Carib Scope

分类： politics

  • Veteran journalist Opal Roach replaces Clint Watson at ZNS

    Veteran journalist Opal Roach replaces Clint Watson at ZNS

    Long-serving Bahamian broadcast journalist Opal Roach has stepped into the role of acting general manager at the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (BCB), the operator of state-owned ZNS Broadcasting, following the departure of former chief Clint Watson who moved into frontline politics. The official announcement of Roach’s appointment was made public on Wednesday, marking a promotion for an executive who has spent decades in senior leadership and news roles within the public broadcaster.

    Roach’s career at BCB has covered multiple high-level positions, including a prior stint as assistant general manager for the news division, and most recently, deputy general manager of the entire corporation. Her ascent to the top role comes after Watson, who led the taxpayer-funded media outlet for almost three years, was sworn in as a government senator earlier this month, triggering his exit from the broadcaster.

    Watson first joined ZNS as general manager in 2023, leaving his position as press secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister to take the media role. Almost immediately after he began exploring a political candidacy, controversy erupted over his dual holding of political ambition and leadership of the state broadcaster. Last August, Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Dr. Duane Sands publicly called for Watson to resign from his ZNS post, arguing that it was impossible for the head of the national public broadcaster to seek a governing party nomination without eroding public trust in ZNS’s editorial and operational impartiality.

    In response to the criticism, Watson stated that he would step down from his role at ZNS if he was selected as the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) candidate for a constituency. Ultimately, however, the PLP chose Obie Roberts as its candidate for the Southern Shores seat, leaving Watson unsuccessful in his nomination bid. But the debate over his right to remain as ZNS general manager did not fade after the nomination process.

    Tensions boiled over in April, when two sitting BCB board members resigned in protest over what they called overt political interference in the corporation’s governance. The board had previously issued a directive barring Watson from returning to work at ZNS until after the general election scheduled for May 12, a decision that was later overturned by external political pressure. The board’s original decision extended Watson’s administrative leave until May 18, or a further date determined by the board’s leadership, following his failed nomination attempt. In a formal letter from BCB Executive Chairman Picewell Forbes, the board explained the leave was ordered to protect transparency and uphold public confidence in the corporation’s operations and impartial leadership.

    However, internal correspondence obtained by The Tribune shows that Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis directly instructed that Watson be allowed to return to his general manager role immediately, overriding the independent board’s formal decision. That interference prompted the two resignations and set in motion the final process that led to Watson’s swearing in as a senator and departure from ZNS, clearing the way for Roach’s appointment to the top post.

  • Poison? More artistes flee Trump’s US anniversary concerts

    Poison? More artistes flee Trump’s US anniversary concerts

    What was supposed to be a star-studded national celebration marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence has devolved into a public relations fiasco for the Trump White House, with three additional high-profile musical acts withdrawing from the event series on Friday, all citing deepening political polarization as their core reason for exiting. The mass exodus has left the once-promised lineup gutted, with only a handful of lesser-known, decades-past-their-prime acts remaining on the official roster.

    The Trump administration had initially positioned the concert series, scheduled to run between June 25 and July 10 on Washington’s iconic National Mall, as a nonpartisan, unifying tribute to American history. But the event has been unraveling for days, as performer after performer has walked away from their commitments. Friday’s departures pushed the crisis to a new head: 1980s glam rock icon Bret Michaels, beloved country hitmaker Martina McBride, and the legendary soul group Commodores became the latest big names to confirm their exit. Just five days after the full initial lineup was announced, only four of the nine originally named acts remain attached to the project.

    The surviving acts are far from the A-list headliners the administration had originally hoped to showcase. They include 1990s rapper Vanilla Ice, 1990s dance collective C+C Music Factory, early 2000s hip-hop artist Flo Rida, and the remaining surviving member of disgraced 1980s pop duo Milli Vanilli — none of which have cracked mainstream music charts with a new hit in more than a decade.

