Carib Scope

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  • All right with Anderson

    All right with Anderson

    Nearly eight months after Category 5 Hurricane Melissa carved a path of destruction across Jamaica, the island nation’s government has tapped a decorated veteran public servant to lead its long-awaited recovery and resilience-building effort, drawing measured praise and cautious scrutiny from private sector and civil society leaders.

    Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness announced the appointment of Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson as the inaugural chief executive officer of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) during a special post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday, confirming the retired military leader will officially take up his post on June 1. The announcement comes just days after the NaRRA Bill was signed into law, formalizing the new agency’s mandate to coordinate and accelerate the island’s post-storm reconstruction while strengthening national capacity to withstand future climate disasters.

    With more than 40 years of public service spanning multiple critical national leadership roles, Anderson brings an unparalleled resume of crisis management and institutional leadership to the new position. His career began with a 34-year tenure in the Jamaica Defence Force, where he rose to the top post of chief of defence staff. He went on to become Jamaica’s first national security advisor to the prime minister, later served as commissioner of the Jamaica Police Force, and most recently held the role of Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States. Now, he is tasked with delivering a timely, transparent and accountable recovery for communities devastated by the October 2024 storm.

    In his remarks Wednesday, Holness emphasized that Anderson’s appointment comes at a make-or-break juncture for Jamaica’s recovery program. The government is moving to scale up reconstruction work while embedding strict frameworks for accountability, transparency and fiscal stewardship over billions in recovery funding.

    “Major General Antony Anderson brings to NaRRA the discipline, integrity, and operational command required for this moment,” Holness said. “Jamaica is entering a period of reconstruction that must be defined by speed, but also by transparency, proper planning, and accountability. His experience leading national institutions, responding to crises, and strengthening disaster risk management systems makes him well-suited to drive this mandate.” The prime minister added that NaRRA’s core mission is to build stronger, more disaster-resilient communities across the island, and that his administration will ensure every dollar of recovery funding advances long-term national development, productivity and economic growth.

    Early reactions from Jamaica’s leading private sector bodies have been overwhelmingly positive, with leaders pointing to Anderson’s proven track record of integrity and leadership as exactly what the high-stakes role demands. Patrick Hylton, president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, called the appointment a welcome choice for the critical post.

    “From my personal knowledge of him, as well as his track record, he is the consummate professional, very experienced, very knowledgeable, with a good sense of judgement and great personal and professional integrity,” Hylton told the Jamaica Observer. He added that Anderson’s decades of public service, deep understanding of Jamaica’s local context, extensive professional networks and broad public respect make him uniquely positioned to deliver results for the recovery effort.

    Kathryn Silvera, president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), echoed Hylton’s assessment, noting that past challenges with relief fund management make disciplined, ethical leadership non-negotiable for NaRRA. “His track record of integrity and results gives confidence that he will act with transparency, resist undue influence, and ensure accountability in this critical role,” Silvera said.

    Not all stakeholders have offered unqualified endorsement, however. While civil society leaders universally praised Anderson’s qualifications and decades of distinguished service, many have retained cautious reservations about the structural transparency of NaRRA itself, calling for clearer public disclosure of the agency’s mandates, timelines and budget allocations ahead of its launch.

    Dr Gavin Myers, principal director of national anti-corruption watchdog National Integrity Action, noted that Anderson’s career across the military, law enforcement and diplomacy leaves no question about his qualifications for the role. But he emphasized that Jamaica’s longstanding culture of low public trust means proactive transparency is essential to build public confidence in the recovery effort.

    “We would value information up front rather than things coming out trickle by trickle,” Myers said. He called for full public disclosure of Anderson’s core duties, key operational milestones and allocated recovery budgets ahead of the June 1 launch, so Jamaican citizens can hold agency leadership accountable from day one. “It would be good to know these from early so that we the citizens can work with and watch with Major Anderson,” he added.

    Emile Leiba, president of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, echoed that wait-and-see approach, affirming confidence in Anderson’s capabilities but noting that the proof of NaRRA’s success will be in its operational performance. “Based on his track record in his leadership positions prior to this, I think he would be a good pick because the role does require significant organisational skills to monitor and keep track of the large-scale projects outlined in the NaRRA legislation,” Leiba said. “However, it’s very early days yet, so we’ll have to see how it all works out in practice.”

