Carib Scope

作者： admin

  • Small aircraft crashes into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper

    Small aircraft crashes into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper

    On a Friday afternoon, a startling incident disrupted the normal order of Beijing, one of the most heavily secured major cities across the globe, when a small civilian aircraft collided with the tallest building in the Chinese capital.

    A CNN correspondent on the scene observed that large numbers of building occupants had been evacuated from the affected skyscraper. The evacuees gathered on adjacent streets near the building’s main entrance, while a fleet of emergency vehicles including multiple fire trucks, police cruisers, and at least one ambulance was deployed to the crash site to manage the situation.

    In the process of investigating the details of the incident, the CNN news network has contacted both Chinese local law enforcement and municipal authorities, as well as the contact number listed for the aircraft’s registered owner to solicit more details about the crash, including potential casualties and the cause of the accident. As of the initial reporting, no official statement has been released in response to these queries.

    Analyses of online photographs that captured the aircraft’s registration markings indicate that the plane is a domestically produced Chinese light sport aircraft: the Sunward SA 60L Aurora. The aircraft is currently owned by a local general aviation enterprise based in the Beijing area.

    Unconfirmed flight tracking data from the public aviation monitoring platform Flightradar24, which was circulated across online social platforms following the crash, shows that the small plane’s flight path before the collision deviated sharply from its originally planned route, a detail that has drawn attention from aviation safety observers.

    Notably, the incident comes amid new strict low-altitude airspace regulations implemented in Beijing. Starting May 1 this year, the city has instituted a near-total ban on unauthorized unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) operations across its entire administrative area. Under the new rules, individual residents and unapproved entities are prohibited from purchasing, leasing, or operating any drone within Beijing’s jurisdiction without explicit advance approval from government regulators.

    As this event remains an ongoing, developing breaking news story, new details are expected to emerge in the coming hours and days, and coverage will be updated as more information becomes available to the public.

  • Public officers sharpen emergency management skills

    Public officers sharpen emergency management skills

    As climate change and global development drive more frequent, complex and unpredictable hazards across the globe, small island developing states like Barbados face disproportionately high risk — pushing the country’s emergency management officials to step up investment in civil servant training to boost national disaster response capacity. A two-day interactive workshop, hosted at the University of the West Indies Law Library, has brought together public officers from across government departments and statutory bodies to refine their understanding of the National Emergency Management System, strengthen cross-agency communication and coordination, and build hands-on emergency management skills.

    Major Robert Harewood, Deputy Director of Barbados’ Department of Emergency Management (DEM), opened the workshop by emphasizing the urgent timing of this initiative, noting that rising hazard intensity is a shared global challenge. “Today, every country, institution and community around the world faces growing risks from a wide spectrum of disasters, ranging from natural events like hurricanes, floods, wildfires, droughts and earthquakes to technological accidents and public health emergencies,” Harewood explained. “No community is immune to the devastating impacts of these events.”

    Citing joint analysis from the European Commission and regional climate experts, Harewood highlighted that the Caribbean ranks as the second most hazard-prone region globally. For small island developing states like Barbados, growing climate uncertainty, combined with rapid urbanization and increasingly interconnected national economies, has made disaster response coordination far more complex than in decades past. Recent global events, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the recent major earthquake off the coast of Venezuela, have underscored just how critical pre-crisis preparedness and cross-agency coordination are to saving lives.

    “Preparedness and coordination save lives. Effective disaster management cannot be improvised in the middle of a crisis,” Harewood stressed. “It requires deliberate planning, ongoing training, cross-sector partnerships and a whole-of-government approach that is put in place long before an emergency ever occurs.”

    Harewood went on to note that disaster management extends far beyond on-the-ground response during crises — it is a core legal, institutional and governance responsibility for all government branches. Under Barbados’ 2007 Emergency Management Act, the government established a national, inclusive emergency management framework built on a bottom-up approach that assigns clear roles to every public sector entity. Section 12 of Part Five of the legislation explicitly requires every permanent secretary and government department head to appoint a dedicated liaison officer to coordinate with the DEM, and mandate that each agency update and submit its emergency management plan to the DEM for review by April 1 every year.

    No matter what core public service a government agency provides — from health care and education to transportation, public works, utility management or public safety — maintaining operational continuity during and after a disaster is foundational to national resilience, Harewood explained. This makes it essential for every agency to maintain up-to-date disaster contingency and business continuity plans that outline how the organization will sustain critical services, respond to the event and support recovery. “These plans help organizations anticipate risks, outline clear response procedures, identify available resources, clarify stakeholder responsibilities, and guarantee operational continuity when normal systems are disrupted,” Harewood said, adding that agencies with trained staff and regularly tested plans recover far faster and are able to provide more consistent support to affected communities.

