Carib Scope

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  • Wales claim fifth straight Premier League title

    Wales claim fifth straight Premier League title

    On a tense Sunday afternoon at the Wildey Technical Centre, a moment of late magic secured another historic milestone for Barbados football. Armando Lashley, the top goal scorer in the history of the Barbados Football Association (BFA) Premier League, slotted home the only goal of the match deep into extra time against Kickstart Rush, handing Weymouth Wales their fifth consecutive league championship.

    The winning goal came from a late corner kick, with Lashley turning the opportunity into a clinical finish that sealed victory in the game’s dying seconds. This result extends Weymouth Wales’ incredible recent run, marking their fifth win from their last six outings. With just one round of regular season matches still left to play, the club now sits on an unassailable 40 points, ensuring no competitor can catch them at the top of the table.

    The day’s action kicked off with a tight contest between 2023 runners-up Brittons Hill United and title contenders Paradise. A 57th-minute strike from Shaquille Boyce earned Brittons Hill a hard-fought 1-0 win, which pushed them up into second place in the standings on 35 points. Paradise, who led the title race for much of the 2024 campaign, dropped two places to fourth following the loss, finishing the penultimate round level on 33 points with third-placed Kickstart Rush. Kickstart Rush holds the higher position courtesy of a one-goal advantage in overall goal difference (38 to Paradise’s 37).

    For Weymouth Wales, this championship is one of the most hard-earned titles in the club’s recent history. Based in Carrington Village, the side overcame significant obstacles this season, including a rash of injuries to key first-team players and the departure of national team captain Andre Applewaithe, who left to sign a professional contract overseas. Remarkably, even without Applewaithe and despite having no players ranked in the league’s top 10 goal scorers, Weymouth Wales still outperformed every challenger to claim the crown.

    Now that they have secured the league title, Weymouth Wales will turn their attention to defending the two other major BFA trophies they currently hold: the Champions Cup and the Prime Minister’s Cup. The club will be targeting a clean sweep of domestic honours to cap off their historic season.

    Speaking after his side’s win over Paradise, Brittons Hill coach Richard Forde reflected on what could have been for his own team’s title challenge. “As I said from the beginning we were really pushing for the title this season, but I think we really threw away our chances when we drew the games against Bagatelle and Gall Hill,” Forde explained. “I always look back and say those games would have given us an outside chance to win the title, but I still think the boys did well.”

    Forde noted that his side’s late-season improvement came after he implemented strict changes to the team’s training regime, changes that were not popular at first. “They didn’t like it, a lot of people did not like it, but you know if we want to come and compete you have to come and train. You know sometimes we played well and then on some occasions we were awful in games. I believe if we can measure how we play and approach each game, then I think that we could go one step further,” he added.

    The coach also praised match-winner Boyce, who seized his starting opportunity after limited game time throughout the season. “He’s been training all the time, and you know sometimes when you look at our front three it has been hard sometimes for him to get into the team. Tonight was his opportunity and he didn’t disappoint. I was happy with that,” Forde said.

    Heading into the final round of matches, the race for the league’s Golden Boot award remains tightly contested. Kirtney Franklyn, a St Vincent and the Grenadines international with Brittons Hill United, currently leads the race with 18 goals. Ellerton captain Shakille Belle sits in second place on 15 goals, while Sheran Hoyte and Kamol Griffith of Paradise, plus Torian Joseph of Bagatelle, are all tied for third on 13 goals.

  • EC$1 million earmarked for Agricultural Development Assistance Programme

    EC$1 million earmarked for Agricultural Development Assistance Programme

    Grenada’s Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry has officially unveiled the 2026 iteration of the Agricultural Development Assistance Programme (ADAP), an updated iteration of the country’s core farm labor and production support initiative. The new phase of the program comes with a boost in funding, adding approximately EC$1 million to the existing budget to expand assistance to local producers.

    Designed to shore up domestic agricultural output and set farmers up for long-term success, ADAP 2026 delivers targeted support for both labor and critical production inputs to small and medium-sized producers across the island. Lauren St Louis, Chief Extension Officer at the ministry, confirmed that the program will be led by the department’s Extension Division — the government body tasked with bridging policy development and on-the-ground farmer needs. “The Extension Division is responsible for rolling out all of the ministry’s policies and programs, so it will spearhead ADAP 2026 with coordination and support from program coordinator John Andrew and his team,” St Louis explained.

