Carib Scope

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  • UNICEF: 55% of Dominican children experienced violent discipline

    UNICEF: 55% of Dominican children experienced violent discipline

    A groundbreaking national household survey carried out ahead of 2025 has laid bare a troubling disconnect between caregiver beliefs and disciplinary practices when it comes to raising children in the Dominican Republic, according to a new release from UNICEF. The Enhogar-MICS 2025 survey, implemented by the country’s National Statistics Office (ONE), has uncovered that violent discipline of minors remains alarmingly common across the nation, even as growing numbers of caregivers reject the idea that physical punishment is a necessary part of child-rearing and education.

    The study’s data shows that only 12.1% of parents and caregivers responsible for children between the ages of 1 and 14 still hold the view that physical punishment is required for proper child upbringing – a figure that translates to roughly one out of every eight caregivers. Despite this relatively low share of adults who endorse violent discipline, more than half of all children in the 1 to 14 age bracket experienced some form of violent disciplinary action in the 30 days before the survey was conducted, hitting 54.9% overall.

    Breaking down the data by age group reveals that the prevalence of violent discipline peaks among younger children. Children between 3 and 4 years old face the highest rate of violent discipline at 61.4%, followed by 5 to 9-year-olds at 57.9%, 10 to 14-year-olds at 52.4%, and 1 to 2-year-olds at 45.9%. When broken down by type of violence, 37.9% of children experienced physical punishment, and 43% were subjected to psychological aggression, meaning many children face multiple forms of violent discipline. Severe physical punishment impacted approximately 2.5% of all children surveyed, while only 31.2% of children were disciplined exclusively through non-violent disciplinary strategies.

    UNICEF analysts have identified the stark gap between caregivers’ stated attitudes (the vast majority of whom reject violent punishment as unnecessary) and their actual disciplinary behavior as a key factor explaining why harmful practices remain so entrenched. Researchers note that persistent violent discipline is often shaped by long-standing social norms that normalize physical punishment as a parental right, intergenerational patterns of abuse where caregivers who experienced violence as children are more likely to replicate it with their own children, and widespread lack of access to information and training on evidence-based non-violent methods for setting clear boundaries and guiding child development.

    Carlos Carrera, UNICEF’s lead representative in the Dominican Republic, emphasized that addressing this public health and child welfare issue requires deep cultural and conceptual change around how family authority and discipline are framed. Carrera stressed that it is entirely possible to teach children respect for rules and boundaries through consistent, kind guidance that does not rely on instilling fear. He added that meaningful progress will require coordinated action across multiple sectors: families must receive support to adopt non-violent practices, schools must embed positive discipline approaches into their policies, and communities must work collectively to shift harmful social norms around child-rearing.

  • Dominican Republic denies entry to 20 foreigners with criminal records each week, Abinader says

    Dominican Republic denies entry to 20 foreigners with criminal records each week, Abinader says

    SANTO DOMINGO — In a public update on the country’s evolving public safety strategy on Monday afternoon, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has revealed that border authorities are blocking entry to roughly 20 foreign nationals every week after uncovering prior criminal convictions in their home countries.

    The unprecedented security screening policy extends even to travelers from visa-exempt nations, a key clarification the president offered during a strategic roundtable focused on the administration’s Strategic Citizen Security Plan, part of his weekly press briefing series known as the Weekly Agenda.

    Abinader emphasized that the proactive border policy is rooted in a clear governing priority: shielding domestic public safety from preventable threats posed by people with documented criminal backgrounds. “Those who should be coming here are tourists, not criminals,” he stated, stressing that the country remains open to legitimate international visitors while cracking down on high-risk entries.

    Notably, the president declined to disclose specific nationalities of the individuals who have been denied entry, leaving details of the affected groups unconfirmed at this time. Beyond border security, Abinader also used the platform to reaffirm his administration’s unwavering commitment to cracking down on domestic crime. He confirmed that national law enforcement agencies have the full complement of advanced technology, trained personnel, and institutional resolve required to track down and apprehend suspects who commit offenses within Dominican territory.