    Michaels, the frontman of Poison, the rock band behind the 1980s power ballad classic *Every Rose Has Its Thorn*, shared his decision in a public Facebook post, framing the exit as a matter of principle for his apolitical brand of performance. “My shows have never been about politics. They’re about giving people a place to come together, have a great time and forget about life’s stresses for a few hours,” he wrote. “Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of.”

    McBride echoed that sentiment in a post to her fans on X, noting that the organizers’ claims of nonpartisanship turned out to be misleading. “I was presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading,” she said. The two singers join a growing list of artists that have walked away from the Freedom 251 celebration series, which includes 1980s rap staple Young MC, and funk group Morris Day and the Time, famous for their collaboration with the late music icon Prince. The Commodores, in their own Instagram statement announcing their exit, added a note of broader purpose: “We support the betterment of all Americans.”

    While Freedom 250 organizers continue to claim the event is strictly nonpolitical, critics have pointed out that Trump has openly worked to tie the anniversary celebrations to his own political brand and personal milestones. The most high-profile example of this is a planned ultra-violent mixed martial arts event scheduled for June 14 — Trump’s 80th birthday — that will be hosted in a custom-built arena constructed on the White House South Lawn.

    As the roster collapses, Democrats have seized on the fiasco to mock the Trump administration. On Friday, the Democratic Party posted a visual of the original nine announced performers to X, marking the five withdrawn acts with bold black Xs to highlight the extent of the exodus.

    In a stark contrast to the Trump administration’s troubled celebration, Washington D.C. saw a far different demonstration of political concert organizing just this week. On Wednesday night, Bruce Springsteen — one of Trump’s most prominent and outspoken celebrity critics — announced a star-studded pro-democracy concert, the Power to the People Festival, scheduled for the Washington area this October. The lineup already features a slate of A-list acts including Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, legendary folk activist Joan Baez, and pioneering political hip-hop group Public Enemy, with no signs of last-minute withdrawals to date.

  • Dominican Police and U.S. Embassy open liaison office to combat organized crime

    Dominican Police and U.S. Embassy open liaison office to combat organized crime

    In a significant step toward strengthening bilateral security cooperation, the Dominican National Police and the Narcotics Affairs and Law Enforcement (INL) division of the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic have opened a dedicated liaison office at the Dominican police headquarters in Santo Domingo. The new facility is designed to accelerate joint efforts to dismantle transnational organized criminal networks and advance the Dominican Republic’s national police modernization agenda.

    The official inauguration ceremony was marked by the signing of a formal memorandum of understanding between Andrés Modesto Cruz Cruz, Director General of the Dominican National Police, and Rebeca Márquez, head of the U.S. INL mission in the country. This agreement lays out a framework to expand collaborative strategic projects, deliver targeted technical assistance, and scale up specialized law enforcement and security training programs for Dominican personnel.

    Speaking at the event, Márquez highlighted that the dedicated liaison office will remove long-standing coordination barriers between the two agencies, directly boosting their collective operational capacity to disrupt cross-border criminal activity. She specifically acknowledged the proactive partnership and extensive logistical support provided by senior Dominican police leadership and the country’s Criminal Investigations Directorate (Dicrim) throughout the process of establishing the new office.

    In his remarks, Cruz Cruz extended gratitude to the U.S. government and the INL for their sustained commitment to the Dominican Republic’s ongoing police reform initiative. He underscored that structured international collaboration and access to specialized professional training are irreplaceable tools for strengthening Dominican law enforcement’s institutional capacity. Ultimately, these investments, Cruz Cruz noted, will enable the national police to deliver a more efficient, transparent, and professional public service centered on improving citizen safety across the country.

  • Westmoreland attorneys demand Gov’t prioritise restoration of parish court

    Westmoreland attorneys demand Gov’t prioritise restoration of parish court

    WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – Jamaica’s legal community in the parish of Westmoreland has raised urgent concerns amid emerging reports that the national government is re-evaluating its commitment to repairing and rehabilitating the damaged Westmoreland Parish Court building. Nearly a year after Hurricane Melissa swept through the region in October last year, the ongoing lack of functional court infrastructure has thrown the local justice system into disarray, prompting a formal appeal from practicing attorneys in the area.