    Leiba extended well wishes to Anderson and the government, noting that the entire nation has a stake in NaRRA’s success. “For the sake of the country, we certainly hope it’s a viable venture. If it’s not, then that has very serious implications. But the country needs NaRRA to succeed, and so we should all make reasonable efforts for that success to happen,” he said. “It’s one thing to legislate, it’s quite another for it to be operationalised, and so we have to wait and see how it operates from a functional perspective and then we take it from there.”

  • Wisynco — Worthy Park Rum Mixes

    Wisynco — Worthy Park Rum Mixes

    Jamaica’s Wisynco Group has launched a new line of ready-to-drink (RTD) rum-based cocktails under the iconic Worthy Park brand, tapping into a rapidly expanding global RTD beverage trend while delivering a high-quality, locally rooted option for Jamaican consumers. The new product lineup includes four distinct flavor profiles: Worthy Park Tropical Fusion Rum Mix, Worthy Park Grapefruit Rum Mix, Worthy Park Mojito Rum Mix, and Worthy Park Ginger Beer Rum Mix. All products are centered around a core ingredient of Worthy Park White Rum, sourced directly from Lluidas Vale in St Catherine, Jamaica, keeping production and sourcing fully local. Today, the new Worthy Park Rum Mix line is distributed across the entire island of Jamaica, with availability through every major retail and hospitality channel including supermarkets, local bars, and wholesale distributors. The development of the product line came as a direct response to two key market observations: the explosive global growth of the RTD cocktail category, and an unmet local need for a product that balances convenience, affordability, and the high flavor standard that Jamaican consumers expect from homemade rum mixes. When the line made its official debut in February this year, it generated immediate buzz across social media platforms, with consumers sharing their experiences and praising the products for their flavor that closely matches handcrafted, freshly prepared cocktails. The brand has centered its target audience on adults aged 18 to 34, a demographic that actively seeks flavorful, convenient beverage options to enhance casual social gatherings and everyday moments. Early reception of the new RTD line has been overwhelmingly positive, with countless consumers taking to social media to share their approval of the product’s flavor and premium quality. The brand’s steady month-over-month growth can be attributed to a winning combination of strong consumer demand, wide market accessibility, and uncompromised quality that aligns perfectly with what modern consumers prioritize: great taste, on-the-go convenience, and solid value. Priced at just $270 Jamaican dollars per can, the product delivers a premium tasting experience that remains accessible to a wide range of consumers. Looking ahead, the Wisynco Group has set ambitious long-term goals for the Worthy Park Rum Mix line, aiming to establish it as the go-to RTD beverage option for consumers seeking a refreshing, high-quality drink to complement relaxed social moments. The brand’s growth strategy focuses on forging deeper, more meaningful connections with consumers by embedding itself in the moments that matter most to Jamaicans, from large public events and private social gatherings to everyday casual occasions. Parallel to this in-person engagement, the brand will prioritize expanding its visibility both online and in physical retail spaces, ensuring it remains top-of-mind for consumers whenever they shop for beverages. Ultimately, the company aims to position Worthy Park Rum Mix not just as a single product line, but as a staple part of how Jamaicans enjoy their most memorable moments. Despite the early success, the brand faces notable challenges in an increasingly crowded and competitive market. As the RTD cocktail category continues to expand globally and locally, more brands are entering the space to compete for the same consumer base, and the new line also faces competition from the broader established beverage market. For Worthy Park Rum Mix, the core challenge extends beyond just retail visibility: it requires building a long-lasting, loyal connection with consumers that keeps the brand relevant, differentiated, and the preferred choice for shoppers. Company representatives emphasize that Jamaican consumers should support the new line because it is a fully Jamaican-made, Jamaican-owned product. Wisynco is a publicly traded company majority owned by Jamaican shareholders, with deep roots in driving local economic growth, progress, and shared success. In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, the company has reaffirmed its commitment to core values of food security, sustainability, and support for Jamaica’s local producer ecosystem. Despite the disruptions and challenges brought by the storm, Wisynco remains dedicated to delivering on its promises, continuing to roll out new product innovations, and maintaining consistent supply of its most critical brands for consumers and retail partners. The launch of the Worthy Park Rum Mix line has also supported the local economy through the creation and retention of new jobs tied to the product line, a testament to the company’s ongoing commitment to local growth. Company leadership notes that this continued resilience through post-hurricane challenges reflects the strength of the company’s team, its operational systems, and its shared purpose of driving Jamaican progress.