    The announcement comes as part of a broader push by the Abinader administration to implement the new Strategic Citizen Security Plan, a whole-of-government initiative designed to reduce crime rates and boost public confidence in domestic safety institutions.

  • New NIB board to focus on fund sustainability

    New NIB board to focus on fund sustainability

    The Bahamas’ newly appointed National Insurance Board (NIB) has formally convened its first official gathering at the organisation’s headquarters located at the Clifford Darling Complex on Blue Hill Road, marking the launch of a new term of oversight for the country’s national social security system. Chaired by newly installed leader Michelle Pindling-Sunds, with Shakera Johnson stepping into the role of deputy chairman, the inaugural meeting brought together all nine appointed board members: Lisa Turnquest, Tim Ingraham, Theressa Thompson, Amancha Williams, Rozalia Bowe, Dwayne Woods, Avrom Thompson and Suzette Moss. Also in attendance were NIB Director Dr Tami Francis and the organisation’s full senior executive team, who joined to align on the incoming leadership’s agenda. Addressing the assembled board, Minister of Labour, Public Service and National Insurance Pia Glover-Rolle laid out the Bahamian government’s formal strategic priorities to guide the new board’s work over its tenure. At the top of the agenda is securing the long-term financial sustainability of the National Insurance Fund, a critical pillar of the country’s social safety net that supports retirees, people living with disabilities, and other eligible beneficiaries. Beyond fiscal stability, the government has outlined a set of ambitious goals to modernise and expand NIB’s operations. Key priorities include diversifying the fund’s investment holdings to reduce risk and boost long-term returns, strategically growing NIB’s existing real estate portfolio, and upgrading the organisation’s outdated core technology systems to improve service delivery. The administration is also pushing for progress across a range of operational and governance priorities: upgrading workforce development programmes to build a stronger, more skilled internal team, strengthening organisational structures across the NIB, boosting employee productivity and enforcing clearer accountability standards, improving industrial relations frameworks, advancing targeted policy and legislative updates to reflect modern needs, and increasing collection rates for national insurance contributions to shore up the fund’s revenue base. Over the coming years, this newly constituted board will hold full responsibility for overseeing NIB’s day-to-day operations and setting its long-term strategic direction, delivering on the government’s mandate to strengthen the national insurance system for current and future generations of Bahamians.

  • COI leader arrested after protesters tear down fence

    COI leader arrested after protesters tear down fence

    A tense confrontation between protest leaders and law enforcement unfolded on Paradise Island’s Cabbage Beach Thursday, after Coalition of Independents leader Lincoln Bain was arrested while carrying out a public promise to tear down a barrier that had already been ordered removed by the national government.

    The chain-link fence, erected by developers behind the luxury Four Seasons Ocean Club Residences project, has been the center of a weeks-long public dispute that escalated dramatically over the weekend, when a 60-year-old American tourist was swept out into rough Atlantic seas while trying to navigate around the structure to continue walking along the shore. The tourist was successfully rescued by on-site lifeguards, local lawmakers and bystanders, but the incident amplified growing public anger over restricted access to the popular public beach.

    Bain was joined by dozens of protesters, local vendors and other politicians Wednesday, when demonstrators began pulling fence posts from the sand and dismantling sections of the barrier along the shoreline, even as incoming waves washed around their feet. Within minutes of the protest starting, uniformed police officers alongside tactical units equipped with body armor and standard-issue weapons moved in, surrounding Bain and restraining him in handcuffs. Footage and witness accounts from the scene show Bain raising his cuffed hands above his head as he was escorted off the beach by officers.