    Per St Louis, Extension Officers will take charge of two core ongoing responsibilities for the initiative: conducting on-site farm assessments for all applicants, and carrying out continuous monitoring to guarantee public funds deliver maximum value and that all program targets are met.

    A key priority of the 2026 ADAP rollout is alignment with regional food security goals, St Louis emphasized. The initiative matches the objectives of two major regional frameworks: the Caricom 25 by 25 + 5 Initiative and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Food and Agricultural Systems Transformation Strategy (FAST), both of which set clear targets to expand regional food production. “This program puts the systems in place to boost regional trade and advance the entire Caribbean’s collective push for food security,” St Louis noted.

    ADAP was first launched in 2023, with a total combined allocation of EC$1.8 million for its 2023 and 2024 phases. An additional EC$800,000 was allocated to the program in 2025, marking consistent year-over-year growth in government investment in local agriculture.

    Outlining eligibility requirements for the 2026 cycle, ADAP Supervisor John Andrew explained that the program is tailored to meet the needs of active, registered producers. To qualify, farmers must hold legal access to farm plots of at least a quarter acre, and commit to participating in the Ministry of Agriculture’s broader programs and outreach activities. The core overarching goal of ADAP 2026 is to increase total domestic agricultural output through three key avenues: supporting the development of new farm plots, funding the rehabilitation of underperforming existing fields, and expanding production of priority staple and commercial crops.

    The 2026 program prioritizes support for nine key crops: bananas, plantains, sweet potatoes, yams, dasheen, corn, peas, carrots, sweet peppers, and hot peppers. To encourage scalable commercial production, ADAP 2026 sets targeted size caps for supported plots based on crop type: up to one acre for banana cultivation, half an acre for plantains, corn, peas, sweet potatoes, carrots and hot peppers, and a quarter acre for tomatoes, sweet peppers, yams, and dasheen.

    Approved farmer participants can access support across four critical production areas: fully or partially subsidized labor for land clearing, planting, crop maintenance, and harvesting; certified seeds and seedlings for priority crops; discounted tractor services for land preparation; and subsidized material inputs including insecticides, weedicides, and crop growth boosters.

    Interested eligible farmers can submit applications through two accessible channels: online via the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry’s official Facebook page, or in person at any district extension office across Grenada. The ministry framed the launch of ADAP 2026 as a core step toward its foundational mission: ensuring food and nutrition security for all residents of Grenada.

  • Flow Antigua Team and Liberty Business at Run in Paradise 2026

    Flow Antigua Team and Liberty Business at Run in Paradise 2026

    A vibrant celebration of physical wellness, cross-sector collaboration, and community connection kicked off recently, as two distinct groups came together to take part in the highly anticipated Run in Paradise 2026 event. Runners and supporters from the Flow Antigua and Barbuda Team, alongside clients from Liberty Business Corporate, swapped office desks for running shoes, turning a routine community fitness gathering into a showcase of shared purpose.

    The event, designed to encourage active lifestyles while strengthening bonds between local organizations and the business community, brought together participants of all ages and fitness levels. What began as a competitive road race transformed into a collective display of sportsmanship, with both amateur and recreational runners pushing their limits alongside industry professionals. Organizers highlighted that the partnership between the athletic team and corporate clients underscores a growing movement of organizations prioritizing community engagement and employee wellness.

    Beyond the competition for first place, the gathering centered on nurturing community spirit, with participants noting that the shared experience of training and racing together built new connections that extend far beyond the finish line. Local organizers expressed hope that collaborations like this will inspire more joint initiatives between sports groups and corporate entities in the region, fostering a culture of health and collective action for years to come.