  • From Choiseul to London, the nursing journey of Otillear Tia Athanase

    From Choiseul to London, the nursing journey of Otillear Tia Athanase

    Every great career trajectory begins with a single step, and for Otillear Tia Athanase, that step grew out of humble roots in the rural community of Choiseul. Born to working parents who made their living as farmers and beekeepers, Athanase did not start her professional life with a clear roadmap for success. When she graduated from Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School in 1996, she faced an uncertain future with no concrete career plan – but a passing suggestion from a local nurse would end up altering the entire course of her life.

    At the recommendation of that nurse, Athanase’s mother encouraged her 17-year-old daughter to apply for the volunteer programme at St Jude Hospital. Stepping onto the surgical ward for the first time, Athanase carried a mix of nervous apprehension and quiet determination to carve out her own path. That initial volunteer placement quickly sparked a deep sense of purpose: within eight months, she earned a full-time position at the hospital and made the firm decision to pursue nursing as her lifelong career.

    The path to qualification was far from smooth. To gain entry to nursing school, Athanase had to pass her CXC-level Mathematics examination – a hurdle that required her to retake the test three times. Rather than letting repeated defeat discourage her, these setbacks cemented a core life belief that would carry her through decades of challenge: never abandon a goal, even when failure feels inevitable. In 2002, she crossed the finish line, graduating with a special award for professional excellence and returning to St Jude Hospital as a fully qualified registered nurse, an achievement she still describes as a source of immense personal pride.

    Seeking new professional challenges and growth opportunities, Athanase made the bold decision to relocate to the United Kingdom in 2005. Challenges emerged almost immediately: her first role at London’s King Edward VII Hospital ended just months after she arrived, leaving her facing the expiration of her work visa. In a twist of fate that she calls “divine timing”, she secured a new position with the National Health Service on the very final day of her visa grace period, saving her chance to build a life in the UK.

    From that point, her career accelerated rapidly. She chose to specialize in intensive care nursing, completed a Bachelor of Science degree in her specialty, and quickly climbed the ranks into senior leadership positions. Working across major hospital sites in London refined her skills and prepared her for even bigger opportunities, leading her to discover a natural talent for guiding multidisciplinary teams and overseeing the complex operations of critical care settings.

    In 2012, Athanase embraced another life-changing professional leap, accepting a role as a matron of an intensive care unit in Saudi Arabia – a position that was three seniority levels above her previous role. Navigating this role required her to adapt to an entirely new cultural and professional environment, pushing her out of her comfort zone and helping her develop greater confidence and strategic leadership capabilities that would serve her for the rest of her career.

    When Athanase returned to the UK, she rebuilt her career incrementally, working her way up from senior staff nurse to ICU sister. She continued to invest in her professional development, earning a Master of Science degree in Leadership and Management and completing specialized training in project management. Today, she holds the role of duty manager at London’s prestigious Wellington Hospital, where she oversees daily operations, patient safety standards, and staff support. For Athanase, this role is both a profound privilege and the highest point of her decades-long professional journey.

    Beneath the surface of her impressive professional resume lies a deeply personal story of hardship and unbreakable resilience. Athanase speaks openly about the darkest period of her early years in the UK, when she was forced to live out of her car and rely on leftover meals from the hospital where she worked to get by. She describes those isolating, humbling weeks as a transformative experience that revealed an inner strength she did not know she possessed, reshaping her perspective on life and work permanently.

    That period of struggle taught her resilience at a depth no classroom or training programme ever could, she says, strengthening her determination and reinforcing her sense of purpose as both a nurse and a leader. While most of those hardships are long behind her, she still jokes that adjusting to the cold, dark British winter remains an ongoing challenge.

    Athanase attributes her steady rise to leadership to an unwavering core sense of purpose and a lifelong commitment to caring for vulnerable patients. Even on days when she doubted her own abilities, she learned to rise above self-doubt and external distractions, staying anchored to the mission that brought her into nursing in the first place. Today, she frames every obstacle not as a devastating setback, but as an opportunity to learn and grow.

    Her decades of dedicated work have not gone unrecognized: recent recognition as a featured leader on a prominent UK healthcare platform left her feeling both humbled and affirmed. For Athanase, the recognition served as proof that hard work, dedication, and authentic commitment to service never go unnoticed – even though she has always built her career out of a passion for care, not a desire for public praise.