    Julia Rawlins-Bentham, a DEM Programme Officer, outlined that the workshop has a dual purpose: it orients newly appointed liaison officers to their roles, and refreshes the knowledge of experienced officers to ensure alignment with current national protocols. “This training is for everyone, whether you are new to the liaison role or have served in this position for years,” Rawlins-Bentham said. Over the two days, participants take part in a range of activities designed to build both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, including informational presentations on the DEM’s mandate, the structure of the National Emergency Management System, contingency planning best practices, and the core responsibilities of liaison officers.

    Harewood emphasized that disaster management is a shared collective responsibility, not a task that falls solely to emergency services or the DEM. “It requires sustained commitment from every sector and every public institution across the country,” he said. By the conclusion of the workshop, participants are expected to leave with a clearer understanding of liaison officer roles and responsibilities, stronger communication and information sharing networks across stakeholder agencies, and the ability to support coordinated, effective emergency operations when disaster strikes.

  • Antigua and Barbuda launches OECS’ first youth mental health chatline

    Antigua and Barbuda launches OECS’ first youth mental health chatline

    A landmark new mental health support platform tailored for children and young people has officially launched in Antigua and Barbuda, marking a historic first for mental health access across the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Named the Young Caribbean Minds (YCM) Chatline, this service is the region’s first free, anonymous text-based platform that integrates both mental health support and child protection resources.

    The initiative is the product of a cross-sector collaborative partnership between the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, UNICEF, the University of the West Indies (UWI), the OECS Commission, and the Zenith Centre. Its dual mission is to deliver confidential psychosocial support to young people while creating a clear pathway to connect vulnerable children to formal child protection services when risk is identified.

    The development of both the chatline and Antigua and Barbuda’s upcoming Mental Health Care Bill 2026 was directly informed by the largest youth mental health consultation ever held in the Eastern Caribbean. Over 1,000 children and young people contributed their perspectives through surveys, focus groups, and national dialogues, making this the first documented effort in the Caribbean to center youth input directly in shaping national mental health legislation.

    The consultation’s findings are published in the *Youth Voices: Mental Health Care Bill Survey Report*, which captures feedback from respondents aged 10 to 19. Key results revealed that stigma remains the single largest barrier to youth accessing mental health care: 34.2% of respondents reported fear of judgment stopped them from seeking help. More than half of participants called for stronger safeguarding provisions in the new legislation, while nearly 90% expressed support for the bill’s rights-centered framework. Privacy was ranked the top factor for building trust in mental health services, and text-based online chat was identified as the second most preferred method of accessing support.

    UNICEF confirmed that these insights directly shaped the design of the YCM Chatline. The platform operates through real-time text support delivered by trained UWI volunteers, who work under the continuous supervision of licensed professional psychologists. A core feature of the service is full anonymity: users can access support without sharing any personal identifiable information, while an integrated referral system automatically connects children flagged as at-risk to appropriate child protection authorities.

    At the launch ceremony, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne framed access to mental health care as a fundamental human right, drawing on personal experience to explain his long-standing advocacy for expanded mental health services across the country and the broader Caribbean region.

    “I have been an advocate of mental health care for everyone as a fundamental right,” Browne stated. “I’ve advocated here in Antigua and Barbuda, within the region, the OECS and the United Nations, and I’m very happy to be participating in this programme, which has mental health at its epicentre.”

    Addressing the persistent stigma surrounding mental illness, Browne shared, “Unfortunately, the issue of mental health has been stigmatized globally. The reason why I’m so committed to this issue is personal. Many of you may not be aware that I grew up in a single-parent home with a mentally ill mother… many times there was a crisis that could not be addressed, which made it very difficult for me and my siblings.”

    Maryam Abdu, Acting UNICEF Representative for the Eastern Caribbean Area Office, called the launch a transformative milestone in expanding safe, confidential youth mental health access across the region.

    “Today we reaffirm our commitment to every young person in the Caribbean: your voice matters, your feelings matter, and help is available,” Abdu said. “The Young Caribbean Minds Chatline provides a free, confidential, and accessible space so no child has to struggle alone.”