    In an official statement released to the public Friday, the group of local legal professionals outlined the cascading challenges that have plagued court operations since the storm destroyed the original parish court facility. In the aftermath of the hurricane, all Circuit Court proceedings were forced to relocate to the neighboring parish of Hanover, while remaining parish court business is being run out of severely undersized, inadequate temporary accommodations in Whithorn.

    The attorneys emphasized that the current crisis extends far beyond mere inconvenience; it poses a fundamental threat to equal access to justice and public trust in Jamaica’s judicial system. The temporary court spaces suffer from chronic overcrowding, with far too little room to accommodate the growing volume and increasing complexity of legal matters. In many cases, sittings are forced to run well into the night, often extending as late as 9:00 PM or later for court staff and all parties involved.

    Most alarmingly, the group noted, hundreds of local parish court cases have yet to go to trial since the hurricane hit, and the growing backlog shows no signs of easing. The disproportionate burden of this breakdown falls heavily on ordinary litigants, many of whom already face financial hardship.

    “Many have to travel outside the parish at additional expense, lose workdays, arrange childcare and incur costs they cannot afford simply to access the courts,” the statement read. The attorneys stressed that justice cannot be treated as a luxury reserved exclusively for Jamaicans with the means to pay for delayed proceedings. When access to the courts is undermined, it is the most vulnerable members of the community that are pushed to the margins and left without legal recourse.

    Jurors fulfilling their mandatory civic duty also face unfair burdens, the group added. Most are required to travel to out-of-parish court facilities at their own cost just to await selection for trials, creating an unnecessary financial barrier that discourages civic participation. Even practicing legal professionals are not spared from the disruption: attorneys now spend hours each week traveling between courthouses to represent their Westmoreland-based clients, cutting into critical time that should be spent case preparation and client support.

    Closing their appeal, the legal fraternity reaffirmed that all residents of Westmoreland are entitled to a justice system that is accessible, efficient, and consistent with the basic dignity of the judicial process. They are calling on national and local authorities to move the restoration of the Westmoreland Parish Court to the top of their priority list, and to publish a clear, binding timeline for the completion of work and the return of full court operations to the parish.

  • Ambassador Leah Campos says U.S. will not comment on individual visa cases

    Ambassador Leah Campos says U.S. will not comment on individual visa cases

    Amid growing public debate in the Dominican Republic over recent U.S. visa decisions involving prominent Dominican public figures, the United States Ambassador to the Caribbean nation, Leah F. Campos, has publicly reaffirmed long-standing Washington policy governing both visa renewals and revocations. In an official statement released to the public, Campos clarified that the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo is prohibited from commenting on individual visa cases, a restriction that aligns with formal regulations set by the U.S. federal government. Beyond outlining standard visa protocol, the ambassador used the opportunity to reinforce the United States’ unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and strengthening democratic governance both globally and within the Dominican Republic. A core focus of Campos’ remarks centered on a growing global issue: the misuse of judicial systems to advance political goals. The ambassador criticized these tactics, warning that using courts as a tool for partisan gain inflicts severe damage on foundational democratic institutions and erodes the public’s hard-earned trust in national justice systems. She emphasized that a judiciary that is independent, transparent, and impartial to political pressure is an non-negotiable requirement for protecting core democratic values. To illustrate her point, Campos drew a parallel to high-profile “lawfare” cases brought against former U.S. President Donald Trump in the United States, noting that American voters delivered a clear rejection of these politically driven legal actions during recent electoral contests. Campos’ public intervention comes at a moment of intense public scrutiny surrounding U.S. visa policies and recent visa-related actions in the Dominican Republic, even as U.S. authorities have repeatedly stuck to their long-held rule of declining to comment on specific individual cases.