    Even with all she has achieved, Athanase remains grounded and committed to continuous growth, never content to stop pushing herself. She still approaches every new chapter with the same curious, ambitious question that has driven her from the start: “What’s next?”

    For young St Lucian nurses who hope to follow a similar international career path, Athanase offers clear, practical advice drawn from her own experience: start planning early, approach your goals with intentionality, and remember that preparation is everything. Above all, she emphasizes, hold fast to resilience, stay adaptable to changing circumstances, and never stop believing in your own potential, even when the path forward feels uncertain.

  • FFB Coach Critically Injured After Bus Crashes Into Cane Truck

    FFB Coach Critically Injured After Bus Crashes Into Cane Truck

    A late-night traffic collision in northern Belize has left a senior Football Federation of Belize (FFB) coach critically injured, with multiple youth footballers and other technical staff also hurt after their team bus crashed into a parked sugar cane truck. The incident unfolded on Tuesday evening along San Victor Road in Corozal District, as the group was returning from a scheduled training session for the FFB Northern Zone High Performance Program.

    When the FFB team bus made contact with the stationary cane truck, most people on board sustained only minor injuries that were treated quickly at local medical facilities. But the program’s most senior leader — identifying as Villamil, who serves as NSC Corozal coordinator and high-performance head coach — received life-threatening harm. Positioned in the front passenger area of the team coach bus, she was left pinned inside the crumpled wreckage by the force of the impact.

    First responders from local law enforcement, emergency medical teams, and even local residents who rushed to the scene worked together quickly to extract her from the destroyed vehicle. She was immediately airlifted by emergency transport to the country’s main tertiary care center, Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) in Belize City, where clinical teams continue to monitor her. As of the latest FFB update, her status is listed as critical but stable, giving small hope for her recovery.

    In response to the high demand for blood products to support her ongoing care, the FFB has issued an urgent public appeal for donations of O+ blood, which is the required type for her treatment. The federation has directed any community members who are willing and able to donate to contact the hospital directly to coordinate their contribution.

    The crash has sent shockwaves through Belize’s small football community, which is now coming together to support the injured coach and her family as she fights for recovery.

  • Guyana offers Caribbean training, long-distance robotic telesurgery

    Guyana offers Caribbean training, long-distance robotic telesurgery

    In a landmark breakthrough that redefines the boundaries of modern medical innovation, the South American nation of Guyana has successfully completed the world’s longest-distance robotic-assisted telesurgery, marking a new era in accessible, high-precision healthcare across the Caribbean region. The unprecedented procedure, performed on May 26, 2026, saw internationally renowned cardiac surgeon Dr. Sudhir Srivastava, founder of India-based SS Innovations, conduct a Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) on a patient located 20,000 kilometers away in India, operating from a control room at Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) in Guyana.

    President Irfaan Ali announced the historic achievement at an official press briefing Tuesday night, alongside Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony and a multi-national team of medical specialists. He emphasized that Guyana’s new technological leap positions the country to serve as a regional hub for robotic surgery, extending access to this cutting-edge care to all member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

    “What patients can access in the most advanced medical facilities in India will be available right here in Guyana for the entire region in the coming weeks,” President Ali stated. “Our plan builds a central robotics, surgery and care hub based in Guyana, with outposts across the Caribbean, and we will provide full training for medical teams from every CARICOM nation.” To support this initiative, Guyana has purchased a complete robotic surgery training module and finalized an agreement with SS Mantra, the Indian developer of the surgical system used in the procedure, to establish an accredited international training center on its soil. Previously, all of Guyana’s surgical teams traveled to India to complete certification on the system.

    Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony confirmed the training program will receive formal accreditation and will be integrated into post-graduate fellowship training offered through the University of Guyana and the Ministry of Health. The milestone telesurgery procedure beat the previous world record for the longest-distance robotic surgery, also set by SS Mantra for a procedure between Australia and India. Multiple layers of internet redundancy were built into the operation, with an on-site Indian surgical team on standby to take over if connectivity issues arose, and the procedure was completed without complications.

    Alongside the historic telesurgery milestone, GPHC also announced a second first for the English-speaking Caribbean: the first fully local robotic surgery, a successful inguinal hernia repair performed by Guyanese surgeon Dr. Hemraj Ramcharran, with support from Dr. Bibi Hussain and Dr. Jagnanand Ramnarine. Ramcharran is now the first Caribbean surgeon to complete a robotic procedure within the region.