    Abdu emphasized that the project reflects the Caribbean region’s commitment to centering youth needs in policy and service design: “Our region has shown the courage to listen—now we are responding. By expanding this Chatline across Eastern Caribbean member states and offering bilingual support, we are ensuring that support is truly inclusive and reaches the young people who need it most.”

    She added that the initiative goes far beyond adding a new support service: “Young Caribbean Minds is more than a service—it is a promise. Built with young people’s voices and guided by local partnerships, this initiative strengthens resilience, protects children and gives families and communities the tools to help every child thrive.”

    Dr. Camille Samuel, Registrar at UWI’s Five Islands Campus, highlighted the university’s role in training the chatline’s volunteer support team. “Seeing our Five Islands students step forward as volunteer chat supporters fills me with pride,” she said. “Their year-long training will build a community of empathetic, skilled peers who can change lives.”

    The full public launch follows a successful five-month pilot program that delivered more than 1,000 support sessions, with 88% of pilot users reporting they would use the service again. The initiative has already earned international acclaim: it was recognized as a global best practice at the Global Conference on Child and Adolescent Mental Health in South Africa, and placed as a top three finalist in the UNICEF Global INSPIRE Awards out of more than 300 global submissions.

    The official launch ceremony brought together a broad coalition of stakeholders, including Prime Minister Browne, Minister of Health, Wellness, the Environment and Civil Service Affairs Michael Joseph, Minister of Social Transformation Kiz Johnson, senior government leaders, development partners, civil society representatives, and youth delegates. Representatives from Antigua and Barbuda’s National Student Council and National Youth Parliament Association also addressed the gathering, praising the government’s commitment to expanded mental health services and calling for sustained youth inclusion in future policymaking.

    The YCM Chatline received formal endorsement from OECS Health Ministers during the OECS Health Policy Forum in April 2025, and is being developed as a regional resource for all nine OECS member states. After this initial soft launch in Antigua and Barbuda, volunteer training and platform refinement will continue ahead of a phased rollout across the country and the broader Eastern Caribbean. The expansion of the initiative is set to be a key topic of discussion at the Second OECS Council of Ministers on Youth and Sports, which will be hosted by Antigua and Barbuda on August 12 and 13, 2026.

  • CRFM Scientific Conference Technical Papers and National Reports

    CRFM Scientific Conference Technical Papers and National Reports

    The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), a leading regional body dedicated to sustainable fisheries management across the Caribbean basin, has announced a major milestone for marine science and policy research in the region: the complete proceedings from its 20th Anniversary Scientific Conference are now accessible to the public via the organization’s official digital platforms.

    The released material is structured into two distinct, comprehensive volumes to support easy navigation for researchers, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and students. Volume 1 compiles peer-reviewed technical papers covering cutting-edge research on fisheries ecology, stock assessment, sustainable harvesting practices, climate change impacts on marine ecosystems, and innovative aquaculture development across the Caribbean. Volume II gathers in-depth national reports submitted by member states, documenting on-the-ground status of fisheries and aquaculture sectors, regulatory updates, and ongoing conservation initiatives.

    Among the national reports available for individual download is the full *National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Grenada*, which is hosted directly on the CRFM’s website for dedicated access. Both the full two-volume special publication and individual research papers are listed on CRFM’s official publications page, allowing users to access content in open-access formats.

    A standard content disclaimer notes that NOW Grenada does not take responsibility for the viewpoints, statements, or third-party contributed media featured in the conference proceedings, and provides a channel for users to report any content that violates community guidelines or terms of use.

  • Gajadien verdedigt VRI-deal: Blok 58 is niet verpand

    Gajadien verdedigt VRI-deal: Blok 58 is niet verpand

    During parliamentary budget deliberations in Suriname, VHP party faction leader Asiskumar Gajadien, who also serves on the committee of rapporteurs, has pushed back against widespread public criticism of the country’s sovereign debt restructuring program and its associated Value Recovery Instrument (VRI) framework. A core point of public controversy has been repeated claims that Suriname has pledged away its future oil earnings from the offshore Block 58 development, a claim Gajadien has emphatically refuted.

    Gajadien walked through detailed projections for the oil revenue Suriname is set to begin collecting from Block 58 starting in 2028, based on current development timelines. Using conservative baseline assumptions of a $60 per barrel oil price and a daily production output of 220,000 barrels, he calculated that the Surinamese state will collect roughly $300 million per year in royalty payments from the project. Under the terms of the VRI agreement, he explained, the first $100 million in annual royalties remains entirely under state control, with only 30% of any remaining royalty revenue allocated to fulfill debt restructuring obligations.

