Carib Scope

分类： society

  • Fisheries Division Sets Fisheries Laws Training for Local Fishers

    Fisheries Division Sets Fisheries Laws Training for Local Fishers

    In St. John’s, Antigua, the local Fisheries Division has announced a forthcoming training session focused on national fisheries laws and regulations, scheduled to take place on Friday, July 17. This event forms a key component of the division’s long-running Fisher Professional Development Training Programme, an initiative designed to standardize industry knowledge and formalize professional qualifications for working fishers across the country.

    The two-hour session will run from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the meeting facility located within the Point Wharf Fisheries Complex on Lower North Street, a central, accessible location for most local fishing operators. According to an official public notice released by Chief Fisheries Officer Ian Horsford, completion of this regulatory training module is a non-negotiable requirement for two critical professional milestones for local fishers: first, securing a valid, government-issued local fishing license, and second, advancing professional status from a trainee fisher to a fully certified professional fisher.

    Division officials note that the training is specifically targeted toward two groups of industry workers: newly registered fishers who are newly entering the profession, and veteran, experienced fishers who have not yet fulfilled the mandatory training requirement to meet updated industry standards. That said, organizers have emphasized that any working fisher in the region who wishes to refresh their knowledge of regulatory requirements is welcome to attend, provided that vacant space remains available in the meeting room after pre-registration closes.

    Interested individuals looking to secure a spot in the session are instructed to reserve their place in advance by contacting the division via phone at 462-1372. Participants are also reminded to have their official Fisher Identification documents on hand when completing their registration to speed up the check-in process. Fisheries Division representatives reaffirmed that this training is just one part of the division’s ongoing, sustained effort to raise professional standards across Antigua’s fishing industry through consistent skills and knowledge development programming.

  • DOMLEC restores power to parts of Dominica following island-wide outage

    DOMLEC restores power to parts of Dominica following island-wide outage

    A widespread total power outage that cut electricity service across the entire Caribbean island of Dominica on Friday morning has prompted swift response from the nation’s sole electricity provider, Dominica Electricity Services (DOMLEC), which has already launched stepped restoration work to bring service back to impacted communities.

    The full grid failure was recorded at 11:58 a.m. local time, according to an official public update the utility released shortly after the outage occurred. Immediately following the disruption, specialized repair crews were deployed across the island to carry out safety assessments and repair work in line with industry protocols.

    As of the latest update, power has already been successfully restored to two key zones: all northern communities of Dominica, as well as the Upper Goodwill neighborhood located in the island’s more populated central region. DOMLEC confirmed that restoration will proceed in controlled, incremental phases to avoid straining the grid as more communities come back online, with crews continuing to work around the clock to bring power back to all remaining areas that are still without service.

    In the statement, the company extended a formal apology to all residential and commercial customers for the inconvenience caused by the unplanned outage, and expressed gratitude to the general public for maintaining patience while field teams carry out the complex restoration work. DOMLEC has also advised all residents to stay tuned to the company’s official social media accounts, website and local broadcast updates for the most up-to-date information on restoration progress for their specific areas.

  • Fisheries Division to Host Safety at Sea Training for Fishers

    Fisheries Division to Host Safety at Sea Training for Fishers

    A new mandatory maritime safety training initiative for local fishing workers will open for participation next year, organized by the government’s Fisheries Division as a core component of its ongoing Fisher Professional Development Training Programme. The half-day Safety at Sea training session is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, running from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the meeting facility housed within the Point Wharf Fisheries Complex, located on Lower North Street.

    In an official public notice signed by Chief Fisheries Officer Ian Horsford, the division clarified that this safety training is not an optional workshop—it is a formal regulatory requirement for all local fishers seeking to maintain or renew their operating licenses. For trainee fishers working toward full professional fisher certification, completing the course is also a non-negotiable prerequisite to advance their status in the industry.

    While the training is prioritized for two key groups: newly registered fishers who have never completed mandatory safety training, and veteran working fishers who have not yet fulfilled this requirement, organizers have confirmed that any licensed fisher in the region is eligible to attend, provided that there is enough open space in the venue to accommodate additional participants.

    To secure a spot in the upcoming 2026 session, interested fishers must complete registration by calling the dedicated contact line at 462-1372. Participants are required to have their official Fisher ID on hand when they call to register, to verify their eligibility and speed up the reservation process.

  • Another Saint Lucian reaches 100 mark

    Another Saint Lucian reaches 100 mark

    On July 8, Saint Lucia welcomed a new member to its growing community of centenarians, as family, friends, and government officials gathered to mark the 100th birthday of Virginia Philip — known affectionately to nearly everyone in her circle as Hettie. Over a lifetime shaped by adversity and quiet purpose, Philip has emerged as a shining example of the core values that anchor Saint Lucian society: unwavering resilience, selfless sacrifice, deep-rooted faith, and sustained service to those around her.