    In an interview with The Nassau Tribune following the incident, Bain confirmed that he was released from police custody without being issued any charges, and returned to Cabbage Beach within hours to continue the demonstration demanding full removal of the barrier. The arrest surprised many observers, as Environment Minister Zane Lightbourne publicly reaffirmed the government’s position Thursday morning, stating that developers had already received formal instructions to remove the entire fence. Lightbourne added that if the development team failed to complete the removal in a timely manner, the Ministry of Works would step in to carry out the work — though he declined to provide a specific timeline for when that action would take place. Representatives for Four Seasons did not respond to multiple requests for comment from news outlets on the day of the protest.

    The fence dispute is rooted in deeper concerns among local vendors and community members, who fear that ongoing construction tied to the Four Seasons Ocean Club Residences will block permanent public access to Cabbage Beach, one of the few remaining public shoreline spaces accessible to all Bahamian residents. Local vendors say the restricted access already implemented by the fence has cut into their customer base, threatening their long-term livelihoods.

    Freetown Member of Parliament Lincoln Deal, whose electoral district includes Cabbage Beach, was present at the protest and echoed Bain’s demands for immediate action. Deal argued that the same sense of urgency that the government and developers brought to erecting the fence should be applied to removing it. “Bahamians are losing their beaches, and it’s very important that we take this fight seriously because the access to public beaches is becoming very rare,” Deal told reporters on the scene. “Cabbage Beach is one of the only beaches that we have left for Bahamians to enjoy and participate in. And so, for me, it’s a fight not just for myself; it’s for our country.”

  • New FOI chief: Regulations key to ending long delay

    New FOI chief: Regulations key to ending long delay

    Fourteen years after Bahamas’ parliament passed landmark Freedom of Information legislation, the transparency framework remains blocked from full operation, the newly sworn-in Information Commissioner Donna Newton confirmed in an address this week. The core roadblock, Newton emphasized, is the absence of finalized supporting regulations that are required for the system to launch — leaving a cohort of pre-trained information managers unable to step into their long-prepared roles, with no clear timeline for implementation.

    Newton, who took the oath of office yesterday, outlined that securing the finalized regulations will be her immediate top priority, as she could not offer a definitive timeline for when the public will gain access to the full rights enshrined in the 14-year-old law. Years ago, former Information Commissioner Keith Thompson oversaw the training of dozens of information managers assigned to government agencies, but the group has yet to begin their official duties processing public information requests. Earlier this month, the government finally posted draft regulations to its official website, opening a window for public feedback — a major procedural step after more than a decade of delays.

    Attorney General Wayne Munroe has previously outlined the next steps: once the public consultation period concludes, the draft will undergo review, and legislative drafters will incorporate any approved adjustments before finalization. Newton acknowledged that she cannot predict how long this final stage of the regulatory process will take, noting she has only just assumed the role and is still evaluating the full resource needs of her office.

    Longstanding underfunding has emerged as a persistent structural barrier to launching the system. The Freedom of Information Office currently receives an annual budget allocation of just $140,000, a figure far lower than the $1 million annual operating estimate cited by previous leadership. In 2024, Thompson, whose tenure ended following years of incremental progress, stated that the current funding level would allow the office to accomplish “absolutely nothing.” At the time, critical digital infrastructure to support information request processing and public access had still not been secured, and independent governance advocacy group the Organisation for Responsible Governance warned the budget was too small to cover required technology, agency staff training, and public outreach campaigns.

    Finance Minister Michael Halkitis defended the $140,000 allocation during parliamentary remarks in June, arguing the sum covers all core operational expenses for the office and does not include separate salary allocations for staff.

    The slow, phased rollout plan developed during Thompson’s tenure targeted a limited launch with 10 selected government agencies, and training for assigned information managers from across ministries and agencies got underway in 2023. Officials initially projected that initial rollout and testing would launch by November 2023, but the timeline collapsed after the office failed to secure funding for required technology from the Attorney General’s office, Thompson confirmed earlier this year.

    Alongside finalizing regulations, Newton named public education as a second core priority for her tenure. She emphasized the critical need for the Information Commissioner’s Office to maintain full independence from the government, a requirement she said is foundational to building public trust in the transparency system. The office will not only oversee the processing of information requests but also hear appeals from residents when public authorities deny access to requested records.