    Breaking down the math, Gajadien noted that of the projected $300 million in annual royalties, approximately $240 million will still remain available for the Surinamese government to allocate to public priorities, while just $60 million goes toward debt commitments. “Block 58 is not pledged,” he stressed, reaffirming that claims of a full surrender of future oil revenues are entirely unfounded.

    Alongside defending the core structure of the VRI against misrepresentation, Gajadien also raised pointed concerns about the long-term implications of Suriname’s new debt framework implemented after restructuring. He pushed back against government claims that the restructuring has delivered major fiscal savings, outlining his own calculations that show a large share of early Block 58 oil revenue will be immediately absorbed by interest and principal payment obligations. Based on a projection of roughly $800 million in total oil revenue for Suriname in 2028, just $126 million will remain available for general government spending after debt service requirements are met. “A large share of the first oil revenues will go directly toward debt repayment,” he noted.

    Beyond the debt restructuring debate, Gajadien used the budget deliberations to call on Suriname’s ruling government to adopt greater transparency across all areas of policy and budget implementation. He argued that parliament must receive earlier access to audit and accountability reports from all government ministries to fulfill its constitutional oversight role. Gajadien also pushed for increased transparency in social welfare program administration, public land distribution, and general public expenditure management. “Fighting corruption starts with transparency,” he told the assembly. He added that parliament can only carry out its oversight mandate effectively if the executive branch provides complete, timely information in response to legislative requests, urging the government to provide substantive answers to all questions tabled by the National Assembly and make required policy documents available to lawmakers without delay.

  • Joann Green’s candidacy in Roseau North by-election in doubt, says UPP leader

    Joann Green’s candidacy in Roseau North by-election in doubt, says UPP leader

    As the Caribbean region awaits an upcoming by-election for the Roseau North Constituency, the United Progressive Party (UPP) remains non-committal on whether community leader Joann Green will stand as the party’s official candidate, according to UPP Political Leader and Attorney Joshua Francis.

    Francis shared that Green has wasted no time building connections with local voters since taking on the role of the constituency’s caretaker for the UPP. Over recent weeks, she has maintained a consistent presence on the ground, holding one-on-one meetings with constituents, attending local neighborhood gatherings, and taking part in a range of community-led initiatives across Roseau North. Her on-the-ground engagement has already laid preliminary groundwork for a potential campaign, but no final approval has been given by party leadership.

    The path to a final decision is tied to a number of moving political variables, Francis emphasized. One of the most critical outstanding pieces of information is the official timeline for the contest: the UPP is still waiting for a formal announcement from the sitting Prime Minister confirming the exact date the by-election will be held. Without this key detail locked in, the party cannot move forward with cementing its candidate plans.

    Beyond the election timeline, Francis also disclosed that the UPP has been holding ongoing strategic discussions with other opposition political parties across the nation. These talks are focused on coordinating opposition strategy for the by-election, and the final outcome of these negotiations will heavily influence whether Green officially appears on the ballot as the UPP’s representative. For now, the party is keeping all options open as it navigates these pre-election political negotiations.

  • PM’s statement on Venezuela earthquakes 24 June

    PM’s statement on Venezuela earthquakes 24 June

    A powerful earthquake that hit west of Caracas, Venezuela on the previous evening has left a trail of widespread devastation, destroyed critical infrastructure, injured hundreds, and claimed multiple lives, prompting an outpouring of international sympathy from neighboring Caribbean nations.

    In an official statement released following the disaster, Hon. Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada, shared his deep sorrow over the disaster’s catastrophic impacts, and extended heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Government and people of Grenada, as well as in a personal capacity, to all families who have lost loved ones in the seismic event.

    Mitchell acknowledged that the long road to recovery and reconstruction after a disaster of this magnitude will present immense, long-term challenges for the South American nation. Even so, he expressed firm confidence that the well-documented resilience and unyielding fortitude of the Venezuelan people will be a driving force that speeds and strengthens the rebuilding effort.

    The Prime Minister emphasized that the Government and people of Grenada stand in full solidarity with the Venezuelan people and their leadership through this difficult period. He specifically highlighted the affected community of La Guira, voicing hope that local residents will be able to rebuild their daily lives and livelihoods with sustained determination and a positive outlook, laying a solid foundation for a full and successful recovery.