    Born in Garrand, Babonneau, on July 8, 1926, to parents Lydia Philip and Anthony Beharry, Philip has borne first-person witness to a century of transformative change across the island nation, watching small communities grow and national progress reshape daily life across decades. In her later years, she settled permanently in Marchand, Castries, where she built her family legacy and still resides today.

    A devoted mother of seven, Philip’s influence extends across four generations: she leaves an enduring legacy through 14 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. Raising her seven children alone as a single mother, Philip leaned on relentless hard work and quiet determination to provide for her family, holding positions over decades at three prominent local businesses: M&C, JQ Charles Supermarket, and Elwin Supermarket.

    Beyond her professional work, Philip carved out a beloved role in her local community as a skilled traditional herbalist. Guided by her deep Christian faith, she viewed her healing knowledge as a divine calling, freely sharing her expertise with any community member in need of care. For her, faith has remained a steady anchor through every season of life, carrying her through hardship and amplifying joy in times of blessing.

    To honor this extraordinary centennial milestone, the Older Persons Unit under Saint Lucia’s Department of Equity, Social Justice, Gender and Older Persons joined Philip’s loved ones for the July 8 celebration. The small, heartfelt ceremony centered on Philip, with agency representatives presenting her with commemorative gifts and formal notes of appreciation for her decades of perseverance, quiet dignity, and service to the nation.

    In a statement following the celebration, the Older Persons Unit emphasized that centenarians like Philip are more than just historical witnesses — they are living embodiments of the values that bind and strengthen Saint Lucian society. Her life story serves as a powerful reminder of the irreplaceable role older adults play in shaping national identity, and the importance of honoring the wisdom, lived experience, and enduring legacy they pass down to younger generations.

  • Codrington Trust defends $18M reparations project amid community concerns

    Codrington Trust defends $18M reparations project amid community concerns

    In the College Land neighborhood of St John, Barbados, decades of unresolved historical injustice have erupted into public calls for urgent change, as local residents and tenant descendants push for a seat at the table shaping an $18 million initiative meant to redress the wrongs of the island’s colonial plantation era. The Codrington Estate, once a sprawling sugar operation worked by thousands of enslaved African people, is at the center of a growing national conversation about reparative justice, pitting long-simmering community demands against the incremental 15-year framework laid out by the project’s steward, the Codrington Trust.

  • DOMLEC investigating island-wide power outage

    DOMLEC investigating island-wide power outage

    Residents and businesses across the Caribbean nation of Dominica faced a sudden, complete disruption of electrical service Thursday, after an unexplained outage left the entire island without power. Local utility provider Dominica Electricity Services (DOMLEC) has since confirmed it has launched a full investigation to pinpoint the root cause of the widespread blackout.

    In an official update posted to the company’s public Facebook page Thursday afternoon, DOMLEC formally acknowledged the total loss of power affecting all customers across the country. The statement confirmed that specialized technical teams have already been deployed to assess the grid and identify what triggered the system-wide failure.

    As of the latest update, the investigation remains active, with no confirmed timeline for full power restoration or a public disclosure of the outage’s cause. DOMLEC has committed to releasing additional information to the public as soon as new details are confirmed, and urged all customers to monitor the company’s official social media and communication platforms for real-time updates on the situation.

  • Belize Completes Training to Strengthen Justice Response for Children

    Belize Completes Training to Strengthen Justice Response for Children

    In a significant step toward reforming its juvenile justice and anti-trafficking frameworks, Belize has concluded a two-day specialized judicial training program focused on strengthening the country’s justice system response to child-involved cases and human trafficking survivors.

    Held from July 9 to 10 2026, the training, officially branded *Promoting Child-Centered Justice: A Judicial Training on Trafficking in Persons, Restorative Justice, and Diversion*, was a collaborative initiative bringing together four key national stakeholders: Belize’s Ministry of Human Development, Family Support and Gender Affairs, the national Anti-Trafficking in Persons Council, the Child Justice Committee, and the Judicial Education Institute of Belize’s Senior Courts.

    The event gathered sitting judges, judicial officers and cross-sector justice stakeholders from across the country, with the core goal of deepening participants’ expertise in four critical areas: child protection protocols, recognition and response to human trafficking cases, restorative justice practices, and child-first decision-making that prioritizes the inherent rights and holistic well-being of minor victims and offenders.

    During the official opening ceremony, Chief Justice Louise Esther Blenman emphasized the non-negotiable responsibility of the national judiciary to guarantee vulnerable children and trafficking survivors access to a fair, compassionate and responsive judicial process. Over the course of the training, attendees engaged in interactive deep dives into a range of high-priority topics, including trauma-informed adjudication strategies, victim-centered case management, culturally sensitive judicial practice, and the evolving role of judicial officers within Belize’s emerging child justice framework.

    Practical working sessions also focused on unpacking the principles of restorative justice, the design and implementation of effective child diversion programs, and actionable strategies to break down silos and improve inter-agency coordination for institutions that work with at-risk and vulnerable children. To enrich discussions, the program invited expert practitioners from across Belize and the wider Caribbean region, including trauma clinicians, senior legal professionals, sitting judges and veteran child justice specialists, who shared on-the-ground insights and regional best practices from decades of frontline work.