    Medical experts outlined the transformative benefits of the latest-generation SSI Mantra robotic system, noting it delivers high-resolution 3D magnified views of surgical sites and allows for precision control of tissue manipulation within fractions of a millimeter — a level of accuracy impossible to achieve with traditional open surgery. Unlike conventional open-heart surgery that requires splitting the sternum (breastbone), robotic-assisted procedures use small incisions between ribs to access the surgical site, drastically reducing patient recovery time, blood loss, post-operative infection risk, and complications such as deep vein thrombosis.

    Cost is another major advantage: traditional open-heart surgery typically costs between $6,000 and $12,000 U.S. dollars, including a minimum seven-day post-operative hospital stay, while robotic-assisted surgery cuts that cost by 50%. Critically, GPHC announced it will offer all robotic-assisted procedures to patients completely free of charge.

    To advance the expansion of robotic surgery in Guyana and the region, President Ali has established a new Robotics Advisory Committee, co-chaired by prominent Guyanese cardiologist Dr. Mahendra Carpen, with members including Dr. Anthony, Dr. Riyad Gafoor, Satindra Prasad, and Steve Carryl. Officials are already working to address remaining gaps in local expertise, including training for a perfusionist — a specialized clinician who operates the heart-lung machine used during cardiac surgery — with SS Innovations assisting with placement for international training.

    Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who delivered remarks at the briefing, welcomed Guyana’s regional offer, noting the new hub will help reduce the growing backlog of delayed surgeries across CARICOM member states. GPHC officials called the dual achievements a groundbreaking milestone in global healthcare, positioning Guyana as a leader in medical innovation and expanding access to life-saving care for underserved populations across the Caribbean.

  • Experts sound alarm over sexualised behaviour among schoolchildren

    Experts sound alarm over sexualised behaviour among schoolchildren

    Two prominent Caribbean child welfare leaders have issued an urgent public warning following the spread of multiple viral videos showing uniformed school students engaging in explicit sexual activity, calling attention to a worrying trend of growing sexualisation among minors that risks causing long-term harm to young people’s futures.

    Sean Clarke, chief executive officer of Supreme Counselling for Personal Development, and Melissa Savoury-Gittens, president of the National Organisation of Women (NOW), say three key factors are driving increasingly risky sexual behaviour among youth: unregulated social media consumption, heightened peer pressure, and critical gaps in consistent parental guidance.

    Clarke emphasized that social media has grown to become one of the most powerful forces shaping how young people think, interact, make decisions, and understand the world around them. While peer pressure predates digital platforms, he explained that social media has amplified the problem by creating a culture where young people chase external validation through likes, shares and view counts. Many minors are willing to put themselves in compromising, explicit situations simply to gain online attention, a dynamic that would have been unthinkable for previous generations.

    This risky behaviour is often rooted in low self-esteem, Clarke added. Young people grappling with feelings of inadequacy will frequently go to great lengths to fit in with peer groups and gain acceptance from popular classmates, even if that means participating in activities they know are inappropriate.

    Savoury-Gittens echoed these concerns, noting that mainstream entertainment and television programming also normalize constant sexual content that shapes children’s expectations of behaviour from a young age. She also pointed out the stark gender double standard that emerges when explicit content of minors spreads online: while boys often face little social backlash and may even gain social status from the attention, girls are far more likely to face public shaming that leaves long-lasting emotional damage.

    Both leaders acknowledge that underage sexual activity is not a new phenomenon, but stress that modern technology has completely transformed the scope and consequences of the issue. The widespread availability of smartphones and the virality of social media mean explicit content can spread across communities in hours, and once posted, it never truly disappears. Clarke warned that content shared as a child can follow people into adulthood, limiting educational and employment opportunities and undermining their ability to build the lives they want.

    The advocates agree that families serve as the first and most critical line of defence against these harmful trends. Conversations about sexuality, self-worth, and personal responsibility need to start early in the home, with Clarke arguing that girls must be taught from a young age to value themselves and respect their bodies, while boys must learn to respect both their own boundaries and the boundaries of the girls around them. He also stressed that parents must model healthy behaviour for their children, noting that young people absorb the norms they see practiced by the adults in their lives.

    Crucially, Clarke added that education about the risks of social media cannot be limited to children: many parents lack a full understanding of how digital platforms operate and the unique dangers they pose to minors, so adult-focused education programmes are also urgently needed.