    Mitchell closed his statement by affirming that the thoughts and prayers of all Grenadians remain with the people of Venezuela as they begin to navigate the aftermath of the disaster and work toward recovery.

    The statement was published via local media platform NOW Grenada, which included a standard disclaimer that it does not take responsibility for the content or opinions shared by contributing parties, and provides a channel for users to report any abusive content linked to the publication.

  • Jeremi Wright scores 100 in Maths, earns place at first-choice school

    Jeremi Wright scores 100 in Maths, earns place at first-choice school

    Eleven-year-old Jeremi Wright, a graduating student from St Cyprian’s Boys’ School, has closed out his primary education on a historic high note, securing a perfect score in mathematics and an acceptance to his first-choice institution: Harrison College.

    The young achiever received his Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination results this Monday, and he said he could not contain his joy when he saw he had claimed a place at the campus he had set his sights on months earlier. “I felt excited that I would be going to my first choice,” Jeremi shared.

    As a Class Four student who spent months gearing up for the high-stakes entrance exam, he entered the test center feeling grounded and prepared. Months of consistent practice, including nearly daily practice exams, left him confident that the official test would feel familiar. “I was confident knowing that I did exams almost every day that it would basically be the same thing,” he explained. Beyond his regular school coursework, Jeremi also committed to two extra tutoring sessions each week – a commitment he admitted was not always easy, since “I wanted to stay home, though.”

    His mother, Shamelia Wright, says she never felt overwhelming stress during Jeremi’s exam preparation period, because her son has always been a consistently dedicated learner. “It was not nerve-wracking or anything like that. He is generally a good student,” she noted. Shamelia credited St Cyprian’s structured preparation program and frequent regular testing, particularly in mathematics, as key contributors to her son’s standout performance.

    Even as he prioritized exam preparation, Jeremi never stepped back from his extracurricular passion: badminton. He remained an active member of both the Attackk Badminton Club and the country’s national youth badminton team. When asked how Jeremi managed to balance the heavy academic load and his sports commitments, Shamelia explained the family’s simple, effective rule: “Homework first, sports after.”

    The perfect mathematics score came as an unexpected, joyful surprise for the entire family. “I was happy because I was happy for him. He got to the school he wanted to go to. He’s going to Harrison College,” Shamelia said. “I was shocked because he got 100 in math.”

    A pre-examination campus tour of Harrison College played a key role in solidifying Jeremi’s desire to attend the institution. When asked about the visit, Jeremi said the sheer scale of the campus left a lasting positive impression: “I was surprised at the size.” That visit confirmed for the young student that Harrison College was where he wanted to continue his education, a feeling he shared clearly with his mother.

    Jeremi’s father, Jared Wright, shares his wife’s pride in his son’s achievement, but he is quick to emphasize that all credit belongs to Jeremi himself. “I can’t take any of the credit from Jeremi,” Jared said. “He’s a child that knows what he wants and is willing to put in the work to go after what he wants. My job was just really in helping him remember who he was and what he was capable of.” While the 11-year-old’s perfect score was a surprise, Jared says the strong result was not out of line with what he knows his son can achieve. “I wasn’t surprised. I was very, very happy,” he said. “I know what my son is capable of.” The family celebrated the milestone with a special dinner at Jeremi’s favorite restaurant.

    At St Cyprian’s Boys’ School, deputy principal and Jeremi’s Class Four teacher Kevin Hurdle said school staff went into results day quietly confident that this cohort of students would deliver strong performance. “We were quietly confident that our boys would perform at a high level,” Hurdle shared. “Not only were they well prepared, this particular year group was one that has been monitored for a number of years producing a very high standard of results.”

    Hurdle explained that the school uses a tailored, multi-tiered preparation strategy for the entrance examination, blending traditional instruction methods with modern multimedia resources and engaging learning activities designed specifically to meet the learning needs of boys. He said the staff was overjoyed by the results, particularly Jeremi’s historic achievement. “I was elated,” he said. “Very proud to be part of the process whereby these boys can begin to show the potential that they have academically.”

    Hurdle also highlighted that most students in Jeremi’s graduating class balanced their academic preparation with participation in school sports teams. This ability to juggle multiple commitments, he said, is a promising sign for the students’ long-term success. “The fact that our boys could show that they could balance these things along with their academics, I think, bodes very well for the future,” he added.

    As Jeremi prepares to start classes at Harrison College in the upcoming academic year, his parents are sharing guidance with other families who will soon navigate the entrance examination process, urging caregivers to prioritize encouragement over high pressure. “Do not pressure the children,” Shamelia advised. “They will do what they need to do. Just encourage them.”