  • Dominican government invests over RD$800 million in San Isidro Air Base upgrades

    Dominican government invests over RD$800 million in San Isidro Air Base upgrades

    In a formal ceremony held in Santo Domingo, Vice President Raquel Peña led the inauguration of a sweeping infrastructure modernization project at San Isidro Air Base, joined by senior representatives from three key national bodies: the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), the national Airport Department, and the Dominican Republic Air Force. The multi-million peso upgrade delivers three core new assets to the base: a cutting-edge air traffic control tower, a completely overhauled runway lighting network, and updated horizontal runway markings, addressing decades of outdated infrastructure to lift national aeronautical safety and capabilities. A core strategic objective of the project is to establish San Isidro Air Base as a certified alternate diversion runway for Las Américas International Airport José Francisco Peña Gómez, the country’s busiest international gateway, during unforeseen emergencies or service disruptions at the main facility.

    Total public investment in the modernization effort tops RD$819 million, equal to roughly $15.4 million U.S. dollars, split between two leading government agencies. The national civil aviation authority contributed more than RD$600 million to deliver the project’s high-tech core components, including a modernized control cabin, upgraded digital communication networks, new DVOR/DME navigation equipment, and a redundant energy backup system to ensure uninterrupted operations during power outages. The Airport Department allocated an additional RD$219 million to supply and install the runway beacons and horizontal signaling systems, with all work completed to align with strict global safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Senior project leads emphasized that the previous lighting and navigation infrastructure had been in continuous operation for more than 60 years, and the modernization will boost the runway’s operational capacity and reliability for decades to come.

    Speaking during the inauguration event, IDAC Director Igor Rodríguez Durán noted that the infrastructure upgrades at San Isidro are just one part of a broader national strategy to strengthen the Dominican Republic’s aviation ecosystem, which drives critical sectors of the national economy including connectivity, tourism, and trade. He outlined a pipeline of additional ongoing aeronautical improvement projects across the country, including the deployment of new advanced radar systems at Cibao International Airport, the replacement of aging out-of-date radar hardware at Gregorio Luperón International Airport, and the installation of new Instrument Landing System (ILS) technology at both Punta Cana International Airport and Las Américas International Airport. Rodríguez also confirmed that active construction and upgrades are ongoing at Cabo Rojo International Airport, a development positioned as a strategic economic and tourism hub that will unlock new investment and growth in the Dominican Republic’s southern region. To underscore the sector’s growing momentum, officials shared that the Dominican aeronautics industry recorded 79,693 total air operations across all facilities during the first four months of the current year, signaling steady recovery and expansion of the country’s air travel market.

  • Second Shipment of Construction Materials Arrives for Distribution to Vulnerable Families

    Second Shipment of Construction Materials Arrives for Distribution to Vulnerable Families

    Antigua and Barbuda has taken another key step forward in its government-backed housing support initiative, with a second batch of critical construction materials successfully arriving at its shores, according to government spokesperson Maurice Merchant. Merchant, the nation’s Director General of Communications, made the announcement during an official post-Cabinet media briefing held Thursday, addressing lingering public uncertainty over whether the post-general election supplementary shipment had reached the country.

    Public questions had been circulating for days about the status of the additional materials, which were promised ahead of the recent general election. In clear, direct response to those queries, Merchant confirmed that the shipment is now on-island and ready for deployment.

    Cabinet members were updated this week that a formal distribution timeline is currently being finalized by government officials, with the explicit goal of ensuring the building supplies reach the communities and individuals that need them most. “The honourable minister reported to Cabinet yesterday that he is putting the final touches on a delivery schedule that will get these materials directly to vulnerable and low-income households across both islands,” Merchant told reporters.

    This distribution effort is a core component of a national housing assistance program launched by the current Gaston Browne-led administration, designed to directly support households that lack the resources to access necessary construction and home repair materials on their own. Merchant also emphasized that senior government leadership is actively engaged in the on-the-ground execution of the initiative, singling out Rawdon Turner, Minister of Urban and Social Transformation, for his hands-on involvement.