    “It’s very important that the information commissioner acts independently of the government,” Newton said. “That would be the only way that the information is trusted. The public trusts, puts its confidence in the commissioner and the unit if it is seen to be independent of the government.”

    The Freedom of Information Act grants Bahamian residents the legal right to access records held by all public authorities, with narrow exemptions for sensitive information including national security data and protected personal information. As she settles into the new role, Newton confirmed her focus will remain on clearing the remaining regulatory hurdles and preparing the public for the system’s eventual launch.

  • Union threatens court action over Grand Lucayan severance

    Union threatens court action over Grand Lucayan severance

    A months-long dispute over unpaid severance for former employees of the closed Grand Lucayan Resort in the Bahamas has escalated, with the country’s top trade union leader announcing imminent legal action if the government fails to meet its obligations within seven days.

    Obie Ferguson, president of the Bahamas Trade Union Congress, told reporters on Thursday that the union has waited long enough for the Davis administration to resolve the outstanding payments owed to hundreds of former resort staff. After multiple broken deadlines and unfulfilled promises, the organization has prepared to file a court petition seeking a formal order for the full sum of owed severance, plus 6.5% annual interest accumulated from the original due date.

    “We’re giving the government roughly one more week to show movement on this issue,” Ferguson stated. “If we still see no action by then, we have no choice but to proceed to court.”

    The number of employees still waiting for their legally mandated severance remains unconfirmed by the government, but Ferguson described the figure as “substantial”. The dispute dates back months, following the resort’s permanent closure ahead of a major redevelopment deal. According to Ferguson, the union was assured repeatedly that the issue would be resolved quickly. Hope rose earlier this year when government officials sent a formal letter in February signaling their intent to settle the outstanding claims. A subsequent meeting with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis resulted in an instruction for the union to submit a formal assessment of all owed redundancy payments. The union complied with the request, and workers were formally promised full payment by February 27. Months later, that promise has yet to be fulfilled, and the union has not even received a proposed payment timeline from the administration despite repeated requests.

    The ongoing delay has pushed two long-time former employees to the brink of financial ruin. Jerry Davis, a former senior security coordinator at the resort who supports a three-year-old daughter and 84-year-old mother, told local media that securing new stable employment in Grand Bahama has been near-impossible. He is now at risk of defaulting on his home mortgage, and a recent refinancing inquiry revealed he still has three decades of payments remaining. “I don’t know if I’ll live long enough to finish paying this off, and I don’t want to leave my daughter stuck with this debt,” Davis said. Like many other former staff, Davis rejected a preliminary severance offer from the government, arguing the proposed sum was far lower than the amount he is legally owed.

    Patsy Hepburn, a 26-year veteran of the resort’s customer service department and a stage four uterine cancer survivor, faces even direr circumstances. She carries thousands of dollars in outstanding medical debt from her ongoing cancer treatment, and her electricity and water utilities have already been disconnected over nonpayment. Royal Bank of Canada has also filed a lawsuit against her over an unpaid personal loan. “Surviving here in Freeport has become nearly impossible,” Hepburn said.

    Ferguson drew sharp criticism of the government’s misplaced priorities, pointing to the millions of dollars in public spending allocated for infrastructure upgrades ahead of King Charles III’s upcoming visit to the country. “This is not an unreasonable demand,” he said. “We’re just asking for what these workers earned. If the government can’t pay all the money at once, they can pay part of it. That’s all we ask. How is that too much to ask?”

    The Grand Lucayan Resort site was sold as part of a major redevelopment deal signed in May 2025 between the Bahamian government and Florida-based developer Concord Wilshire Capital. The $827 million Heads of Agreement valued the hotel sale at $100 million, with cruise line MSC acquiring a portion of the property for future development. Prime Minister Davis himself has previously publicly questioned why former resort employees and contractors remain unpaid months after the sale closed.