    J echoed his wife’s perspective, encouraging parents to trust their children’s abilities. “Remember who your children are and help them remember who they are and what they’re capable of,” he said. “Children are resilient. They’re amazing, and they have capabilities beyond what we often give them credit for.”

  • Afonsoea wil begroting opschonen: Stop met geld reserveren voor posten die niet worden gebruikt

    Afonsoea wil begroting opschonen: Stop met geld reserveren voor posten die niet worden gebruikt

    As Suriname grapples with a persistent 5.1% budget deficit, a senior opposition parliamentarian has issued a urgent call for the Santokhi government to undertake a sweeping audit of national public spending, reallocate unused funds to high-need areas, and root out long-standing systemic financial inefficiencies plaguing the country’s public sector.

    Silvana Afonsoea, a member of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and serves on the legislature’s committee of rapporteurs, laid out her proposals during the second reading of the country’s annual national budget. She argues that current budget practices essentially hand the ruling administration a blank check to take on unsustainable new debt, a path she says will only worsen the country’s already fragile fiscal position.

    Afonsoea’s core proposal centers on a mandatory mid-year review of all government departmental budgets. She points to a widespread pattern of unspent allocations across multiple ministries, many of which lack the operational capacity to deliver all the projects included in their annual budget plans. Under her framework, any funding earmarked for projects that cannot be executed within the current fiscal year would be drastically cut, reduced to zero, and reconsidered for inclusion in the following year’s budget.

    Beyond ministry-level spending, the NDP lawmaker also leveled sharp criticism at the country’s state-owned enterprises (parastatal entities), many of which continue to receive taxpayer funding without meeting basic financial transparency requirements. Afonsoea notes that a number of these parastatals have failed to submit audited annual financial statements, leaving legislators and the public unable to assess their true financial health. She insists that any state-owned company that does not regularize its financial records should be cut off from new government funding until it complies with transparency rules. She also highlighted the imbalance where some parastatals hold large reserve funds while the parent government departments that oversee them struggle with crippling budget shortfalls.

    Afonsoea also turned attention to the widespread issue of double public sector salaries, a long-reported problem in Suriname’s public administration. She called on the government to launch a full investigation into how many parastatal directors collect full salaries as civil servants or appear on multiple public payrolls at once, calling the practice indefensible when public school teachers often wait months to receive their owed pay.

    All funds freed up by these cost-cutting and efficiency reforms, she argues, should be redirected to the sectors that need it most: the country’s struggling public health system, underfunded public education, and crumbling national infrastructure. Specific priorities she named include expanding access to medication for patients covered by the country’s basic care card, improving school facilities, retaining skilled nursing staff, and delivering long-delayed infrastructure upgrades.

    “In our private lives, we all have to set priorities when money is tight. It is long past time the government does the same,” Afonsoea argued. “Only through this kind of targeted overhaul can we bring down the budget deficit and put every taxpayer dollar to work where it serves the public best.”

  • Ministry Congratulates Igene Haywood on Graduating Summa Cum Laude

    Ministry Congratulates Igene Haywood on Graduating Summa Cum Laude

    A veteran public servant working for the Government of Antigua and Barbuda has capped off an accelerated academic journey with one of higher education’s most prestigious distinctions, drawing formal praise from the nation’s Ministry of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs.

    Igene Haywood, who has been a member of the national public service since 2007 and held roles within the Ministry of Health throughout her career, recently graduated from Monroe University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Management. What makes her achievement even more notable is the speed with which she completed the degree: she launched her academic studies in April 2024 and crossed the graduation finish line just 20 months later, in December 2025. Along the way, she earned the designation of summa cum laude, the highest honors classification awarded by the institution, reserved exclusively for students who deliver exceptional, consistent academic performance.

    In an official statement released this week, the Ministry highlighted Haywood’s long track record of excellence in public service. For nearly 18 years, she has consistently exemplified core values of unwavering professionalism and deep dedication to serving the people of Antigua and Barbuda, the Ministry noted. Officials added that Haywood’s latest academic milestone is far more than a personal achievement; it directly reflects her ongoing commitment to growing her skills and advancing both her personal growth and professional capacity throughout her career.

    The Ministry closed its statement by extending warm formal congratulations to Haywood on her remarkable accomplishment, alongside sincere best wishes for all her future professional and academic endeavors.