  • BRFU names squad for upcoming internationals

    BRFU names squad for upcoming internationals

    Barbados Rugby Football Union has named a 20-player men’s XV national squad for a packed three-week slate of three international fixtures, with veteran Enrique Oxley selected to skipper the side through the challenging stretch of matches. The roster strikes a deliberate balance between emerging young talent and seasoned campaigners, with the full lineup including Antonio Gibbons, John Shane Howard, Nicholas Daniel, Daniel Ramsey, Aiden Foley, Rajiv Grant, Stephen Millar, Jeremy Nelson, Jermaine Bynoe, Chad Clarke, Cadeem Knight, Noah Paskins, Sean Ward, Taurean Marshall, Dario Stoute, Chris Blades, Malique Broomes, Kiovani Hamilton and Zarico Bellamy.

    The run of matches kicks off on May 30, when Barbados travels to Kingstown to face hosts St. Vincent in the opening contest. The team will then return home to host Guyana on June 6, before closing out the trio of fixtures with an away match against the Cayman Islands on June 13. This sequence of matches positions the final two contests as key Rugby Americas North (RAN) Test matches, giving the side critical competitive context for preparation.

    Head coach Joe Whipple highlighted the strategic value of the expanded fixture list, emphasizing that each game serves a clear developmental purpose for the program. “This additional fixture in St. Vincent comes at a very important time for the squad,” Whipple explained. “It provides another opportunity for players to gain valuable match exposure and for the coaching group to continue building combinations ahead of two important RAN Test Matches in June.”

    The Barbados side enters this stretch of play riding high on a historic breakthrough from the 2023 campaign. Last year, the national team secured a dominant 45-5 victory over Guyana at Garrison Savannah, marking their first win over the Guyanese side, nicknamed the Green Machine, in almost 20 years. That landmark result has injected new momentum into the program, and the current squad is focused on carrying that positive form into this demanding run of international competition, with an eye toward building cohesion for future regional campaigns.

  • New Parliamentary Agenda Includes Electronic Crimes Laws, Health Reforms and Worker Protections

    New Parliamentary Agenda Includes Electronic Crimes Laws, Health Reforms and Worker Protections

    At the official ceremonial opening of the new parliament this Tuesday, Governor-General Sir Rodney Williams delivered the 2026 Throne Speech, laying out a sweeping, multi-sector legislative roadmap for the Antigua and Barbuda government across the 2026–2031 parliamentary term. The wide-ranging policy package targets institutional upgrades across law enforcement, labor rights, public health, border management and economic governance, marking the first major policy outline from the re-elected Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, which secured a fourth consecutive term in the April 30 general election.

    The core of the law enforcement reforms includes overhauls to the Police Service, Fire and Rescue Services, and national forensic services, alongside a long-awaited update to electronic crime legislation that addresses emerging digital threats. A key social reform addresses growing public concerns over workplace mistreatment: new protections will be introduced for vulnerable workers, responding to multiple formal complaints of harassment by supervisors. Sir Rodney emphasized that the new laws will enshrine protections for at-risk employees and establish fair processes to uncover the truth in harassment claims.

    Public health and safety regulation also feature heavily in the legislative pipeline. The government will introduce updates to rules governing food safety, mental health services, pharmaceutical practice, medical laboratory operations, and nursing home care. All these proposed changes are designed to raise clinical care standards and enhance public health protections across the country. “These laws will come before this parliament to ensure better treatment for patients and higher safety standards for all residents,” Sir Rodney told assembled lawmakers.

    Border security and immigration governance are another priority area. New legislation will strengthen the country’s advance passenger information systems, bringing Antigua and Barbuda into alignment with evolving international border security protocols. The government also plans to amend regulations governing the nation’s high-impact Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP), a key economic driver that has generated more than EC$2 billion in revenue since its launch in 2013. Currently accounting for over 10% of Antigua and Barbuda’s gross domestic product, the CIP will undergo targeted changes to safeguard its long-term role in the national economy, with reforms coordinated alongside partner initiatives across the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

    Attorney General Sir Steadroy Benjamin was recognized in the speech for leading the development of this comprehensive package of new and amended laws, which is designed to position Antigua and Barbuda as a policy leader among regional Caribbean nations. Opening his address, Sir Rodney framed the start of the new parliamentary term as the beginning of “a new era in development and prosperity” for the twin-island nation.