    Savoury-Gittens expanded on this framework, noting that schools, faith institutions and community organizations also have vital roles to play in supporting children. Many young children, especially those in primary school, hold deep trust in their teachers, giving educators unique access to have open conversations about healthy boundaries and safe online behaviour that children may not be as receptive to when coming from parents. Churches and community groups can also fill gaps in support by offering age-appropriate guidance beyond what is covered in standard school curricula.

    Both leaders called for early intervention to identify at-risk children before they engage in harmful behaviour, urging parents and educators to watch for key warning signs: sudden shifts in behaviour including increased aggression, withdrawal from social activities, excessive secrecy around online activity, emotional instability, dropping grades, reduced motivation, and increased absenteeism from school. Clarke noted that these changes can often signal that a child is grappling with peer pressure, bullying, emotional distress, substance use, gang influence, or online manipulation.

    Savoury-Gittens also pushed for greater participation in existing parenting support programmes, noting that while free resources are available, uptake remains consistently low. She shared an example of a local parenting initiative that saw attendance surge after organizers offered small financial incentives to participants, proving that removing barriers to access can dramatically increase engagement. Most importantly, she added, adults must not shy away from having difficult conversations with young people about inappropriate behaviour: the goal should be to protect children from harm rather than shame them for their mistakes, while still being clear about what boundaries exist to keep them safe.

  • Cuba raises concerns over U.S. actions during UN Security Council debate

    Cuba raises concerns over U.S. actions during UN Security Council debate

    On May 26, 2026, during an open UN Security Council debate focused on upholding the core principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla delivered a sweeping address that linked global order-building to urgent threats facing his small island nation. The address, released officially via Cuba’s embassy, saw Rodríguez Parrilla open by thanking China for leading the initiative to convene the debate, praising Beijing’s commitment to strengthening multilateralism, reforming the UN system to be more democratic and effective, and building a global order rooted in sovereign equality and justice.

    Turning to the challenges facing global peace, Rodríguez Parrilla called out unaddressed conflicts from Palestine to the Middle East, before turning to what he framed as long-standing U.S. aggression against Cuba that directly violates international law and undermines regional stability. He reserved sharp criticism for the recent U.S. criminal indictment of retired Cuban leader Raúl Castro Ruz, calling the move a legally baseless, politically motivated fraud designed 30 years after the 1996 downing of two rogue aircraft to manufacture support for U.S. military intervention and regime change in Cuba. He noted that the indictment relies on deliberate distortions of fact: the aircraft were shot down in Cuban sovereign airspace, were conducting illegal terrorist operations against Cuba that violated U.S. law itself, and Cuba was exercising its legitimate right to self-defense, facts the U.S. proceedings systematically conceal.

    Beyond the indictment, Rodríguez Parrilla detailed the catastrophic humanitarian toll of the decades-long U.S. trade embargo and the newly tightened “energy blockade” that has restricted Cuban access to fuel and critical oil supplies. He called the energy siege an act of war equivalent to a naval blockade, pointing to alarming public health data that underscores its deadly impact: Cuba’s infant mortality rate has more than doubled from 4.0 to 9.2 per 1,000 live births, while five-year survival rates for children with cancer have fallen from 85 percent to 65 percent. This deliberate pressure on ordinary Cubans, he argued, is a form of collective punishment that already constitutes a humanitarian crisis, and is being cynically exploited by the U.S. to justify foreign intervention.

    Rodríguez Parrilla pushed back against long-standing U.S. claims that Cuba poses a threat to American national security, calling the narrative logically absurd for a small island facing a nuclear superpower. He reaffirmed that Cuba has no desire to be an enemy of the U.S., maintains deep cultural and people-to-people ties with the American public, and remains open to bilateral dialogue and cooperation on issues of mutual concern—including counterterrorism, drug trafficking, organized crime, and migration—so long as discussions are conducted on the basis of sovereignty, equality, and non-interference in Cuba’s internal affairs.

    He issued a direct appeal to the U.S. public, particularly young Americans, to reject elite manipulation by pro-interests factions in Miami that do not represent the views of most Americans or Cuban expatriates. He warned that any U.S. military aggression against Cuba would unleash an unprecedented bloodbath, killing thousands of Cubans defending their homeland and needlessly sacrificing young American troops for an imperialist agenda of plunder and domination. Any U.S. leader who orders such an attack, he stressed, would be remembered in history as a war criminal responsible for crimes against humanity.

