deliver.

    Shillingford’s policy priorities for the constituency cover environmental, infrastructure, social and economic goals. Top on her environmental and public space agenda is the expansion of accessible green public areas across the city, the full reconstruction of the iconic Roseau Botanical Gardens, and the completion of the long-delayed public library project that residents have waited years for. She has also pledged to overhaul the city’s aging street and sidewalk networks to make Roseau more walkable and accessible for pedestrians of all ages, while addressing the persistent issues of inadequate parking and crippling traffic congestion that disrupt daily life for residents and visitors alike.

    Beyond physical infrastructure, Shillingford has emphasized that investing in Roseau Central’s young people is a non-negotiable part of her agenda, calling for expanded investment in youth education and sports programming to give the next generation the resources they need to thrive. She has also drawn attention to growing economic strains on local commerce, noting that a steady stream of established small businesses have closed in recent years, while more and more residents are forced to operate informal retail from their vehicles. Shillingford attributes this trend in part to a critical lack of affordable commercial space for emerging small enterprises, which she describes as the backbone of Roseau’s local economy.

    To ensure her platform reflects the actual needs of Roseau Central residents rather than top-down partisan priorities, Shillingford is currently holding one-on-one and community meetings with constituents across the constituency to gather input for what she calls a “people’s vision manifesto”, a public document that will formalize her policy pledges ahead of election day.

  • Hughes Warns Safe-Deposit Box Auctions Could Be Vulnerable to Insider Dealing

    Hughes Warns Safe-Deposit Box Auctions Could Be Vulnerable to Insider Dealing

    As debate over the Banking Amendment Bill 2026 unfolds among legislative bodies, an opposition senator has raised sharp, well-founded concerns about gaps in the legislation’s framework for auctioning off the contents of abandoned safe-deposit boxes, warning that loose transparency rules could open the door to unfair favoritism for insiders.

    The bill in question lays out basic requirements for financial institutions seeking to sell unclaimed property from abandoned safe boxes: institutions must place a notice of the upcoming auction in a newspaper and send a notification of the sale to the box owner’s last recorded address. But Senator Chester Hughes argues that these minimal requirements are nowhere near enough to guarantee a fair, open process for all potential bidders.

    Hughes points out that relying solely on a newspaper notice to advertise the auction leaves the vast majority of the public completely unaware of the sale. In an illustrative example, he noted that under the current proposed rules, only a tiny circle of well-connected individuals — in his hypothetical, just Philip Shoul and Hughes himself — would see the notice and learn of the auction. This limited outreach restricts participation dramatically, leaving the door open for a small group of people with advance insider knowledge to snap up high-value items like fine jewelry, rare precious metals, and emotionally meaningful family heirlooms for prices far below their actual market value.

    To address this critical flaw, Hughes is pushing for amendments that would mandate far broader advertising of all upcoming auctions of abandoned safe-deposit box contents. Wider outreach, he argues, would draw a larger pool of bidders, drive up competition, and ensure that every item is sold at a price that reflects its true market worth. Beyond ensuring fair market value, Hughes stressed that a more transparent process is essential to maintaining public trust in the banking sector’s handling of unclaimed private property — especially given that many abandoned boxes hold items that carry immense sentimental as well as financial value for their original owners and potential heirs.

    The debate over the auction rules comes as legislators work to update the country’s banking regulatory framework, with competing priorities around streamlining administrative processes for financial institutions and protecting the property rights of consumers. Hughes’ push for broader advertising adds a key new dimension to the debate, framing transparency and fair process as non-negotiable components of any regulatory update to the handling of unclaimed safe-deposit box contents.