  • Ministry of Health Advises Public of Contained Chickenpox Cluster at Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital

    Ministry of Health Advises Public of Contained Chickenpox Cluster at Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital

    Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs has issued a public advisory confirming a small cluster of varicella, more widely known as chickenpox, cases within two male-only wards at the Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital. As of the latest update, the outbreak has not spread beyond the two affected wards, and targeted public health interventions have already been rolled out to contain transmission and safeguard the health of both patients and hospital staff. The ministry emphasized that its standardized infection prevention and control protocols were activated immediately after the initial cases were detected.

    The full suite of response measures includes expanded active surveillance across the hospital facility, mandatory quarantine and isolation for exposed and confirmed cases, intensified cleaning and disinfection protocols for all high-touch environmental surfaces, limitations on non-essential movement through the affected wards, regular health monitoring for all individuals who have had close contact with infected patients, and ongoing clinical check-ins for all potentially affected staff and patients. Public health officials are working hand-in-hand with the hospital’s administration and on-site clinical teams to track the development of the outbreak closely, and to date, there is no evidence that the virus has spread to other parts of the facility or the broader community.

    To help the public understand the risks, the ministry has also shared key educational information about varicella. The illness is a highly contagious viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus, and common presenting symptoms include elevated body temperature, general fatigue, and an itchy blister-shaped rash across the skin. The virus spreads most often through respiratory droplets that enter the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through direct physical contact with fluid from an infected person’s skin blisters. In rare cases, susceptible people can also contract varicella after exposure to someone with herpes zoster (commonly called shingles), which develops when the latent varicella-zoster virus reactivates in a person who previously had chickenpox.

    Small, localized clusters of varicella are not unusual, especially in closed congregate settings like psychiatric hospitals, where consistent close contact between people creates ideal conditions for the virus to spread. For most people, particularly healthy children, the illness runs a mild course and rarely causes serious long-term complications. Even so, public health officials stress that proactive prevention remains critical to protecting vulnerable populations.

    The ministry reminded the public that varicella vaccination continues to be one of the most effective tools available to prevent infection and reduce the severity of symptoms if infection does occur. The vaccine is accessible to both children and adults at all public health clinics across Antigua and Barbuda. Officials are urging parents and guardians to confirm that their children have received all required doses of the vaccine in line with the country’s national immunization schedule. Any person who is unsure about their own vaccination history is advised to reach out to their primary healthcare provider or the closest public health center for guidance.

    In addition to vaccination, the ministry is encouraging all residents to maintain routine infection prevention habits that reduce the spread of all contagious respiratory and viral illnesses. These core habits include washing hands frequently with soap and clean running water, covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing to contain respiratory droplets, keeping infected people separated from public spaces and group settings until all skin blisters have crusted over completely, and contacting a healthcare provider promptly if a person develops symptoms that match a varicella infection.

    People who develop fever and a rash are specifically advised to avoid unnecessary close contact with groups that face a higher risk of severe complications, including older adults, pregnant people, newborn infants, and individuals with compromised immune systems. The ministry says it will continue maintaining active, round-the-clock surveillance of the outbreak, and will release additional public updates if any new developments that impact public health emerge.

  • Cunningham looking forward to Rally Barbados

    Cunningham looking forward to Rally Barbados

    After a thrilling day of high-speed rally action on the 4.1-kilometer Mapps to Stewarts Hill stage in Barbados’ St. Philip parish, British driver Joe Cunningham and his co-driver Kari Bates have claimed top honors at the 2025 First Citizens King of the Hill, breaking a 11-year drought for British competitors at the prestigious pre-Rally Barbados seeding event.

    Cunningham’s victory marks the first win for a British driver at King of the Hill since Paul Bird took the top spot in 2014, while Bates made history of her own as only the second female co-driver ever to claim a win at the event, following in the footsteps of Kirsty Riddick, who won alongside Bird back in 2012. Speaking to reporters immediately after the final time check, Cunningham shared that the result far outstripped his pre-event goals. “I never actually expected to stand on the top step of the podium here – I was just targeting a top 10 finish going into the day,” he explained. “The route worked perfectly for our car, and we pushed as hard as we possibly could. This is Kari’s first event with me, but everything clicked straight away, and we couldn’t be happier with how it went.”