    Closing his address, Rodríguez Parrilla called for unified global action to prevent further escalation, appealing to the UN Security Council to fulfill its core mandate of maintaining international peace by addressing the military threat and blockade against Cuba. He urged Latin American and Caribbean nations to protect their region’s status as a zone of peace, and called on the Global South to speak with one united voice to oppose hegemonic interference and show solidarity with Cuba, a nation that has consistently extended solidarity to other developing countries across decades. He closed with Cuba’s defiant rallying cry: “Homeland or death, we shall overcome!” reaffirming that the Cuban people will fight to defend their sovereignty to the end if forced.

  • LUCELEC celebrates success at annual staff awards

    LUCELEC celebrates success at annual staff awards

    St. Lucia’s leading electricity utility provider, St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC), recently gathered to celebrate the exceptional commitment and contributions of its workforce at the 2025 Staff Awards ceremony. Centered on the theme “Our People. Our Power. Our Success”, this year’s event put a spotlight on standout workers and collaborative teams whose tireless efforts drove the utility’s solid performance over the preceding 12 months, officially recognizing 6 teams and 62 individual employees for their outstanding work.

    During the ceremony, LUCELEC Managing Director Gilroy Pultie walked attendees through the company’s key achievements from the past year, revealing that the firm secured a 120.64 corporate performance score out of a maximum 150. This result marks a notable improvement over the utility’s 2024 performance, signaling meaningful momentum across all operational areas.

    Pultie emphasized that the strong performance was no accident, noting that the company made substantial progress on a slate of strategic initiatives designed to advance LUCELEC’s long-term vision. Even amid growing complexity across economic, technological, and regulatory landscapes, the team has maintained consistent, reliable service for all St. Lucian customers. “This outcome is the direct product of our collective effort, organizational resilience, and willingness to adapt as our industry evolves,” Pultie explained. “This is the standard we must continue building on: teams stepping up to meet challenges, individuals taking ownership of their work, a culture rooted in our core values, and a shared drive to rethink how we operate and innovate.”

    LUCELEC Chairman John Joseph echoed this sentiment, stressing that the company’s skilled, dedicated workforce is the backbone of its strong industry reputation and consistent operational results. “These awards celebrate individuals and teams that deliver results while upholding the highest standards of LUCELEC,” Joseph said. He added that investing in employee growth is the cornerstone of the company’s strategic plan: building internal capabilities, strengthening organizational culture, and nurturing high performance within a values-led framework are critical to sustaining success, and will keep LUCELEC ranked among the most trusted institutions in St. Lucia.

    Among this year’s top honorees were three Employees of the Year: Dona Emmanuel from the Planning Department, Kisha Browne from Credit Control, and Kedia Daniel, the company’s HR Business Partner. Ormond Reece, Senior Manager of Planning, took home the honor of Senior Manager of the Year. On the team side, the Generation Department earned the Large Department of the Year award, while the Office of Strategy Management was named Small Department of the Year. Trisha James received the “Power of Caring Impact Award” as Volunteer of the Year in recognition of her exceptional community outreach work. The ceremony also included special recognition for the LUCELEC Disaster Restoration team, which traveled to Jamaica to support recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

    Sharon Narcisse, LUCELEC’s Chief Human Resources Officer, reinforced the central role that employees play in the company’s mission. “At LUCELEC, our ‘power’ is about far more than just the electricity we generate and deliver across Saint Lucia,” Narcisse said. “It reflects the energy, commitment, resilience, innovation and teamwork of our people. It is our employees who power this company every single day.”

    The annual Staff Awards ceremony has long been a core part of LUCELEC’s commitment to celebrating excellence, reinforcing a strong inclusive company culture, and nurturing a people-first high-performing organization.

  • CARICOM foreign council condemns US measures against Cuba

    CARICOM foreign council condemns US measures against Cuba

    GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – May 27, 2026 — The Caribbean Community’s top foreign affairs body has issued a scathing rebuke of long-running coercive economic and financial measures targeting Cuba, issuing a stark warning that escalating external pressure and looming threats of military action threaten to destabilize the entire Caribbean region.