    Merchant told the briefing that Turner has personally joined distribution teams to deliver materials to qualifying residents on weekends, demonstrating the administration’s commitment to moving the program forward at pace. “Even on Saturdays and Sundays, Minister Turner is out in communities personally overseeing the delivery of materials to families that need them, to keep this administration’s promise alive,” Merchant said.

    To date, government officials have not released details on the total volume of construction materials included in this second shipment, nor have they publicly identified which priority communities will receive supplies first once the distribution schedule is announced.

  • Government Developing Major Agricultural Dam in Bethesda, The Table Hill dam nearing completion

    Government Developing Major Agricultural Dam in Bethesda, The Table Hill dam nearing completion

    The government of Antigua and Barbuda has advanced a national agricultural infrastructure overhaul with the approval of a major new dam project in Bethesda, a development crafted to address longstanding water access gaps for local farmers and strengthen the country’s food sovereignty. The approval was formally announced at a post-Cabinet press briefing on Thursday by Maurice Merchant, the nation’s Director General of Communications, who confirmed that the body signed off on the broad agricultural and water infrastructure initiative after a detailed presentation from Agriculture Minister Anthony Smith.

    Per Merchant’s briefing, the Bethesda Dam has been selected as a flagship pilot project for the Ministry of Agriculture for strategic geographic reasons: the site sits at the heart of a 50+ acre agricultural zone with untapped high production potential, making it an ideal test case for scaling similar projects across the country in the future. In addition to the new Bethesda development, Merchant shared that construction of a second dam at Table Hill in the Gordon district is already in its final stages, and once operational, it will dramatically expand water access for farming operations in that surrounding area.

    Both projects are core components of the government’s broader national strategy to modernize the country’s aging agricultural backbone, enhance the sector’s ability to withstand climate volatility, and ease the persistent challenges farmers face during periods of drought and unpredictable rainfall patterns. Key projected outcomes of the initiative include expanded national water storage and irrigation capacity, higher overall agricultural productivity, and the conversion of currently unused arable land into active productive farming plots.

    Beyond infrastructure upgrades, the initiative is designed to cut Antigua and Barbuda’s reliance on imported food by ramping up domestic output of staple and high-demand crops. Merchant confirmed the projects will create the water infrastructure needed to expand cultivation of a range of profitable, high-consumption crops including pineapples, fresh vegetables, and fruit trees. The Bethesda Dam will also integrate closely with the Ministry of Agriculture’s growing tissue culture programme, offering dedicated space for crop demonstration trials, propagation of high-quality planting material, hands-on farmer training, and the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices across the sector.

    According to government officials, the entire multi-project initiative is structured to deliver long-term, sustained support to Antigua and Barbuda’s farming community, while advancing the dual national priorities of improved food security and long-term agricultural sustainability.

  • Antigua and Barbuda Cabinet Announces Official Funeral for Sir Aziz Hadeed, Pays Tribute

    Antigua and Barbuda Cabinet Announces Official Funeral for Sir Aziz Hadeed, Pays Tribute

    The twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda is preparing to honor one of its most influential citizens with a full state official funeral, following the unexpected death of celebrated businessman, public servant and philanthropist Sir Aziz Hadeed. The country’s Cabinet has memorialized Sir Aziz as a towering national leader whose decades of contributions left an indelible mark on the trajectory of Antigua and Barbuda’s social and economic development.

    The official announcement of the funeral honor was delivered this Thursday by Maurice Merchant, Director General of Communications, during a press briefing held after the weekly Cabinet meeting. Alongside confirming the formal tribute, Merchant shared that the full Cabinet has extended its deepest condolences to Sir Aziz’s entire family, including his wife Lady Maasen Hadeed, brothers Radwan and Joseph, sister Leila, nephews Francis and Andrew, as well as extended relatives, friends, and communities across Antigua and Barbuda and the broader Caribbean region, all of whom are grieving the loss of a beloved public figure.