    Now, Cunningham and Bates turn their attention to the main event: BCIC Rally Barbados. The driver acknowledged that repeating his King of the Hill success will be a far greater test, noting the key differences between the seeding event and the main rally. “King of the Hill sees you run the same short stage four times, but Rally Barbados is a completely different beast – local drivers know every twist and turn of the stages far better than I do,” he said. “There’s no extra pressure on me, though. I’m just going to go out there, enjoy every minute, and I’m really looking forward to the challenge.”

    Barbadian fan favorite Dane Skeete crossed the line second, just 1.06 seconds behind Cunningham, matching his second-place finish from 2024. Skeete admitted that he had hoped to take the win, but noted that starting first on the road always brings extra challenges, and he is already gearing up to fight for the overall Rally Barbados title this weekend. “Once all my car’s systems hold up, there’s no reason I can’t challenge for the top spot,” Skeete said. “I just need to get through the opening super special stage at Bushy Park safely, then I’ll start pushing for the win on Saturday.”

    Third place went to 2024 King of the Hill champions Stuart Maloney and Kristian Yearwood, who finished 2.27 seconds off the winning time. Maloney said the result exceeded his own expectations, as he is still working to rebuild his confidence after past incidents on high-speed stages. The early part of Sunday’s event brought a scary reminder of the risks of rally racing: last year’s overall Rally Barbados winners Kyle Gregg and Kreigg Yearwood crashed heavily at the Three Houses section of the stage. Fortunately, both competitors walked away from the incident without injury, though their car suffered extensive damage that rules them out of the main rally this weekend. Learning of Gregg’s crash actually helped Maloney refocus, he explained: “Hearing about Kyle’s incident was not nice, but going in with no real expectations for a high result let me just focus on driving clean and keeping the car on the road. My rally starts on Saturday, and I know I have the pace to fight for the win.”

    In the two-wheel drive category, Barbadian duo Suleman Esuf and Asif Suleman claimed their first ever category win in their BMW 1M, finishing sixth overall with a time just 2.98 seconds behind the leader. Esuf said the result matched exactly what the team had targeted heading into the event. “The car felt solid during testing, so I came in with a lot of confidence that we had the pace to pull this off,” he explained. “Everything came together perfectly on the day. Now, as the first two-wheel-drive car starting on the road for Rally Barbados, our focus is on staying smart, keeping consistent, and maintaining our momentum through the weekend.”

    One of the biggest crowd favorites of the day was not eligible for overall honors, but still drew massive attention: the Open R/GT class Porsche 992 Rally GT driven by former FIA Rookie of the Year Zane Maloney and co-driver Luke Staffner. Thousands of spectators lined the stage, with large crowds gathering at the end of the 900-meter Thicket straight – the fastest section of the course – to catch a glimpse of the car, and many fans waited after the run to snap selfies with the spectacular vehicle. Despite the early morning heavy showers that hit the region, fans turned out in droves to watch the action, filling every vantage point along the stage route.

    The full top 10 results for the 2025 First Citizens King of the Hill are as follows: fourth place went to Great Britain’s Rob Swann and Tom Woodburn, while fifth was taken by Adam Mallalieu of Great Britain and Peredur Davies of Wales. Seventh place went to Jamaica’s Jeffrey Panton and Wales’ Matt Edwards, eighth to Barbados’ Barry Mayers and Moishe Steinbok, ninth to Barbados’ Josh Read and Mark Jordan, and tenth rounded out the top 10 by Barbados’ Mark Maloney and Justin Maloney.

  • CARPHA expands Caribbean early warning systems for vector-borne diseases

    CARPHA expands Caribbean early warning systems for vector-borne diseases

    The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is pushing forward landmark efforts to boost the region’s capacity to detect and respond to vector-borne diseases, rolling out expanded regional surveillance networks and cutting-edge monitoring technologies through a collaborative multi-country workshop held recently in Guyana.