    As of press time Thursday, repeated attempts by reporters to reach relevant government officials for comment on the dispute went unanswered.

  • Dominican Republic advances climate agenda at UN General Assembly in New York

    Dominican Republic advances climate agenda at UN General Assembly in New York

    Against the backdrop of escalating global climate crisis impacts on vulnerable nations, the Dominican Republic brought a bold, action-oriented climate and sustainability agenda to the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) held in New York, centered on demanding expanded international climate finance and deeper collective collaboration between climate-prone developing economies.

    At the heart of the country’s advocacy is a call from Dominican President Luis Abinader to accelerate access to concessional climate finance that enables at-risk nations to build resilience and adapt to already unavoidable climate shifts. Aligning with other climate-vulnerable nations, the Dominican delegation formally signed onto the joint declaration of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF20), a bloc uniting 74 developing nations that face disproportionate climate harm and collectively represent roughly one-fifth of the world’s total population.

    Max Puig, executive vice president of the Dominican Republic’s National Council for Climate Change and Carbon Market (CNCCMC), used his address at the forum to challenge existing international financing frameworks. Puig argued that current eligibility criteria, which prioritize per-capita income as a key benchmark, fail to account for the inherent climate vulnerability many middle-income countries face. This flaw, he explained, often locks otherwise eligible middle-income nations out of the low-interest concessional funding they desperately need to address climate threats.

    Beyond pushing for finance reform, Puig spotlighted the Dominican Republic’s own domestic commitments to advancing the clean energy transition and sustainable mobility, efforts he framed as a model for other small island developing states. Speaking at an energy transition panel on the sidelines of UNGA, Puig outlined the vast untapped potential of solar, wind, hydropower and tidal energy resources for island nations. Leveraging these renewable sources, he argued, allows countries to strengthen their energy independence, drive inclusive economic growth, and cut greenhouse gas emissions to protect fragile ecosystems all at once.

    The CNCCMC also reaffirmed the Dominican Republic’s longstanding commitment to the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), emphasizing ongoing work to cut emissions of short-lived climate pollutants such as methane. These efforts run parallel to national initiatives to advance sustainable refrigeration, low-carbon transportation, and clean energy access across the country.

    On the sustainable transportation front, Pamela Abreu, head of the CNCCMC’s Mitigation Department, took part in a panel co-hosted by the FIA Foundation and SLOCAT. The Dominican Republic currently holds co-presidency of the Declaration on Low Emission Transport, an initiative first launched by Chile during COP30.

    Puig added a key policy note, stressing that climate adaptation cannot be treated as a standalone policy silo. Instead, he argued, adaptation priorities must be integrated into core national development planning to ensure long-term effectiveness and alignment with broader economic and social goals.

    The Dominican delegation also prioritized global action on one of the most pressing threats facing small island and coastal nations: rising sea levels. Environment Vice Minister Ana Pimentel represented the country at a high-level UN plenary session dedicated to addressing this crisis, where she echoed Abinader’s call for sufficient, accessible financing for vulnerable nations tackling climate impacts. During the session, the UN General Assembly formally adopted the Declaration on Sea Level Rise, a proposal spearheaded by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), a bloc of which the Dominican Republic is an active member.

    In addition to its official UNGA engagements, the Dominican delegation took part in a full schedule of events during New York Climate Week, where it worked to strengthen global partnerships focused on turning non-binding climate commitments into tangible investment and on-the-ground climate solutions.

    According to statements from the CNCCMC, these high-profile international engagements will help the Dominican Republic advance implementation of its updated national climate plan, NDC 3.0, and support preparations for upcoming key global climate milestones, most notably the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

  • 26 people rescued near Mona Island as Dominican and U.S. authorities continue search

    26 people rescued near Mona Island as Dominican and U.S. authorities continue search

    A multi-agency maritime search-and-rescue operation is being sustained in waters near Mona Island, Puerto Rico, led jointly by the Dominican Republic Navy (ARD) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), after rescuing 26 people from an unregistered, clandestine vessel earlier this week. According to official updates from responding authorities, all 26 individuals pulled from the vessel have been evaluated by medical teams and are reported to be in good overall health. The operation remains active, however, because authorities have not been able to confirm the exact total number of passengers that were aboard the vessel when it ran into distress, leaving open the possibility that more survivors could still be stranded in the area.