    In remarks to reporters, Merchant emphasized that Sir Aziz’s departure represents a profound, irreplaceable loss for the entire nation. Merchant characterized Sir Aziz as a transformative presence in Antigua and Barbuda’s business ecosystem, noting that his legacy was built not only on remarkable entrepreneurial success, but also on a lifelong, unshakable commitment to public service, charitable giving, and the advancement of the nation he called home.

    Beyond his work in the private sector, Sir Aziz built a distinguished career in public service, serving both as an independent senator and a Cabinet minister. He was most widely recognized as the head of the Hadeed Group of Companies, a regional business conglomerate that grew from its Antiguan roots to expand operations across seven markets, including Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana, and the United States.

    Merchant shared that Cabinet highlighted the unique value Sir Aziz brought to national governance, bringing a rare combination of wisdom, uncompromising integrity, long-term strategic vision, and hands-on business expertise to every role he held. His contributions to national progress spanned multiple political administrations, earning him respect across party lines.

    One of Sir Aziz’s most impactful contributions to public life came in the education sector, where he served as chairman of the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus Council. Merchant noted that his steady stewardship guided the young institution through its critical formative years, laying the groundwork for the campus’s sustained growth and expansion. Beyond his institutional leadership, Sir Aziz personally funded dozens of scholarships and made direct financial contributions to opening access to higher education, creating opportunities for hundreds of talented students who would have otherwise been unable to pursue tertiary study.

    Sir Aziz’s commitment to supporting the most vulnerable members of Antiguan society extended to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the country faced unprecedented economic disruption. Cabinet’s statement highlighted his critical voluntary support during the crisis: Sir Aziz spearheaded and funded food distribution programs and utility bill assistance initiatives that provided life-saving support to thousands of struggling households when public support systems were strained.

    His giving also extended across multiple other sectors, including public healthcare, youth empowerment initiatives, sports development, and the promotion of local arts and culture. Merchant emphasized that much of Sir Aziz’s philanthropic work was done privately, with no desire for public fanfare or recognition.

    Earlier this year, Sir Aziz received one of the Commonwealth’s highest honors when he was conferred with the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George during a ceremony at Windsor Castle. Cabinet noted that the award was a formal international recognition of his decades of contributions to national development, philanthropy, and community service.

    “In recognition of his exceptional service and enduring contributions to Antigua and Barbuda, Cabinet has agreed to accord Sir Aziz Hadeed an official funeral,” Merchant confirmed.

    In closing, the government released a statement calling on all citizens of Antigua and Barbuda to unite in mourning and tribute, describing Sir Aziz as a remarkable patriot whose entire life embodied the values of generosity, humility, entrepreneurial drive, and selfless service to humanity.

  • BREAKING: Former Ministers Samantha Marshall and Joanne Massiah Appointed Ambassadors-at-Large

    BREAKING: Former Ministers Samantha Marshall and Joanne Massiah Appointed Ambassadors-at-Large

    In a breaking official announcement from the government of Antigua and Barbuda, two veteran former cabinet ministers, Samantha Marshall and Joanne Massiah, have been tapped to fill the prestigious roles of ambassadors-at-large for the nation.

    Both appointees bring decades of high-level governance experience to their new diplomatic positions: Marshall previously held key cabinet portfolios focused on domestic social development and economic planning, while Massiah built a public career centered on national legal affairs and community advocacy, and has long been recognized for her work advancing regional cooperation across the Caribbean.

    The role of ambassador-at-large grants the pair broad authority to represent Antigua and Barbuda in international diplomatic engagements, trade negotiations, and global advocacy initiatives, marking a strategic move by the current administration to leverage seasoned political expertise to strengthen the nation’s global standing. Official sources confirm the appointments took effect immediately following the formal public announcement, with the first set of diplomatic assignments for Marshall and Massiah set to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

    Local political analysts note that the selection of two experienced former officeholders reflects the government’s priority of advancing foreign policy and economic outreach goals at a time of shifting regional and global dynamics, with expectations that the pair will advance key national priorities including tourism promotion, foreign direct investment attraction, and climate advocacy for small island developing states.