    Held from April 27 to 28, 2026 at the Pegasus Hotel Exhibition Centre in Georgetown, the Regional Multisectoral Workshop, officially titled “Advancing Regional Vector-Borne Disease Surveillance through Technology and Harmonisation,” marks the latest milestone in a multi-phase regional public health initiative funded entirely through CARPHA’s Pandemic Fund Project. The convening gathered 28 key stakeholders, including senior epidemiology and vector control officials from 12 CARPHA member states, leadership from the Caribbean Vector-Borne Disease Network Steering Committee, and CARPHA’s in-house technical public health experts.

    This Georgetown gathering builds on two prior successful regional workshops held in Barbados (August 2025) and Trinidad and Tobago (December 2025), where participants focused on foundational topics including Integrated Vector Management, insecticide resistance testing, and the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to Caribbean pandemic preparedness. Unlike earlier sessions that laid operational groundwork, the 2026 workshop centered on streamlining cross-border collaboration: participants worked to standardize regional disease datasets, validate unified early warning indicators, and integrate modern digital tools to enable faster, evidence-based decision-making across three core areas: epidemiological tracking, climate monitoring, and vector population surveillance.

    Lisa Indar, a senior CARPHA official, emphasized the ongoing urgency of the effort in her remarks, noting that vector-borne illnesses remain a persistent, major strain on Caribbean health systems and local communities. “As vector-borne diseases continue to pose a significant threat to Caribbean health systems and communities, CARPHA is working with Member States to strengthen the systems needed to detect risks earlier and respond more effectively,” Indar explained. “Through CARPHA’s Pandemic Fund Project, we are advancing integrated early warning systems, building technical capacity, and supporting the use of data and new technologies to guide timely public health action across the Region.”

    Horace Cox, CARPHA’s Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control, echoed this focus, noting that robust, standardized surveillance forms the backbone of any effective public health preparedness framework. “Effective surveillance is at the centre of public health preparedness. By strengthening the way countries collect, analyse, and share vector-borne disease data, we are improving the Caribbean’s ability to detect threats earlier and coordinate timely responses across the region,” Cox said.

    Roshan Parasram, another leading public health figure involved in the initiative, highlighted why modern, structured vector control systems are non-negotiable for Caribbean public health safety. “We are here because the Caribbean deserves a public health system that can see threats coming and act before they become crises,” Parasram stated. “We have built our approach on three pillars: Integrated Vector Management, Insecticide Resistance Testing, and Geographic Information Systems. These are not buzzwords. They are the operational backbone of a modern vector control system.”

    Brian Armour, who leads work on regional early warning infrastructure for CARPHA, further outlined the value of integrating vector surveillance into broader regional public health systems. “Our Regional Integrated Early Warning and Response System (RIEWSS) is about connecting data, systems, and people so that public health threats can be identified and acted upon more quickly,” Armour explained. “The integration of vector-borne disease surveillance into this broader early warning framework is an important step toward a more coordinated, data-driven approach to pandemic preparedness and response in the Caribbean.”

    Over the course of the two-day workshop, participants conducted in-depth reviews of proposed regional early warning indicators and evaluated methodologies to unify data collection and reporting across epidemiology, entomology, climate science, and geographic information systems. Technical breakout sessions explored the practical application of a range of innovative tools, including DHIS2 digital workflows, insecticide resistance analytics platforms, satellite remote sensing technology, artificial intelligence-powered risk mapping, and social listening tools designed to improve situational awareness and cut response times for public health agencies.

    Among the tools highlighted, DHIS2 — an open-source digital health information management platform — was singled out as a core enabling technology for the region’s new surveillance framework. The platform is designed to streamline the collection, analysis, and visualisation of public health data, enabling faster detection and response to emerging disease outbreaks.

    In addition to digital technology, participants also discussed new vector control innovations, including spatial repellents and emanator products engineered for use in the Caribbean’s densely populated urban centers. The workshop also included working sessions to review plans for formalizing the governance structure of the Caribbean Vector-Borne Disease Network Steering Committee and aligning stakeholders on the body’s upcoming work agenda.