    The joint mission relies on close coordination and real-time information sharing between Dominican and U.S. law enforcement and maritime response units. This cross-border collaboration has enabled teams to expand the search footprint significantly and mobilize additional resources quickly to investigate any potential sightings or signs of survivors in need of emergency assistance.

    As of the latest update, authorities have not yet published an official statement confirming the number of people missing, nor have they released detailed information about what led to the vessel becoming disabled or encountering distress at sea. Search teams have emphasized that the operation will continue for as long as there is a reasonable chance of locating additional survivors.

    In a public statement, the Dominican Navy reaffirmed that protecting the lives of people at sea remains its top operational priority in this response. The service also issued a warning to members of the public considering attempting unauthorized clandestine maritime crossings, stressing that these unregulated journeys carry extreme, life-threatening risks that often result in injury or death. Authorities say they will release additional updates and further details as new information is confirmed and processed by the joint response team.

  • Man paralysed by police awarded $942k

    Man paralysed by police awarded $942k

    Almost a decade after a police bullet left a 22-year-old Bahamian man permanently paralyzed, a court has issued one of the largest civil damages awards in the nation’s history, ordering the state to pay him just over $941,000 for the life-altering harm he sustained.

    The case centers on Thorne Clarke, whose life was irrevocably changed during a late-night encounter with law enforcement near Nassau’s Wilson Tract on February 13, 2016. What prompted the officer’s use of deadly force remains contested to this day. Police authorities claim officers were searching for a suspect when they spotted Clarke entering his mother’s van, surrounded the vehicle, and opened fire after he allegedly refused to exit and attempted to drive away, putting an officer at risk of being struck. Clarke’s account, by contrast, states he complied with an order to stop, asked for an explanation for the stop that was never provided, and only began to drive off before he was hit by gunfire. One bullet penetrated the van’s rear, struck Clarke in the upper back, and completely severed his spinal cord. He lost control of the vehicle, which crashed into a nearby wall, and never regained the use of his lower body.

    The conflicting narratives never went before a civil jury to be resolved. Clarke filed his civil claim against the Commissioner of Police and the Attorney General in 2018, and a default judgment was entered against the state two years later after defendants failed to submit a formal defense. The recent September 21 ruling by Assistant Registrar Jonathan Deal only addressed the final calculation of damages owed to Clarke.

    Before the shooting, Clarke was a promising young student: he had graduated from St Augustine’s College, earned a four-year scholarship to the University of The Bahamas, and worked part-time at a local tile factory. An active athlete who played basketball and exercised regularly, he was fully independent. Today, he lives with complete permanent paralysis from the T7-T8 spinal level down, with no control over bladder or bowel function, no sensation or movement in his lower body, and requires full-time mobility assistance via a wheelchair. He has also been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and secondary major depressive disorder, and experiences recurring painful bedsores that continue to disrupt his daily life.

    Clarke was unemployed for seven and a half years after the injury, unable to return to his previous position. He only secured full-time non-permanent work with the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities in mid-2024, earning $1,500 per month, but his ongoing medical issues often force him to leave work early, and the court found he faces a high risk of losing his current position due to his disability.

    To accommodate his lifelong care needs, the damages award breaks down into multiple categories: $425,000 for pain, suffering and loss of life amenities, $135,000 for lost future earning capacity, $126,546 for projected lifelong medical supplies and mental health care, $96,264.50 for past lost wages, $60,000 to compensate for five years of full-time unpaid care provided by Clarke’s mother (who closed her own daycare business to care for him), $15,000 in aggravated damages, and $50,000 in exemplary damages. The award also covers past out-of-pocket medical costs and incontinence supplies Clarke has already purchased. An interim $80,000 payment has already been disbursed, leaving roughly $861,893 outstanding before interest and legal costs are added.