    The CARICOM Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), the regional bloc’s lead body coordinating foreign policy and community cooperation, released a formal declaration Wednesday outlining deep alarm over the intensifying embargo and sanctions regime that has strangled Cuba’s economy for more than 60 years. In the statement, the council emphasized that the mounting economic hardship gripping the island is not limited to Cuban citizens — it is also directly harming hundreds of CARICOM nationals who live and study in Cuba, whose well-being the bloc counts as a core priority.

    Decades of unilateral trade and economic restrictions have already inflicted persistent damage to Cuban livelihoods, the council noted, and the recent tightening of financial and commercial measures has only compounded this decades-long crisis. Most critically, COFCOR issued an unqualified defense of Cuba’s sovereign right to secure energy resources, explicitly condemning external interference with fuel shipments bound for the island. The body confirmed that consistent disruptions to energy access have already pushed Cuba into a serious humanitarian emergency, with widespread impacts on access to basic services for the civilian population.

    The declaration also addressed growing geopolitical tension in the region, following a series of developments that have raised fears of direct military conflict. Recent weeks have seen the United States issue a controversial indictment of former Cuban President Raúl Castro, alongside public reports of a U.S. military buildup in Caribbean waters. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has framed Cuba as a security threat due to its diplomatic and economic ties to Russia and China, admitting that while the U.S. “prefers” diplomatic action, the probability of a peaceful resolution is “not high.”

    In response, COFCOR reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to preserving the entire Caribbean basin as a formal Zone of Peace, saying the bloc is deeply alarmed by open suggestions of military aggression against Cuba. Any military strike or intervention on the island, the council warned, would trigger widespread unnecessary human suffering, inflict crippling economic damage across the region, and shatter the fragile security framework that has kept the Caribbean stable for decades.

    Grounding its position in international law and consistent resolutions supported by the overwhelming majority of United Nations member states year after year, COFCOR pushed back against claims that Cuba constitutes a global security threat. The council stressed that Cuba is a peaceful, cooperative member of the international community that poses no risk to any sovereign nation. It further argued that the ongoing use of unilateral coercive measures against the island amounts to an unjustifiable violation of fundamental human rights, core principles of free global trade, and the basic norms that govern relations between independent states.

    In a note of division within the bloc, the declaration confirmed that two CARICOM member states — Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago — have reserved their official positions on the statement, declining to endorse the full text. The full declaration was released from the CARICOM Secretariat headquarters in Greater Georgetown, Guyana.

  • Gelovigen trotseren regen tijdens Ied-gebed; hoge prijzen offerdieren drukken feest

    Gelovigen trotseren regen tijdens Ied-gebed; hoge prijzen offerdieren drukken feest

    On the morning of May 27, hundreds of Muslim worshippers gathered on the large open field of Nabawi School in northern Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname, to hold a collective Eid al-Adha prayer, kicking off the annual four-day religious festival. Torrential downpour soaked the entire gathering, turning the open ground damp and muddy, but the crowd of believers remained steadfast, completing both the sermon and scheduled prayer without leaving early.

    This year, the celebration of the festival has come with unique financial pressure for local communities: the price of sacrificial animals has surged to unprecedented levels, putting core religious traditions out of reach for many low-income households. Local authorities confirmed that a single sheep now costs roughly 20,000 Surinamese dollars, while a full bull can exceed 100,000 Surinamese dollars, a burden that many local families cannot absorb. Industry observers predict that far fewer animals will be slaughtered for the ritual this year than in previous years.

    Against this backdrop, the sermon delivered during the collective prayer emphasized that the core meaning of Eid al-Adha extends far beyond the ritual slaughter of animals. Rather, the festival centers on obedience to Allah, willingness to sacrifice, communal brotherhood, and inner spiritual purification. Believers are called to draw closer to their faith by sacrificing negative personal traits including ego, pride, and jealousy, rather than focusing solely on the material requirement of animal sacrifice.

    Nasir Eskak, director of the Ministry of Home Affairs, who also participated in and completed the prayer alongside other worshippers in the pouring rain, echoed this message. He referenced the foundational story of the Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail, a narrative that anchors the festival’s emphasis on obedience and devotion to faith. Eskak stressed that sacrifice in the context of the festival can take both material and non-material forms.
    “When God asked Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, that was a sacrifice that could never be measured in monetary terms,” he explained, noting that particularly amid difficult economic times, the most meaningful sacrifice comes from setting aside personal ego and negative traits to support neighbors and care for one another. He added that even with the steep price hikes, he expected believers who can afford the cost of a sacrificial animal will still carry out the traditional ritual as their faith calls.