    A key outcome of the convening was the opportunity for individual member states to assess which technologies and interventions best fit their unique national epidemiological contexts, while also mapping out the infrastructure, cross-border partnerships, and workforce training required to roll out new systems locally. CARPHA officials noted that the discussions and agreements reached at the workshop are expected to improve the consistency and timeliness of regional disease data reporting, strengthen cross-border coordination, and enable more targeted, effective vector control measures across the entire Caribbean region.

  • Patricia D. James Secondary School concludes reading month

    Patricia D. James Secondary School concludes reading month

    After four weeks of literacy-focused programming centered around the 2026 theme “Reading Reimagined”, Patricia D. James Secondary School brought its annual Reading Month celebrations to a close on Thursday, May 21 with its signature Guest Reader Initiative. Now in its second year, the community-focused event has quickly grown into one of the school’s most anticipated educational activities, designed to expand students’ understanding of literacy’s real-world value while connecting young learners to accomplished professionals across a wide spectrum of careers and backgrounds.

    Leading into the main closing event, the school hosted an exclusive preview workshop on Wednesday, May 20, featuring published author and scholar Amanie Mathurin. The intimate session welcomed top-performing English students and emerging young writers from across the school, creating a rare space for participants to refine their writing craft, engage in deep critical discussion of literary texts, and draw creative inspiration from a seasoned industry expert.

    The centerpiece of Reading Month 2026, the Guest Reader Initiative brought a diverse lineup of eight guest speakers directly into classrooms for multiple grade levels. Each visitor shared personal anecdotes, professional insights, and their own lifelong connections to reading, helping reframe literacy for students as more than an academic requirement — instead positioning it as a powerful tool for building connections, nurturing creativity, and driving personal and professional growth.

    The cross-sector roster of guests reflected the school’s commitment to showing reading’s relevance across every line of work. Attendees welcomed Kerdy St Luce, a leading automotive industry expert; prominent local content creator Krishna Henry; former pageant titleholder Christa St Ange; Anna-Kaye Boodho, general manager of technology firm Orbtronics; respected cultural practitioner Kennedy “Boots” Samuel; practicing gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Lucilla Charles; Christine Henry, country coordinator for non-profit organization Helen’s Daughters; and prominent youth advocate Junior Delice.

    In a statement following the event, school leadership expressed sincere gratitude to all guest readers, volunteer facilitators, and internal organizers whose collective effort turned the initiative into a meaningful and memorable experience for the entire student body.

    The official press release highlighted that the 2026 Reading Month reinforces Patricia D. James Secondary School’s longstanding mission to champion literacy and holistic student development. The event, organizers noted, stands as clear proof of the institution’s ongoing commitment to educational innovation, meaningful community engagement, and sustained academic excellence.

  • Honduran Fishermen Arrested for Illegal Fishing

    Honduran Fishermen Arrested for Illegal Fishing

    A cross-agency law enforcement operation led by Belize’s Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) and the Belize Coast Guard has resulted in the arrest of three Honduran fishermen accused of violating protected marine area regulations last week, authorities confirmed. The intervention unfolded inside the boundaries of the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve, specifically in Conservation Zone IV — a strictly protected segment of the coastal reserve where commercial fishing is entirely prohibited to preserve sensitive marine ecosystems.

    During the joint patrol, law enforcement officers caught the three men actively engaged in unauthorized fishing operations inside the restricted zone. Upon inspection, investigators confirmed multiple violations of Belize’s fishing and maritime regulations: the trio was conducting commercial fishing in a no-take conservation area, operating without a valid individual fisherman’s license, sailing their vessel without an official active vessel license, and possessing processed fish fillets that did not meet mandatory labeling requirements (specifically lacking the required skin patch for traceability).

    In addition to the fishing-related offenses, the three fishermen also face separate immigration-related charges. The court handed down cumulative penalties for the violations: each man was ordered to pay 1,000 Belize dollars for every individual fishing offense, plus an additional 1,005 Belize dollars to resolve the immigration-related charges brought against them. Along with financial penalties, authorities have seized all assets linked to the illegal operation, including the fishermen’s vessel, its engine, all their fishing gear, and the illegally harvested marine products. The case underscores Belize’s ongoing enforcement efforts to protect its ecologically critical coastal reserves from unregulated foreign fishing activity.