    In his ruling, Assistant Registrar Deal noted that the $941,893.91 award fell well below the $2.06 million Clarke originally sought, but far exceeded the roughly $539,000 proposed by the state. The $15,000 aggravated damages were awarded in recognition of the profound indignity Clarke suffered: he was handcuffed to his hospital bed for two days immediately after the shooting, as he processed the news he would never walk again. The court also cited the state’s failure to follow through on a promise to release an internal investigation into the shooting, and its refusal to provide any assistance to Clarke in the years after the incident. The $50,000 exemplary damages was explicitly intended to punish the state’s misconduct, deter future excessive use of force, and formally register the court’s disapproval of the officers’ actions. Deal referenced several landmark Bahamian cases of unlawful state conduct in shaping the final award, including high-profile cases of false imprisonment and abusive detention.

    The ruling closes the latest chapter in a nearly nine-year legal fight for Clarke, marking one of the largest damages awards ever granted against the Bahamian government in a police shooting case.

  • Food waste in Dominican Republic reaches 1.1 million kilograms a week

    Food waste in Dominican Republic reaches 1.1 million kilograms a week

    SANTO DOMINGO – As thousands of Dominican citizens struggle to secure consistent access to nutritious, adequate food, a staggering 1.1 million kilograms of edible food is wasted or lost across the country every single week, new data from the Dominican Republic Food Bank reveals.

    The food bank made the figure public on September 29, marking the UN-designated International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, and used the occasion to urge accelerated food rescue initiatives and deeper cross-sector collaboration between private businesses, civil society organizations, and national government bodies.

    This international observance was established by the United Nations to shine a light on a pervasive issue that undermines global food security, strains environmental ecosystems, and hinders inclusive economic development. Food loss and waste do not occur at just one point in the food system – they permeate every step of the supply chain, starting from on-farm production and long-distance transportation, through storage and distribution, all the way to retail operations, food service establishments like restaurants, and end-consumer households. Common root causes include inadequate production planning, agricultural overproduction, inefficient logistical infrastructure, and outdated commercial practices that all lead to perfectly safe, consumable food being discarded unnecessarily.

    Against this backdrop, the Dominican Republic Food Bank carries out critical work to recover surplus food that would otherwise be bound for landfills, and redistribute it through a network of local institutions that support low-income and vulnerable communities across the country.

    Julina Staffeld, Executive Director of the organization, explained that cutting down on systemic food waste is not merely a matter of social responsibility – it is also a key pathway to building a far more efficient, sustainable national food system. She emphasized that recovering surplus food delivers multiple overlapping benefits: it cuts down on unnecessary waste and the associated environmental harm, it helps private sector companies meet their own public sustainability commitments, and most importantly, it gets much-needed food to community members who are currently food insecure.

    To support expanded food rescue efforts, the Dominican Republic Food Bank partnered with the Global FoodBanking Network and Harvard Law School to develop national food donation policy recommendations, which found that the country has substantial room for improvement in its regulatory and operational frameworks that facilitate food recovery and donation.

    The organization is calling for stronger public policy frameworks, updated regulatory standards, and targeted financial incentives that will remove barriers to food donation and grow the total volume of surplus food recovered each year. It also is pushing for greater participation in food rescue efforts from all stakeholders, including agricultural producers, supermarket chains, hotels, restaurants, small and large businesses, individual consumers, and government agencies at all levels.

    The Food Bank underscored that every kilogram of surplus food recovered means less waste sent to overflowing landfills, a reduced carbon footprint and environmental strain, and more life-changing opportunities to put food on the tables of thousands of food-insecure Dominicans. At its core, the fight against food waste is about ensuring edible surplus reaches people who need it most, rather than being buried under mountains of garbage.