    The completed training marks a key milestone in Belize’s ongoing efforts to align its justice system with international child protection standards, and addresses long-standing calls for more responsive, child-focused approaches to cases involving minors and trafficking survivors.

  • The pot-banging protests continue for a fifth consecutive day.

    The pot-banging protests continue for a fifth consecutive day.

    For five straight days, the resonant clatter of banging pots and pans has cut through the evening air in neighborhoods across Santo Domingo, as Dominican citizens continue their sustained public demonstration against systemic national issues. This Friday, the collective cacophony of protest returned to multiple residential and commercial districts, including the well-established communities of Bella Vista, Naco, and Gazcue, showing no signs of early disengagement from the movement.

    This grassroots action, commonly referred to as a cacerolazo, has drawn a diverse cross-section of the Dominican public: ordinary residents fed up with unaddressed daily struggles, university students pushing for systemic change, and organized social movements that have amplified the scope of the demonstrations. Participants have embraced the clanging of cookware as more than just a protest tactic—it serves as a unifying symbol of collective resistance, turning a common household object into a powerful signal of shared discontent that can be heard across city blocks.
    Protest organizers and participants have made clear that they have no intention of stepping back from public action until the country’s governing authorities respond directly to their grievances. Demonstrators are speaking out against a cascade of interconnected economic, social, and political crises that have worsened living conditions for broad swathes of the Dominican population, from rising household costs to stagnant political reform. What began as a spontaneous outpouring of frustration has coalesced into a coordinated, sustained movement, with the rhythmic banging of pots and pans acting as a collective rallying cry to force leaders to acknowledge the public’s anger and deliver tangible, immediate solutions.

  • This is how the Dominican households life has changed

    This is how the Dominican households life has changed

    Newly released data from the ENHOGAR-MICS 2025 Basic Report paints a comprehensive, data-driven portrait of housing conditions and residential infrastructure across the Dominican Republic, shedding light on long-running shifts and persistent disparities in how the country’s population lives.

    One of the clearest takeaways from the national survey is the widespread adoption of durable construction materials for residential properties. The report confirms that solid masonry and concrete materials have become the dominant standard for home exteriors: 84.7% of all surveyed homes rely on concrete blocks or poured concrete for their wall structures, marking a consolidation of sturdier building techniques across the country.

    When it comes to flooring materials, cement retains its position as the most common option in Dominican housing. Nearly half of all homes—46.9%—feature cement or unfinished granite flooring, while higher-end finishes including ceramic tile, marble, and polished tile are found in 43.1% of residential properties, reflecting a gradual shift toward more premium materials in a growing share of the housing stock.

    Perhaps the report’s most striking finding centers on home ownership patterns, which reveal stark, opposing divides between the country’s rural and urban regions. In rural areas, outright home ownership is the norm: 57.3% of rural dwellings are owned by at least one member of the occupying household, while just 27.6% of rural homes are rented or leased. This dynamic flips dramatically in the Dominican Republic’s denser urban centers, where high population concentration and shifting housing markets have driven a majority toward rental arrangements. The report records that 60.7% of urban households live in rented or non-owned properties, leaving only 33.2% of urban residents in homes they own.

    The survey also measured residential overcrowding by calculating the average number of people sleeping per bedroom, defining overcrowding as three or more people sharing a single bedroom. Nationally, 8.9% of all Dominican households struggle with overcrowding, and the burden falls disproportionately on low-income communities. Among households in the poorest income quintile, the overcrowding rate jumps to 19.5%—more than double the national average—highlighting how inadequate housing space remains a pressing challenge for the country’s most vulnerable populations.

  • Newtown Youth Development Programme to officially launch, expanding decades of community youth work

    Newtown Youth Development Programme to officially launch, expanding decades of community youth work

    After more than 30 years of grassroots youth engagement work, the Newtown Youth Development Program (NYDP) — a newly formalized non-profit organization focused on lifting up underserved young people in Newtown — will mark its official public launch this Friday at the decorated Fatima Church Hall, kicking off a new era of targeted youth empowerment and community growth.

    The launch ceremony, scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. on July 10 at the lower hall of Newtown’s Fatima Church Building, will draw a cross-section of key stakeholders, including senior government officials, local community leaders, program supporters, and local residents, all gathering to celebrate the formal establishment of this expanded community initiative.

    While NYDP only completed its official non-profit registration in 2025, its origins stretch back three decades to the founding of the Newtown Juvenile Football Academy in 1993. That early sports-focused effort was followed by the launch of an After-School Football Programme in 2017, and over time, the initiative outgrew its athletic origins to develop a far broader, holistic model of youth development. Today, NYDP’s work spans far beyond sports, encompassing education support, public health outreach, vocational skills training, leadership cultivation, spiritual growth, and personal character building.

    NYDP Chairman Joffre Faustin explained that the formalization of the organization came as a direct response to rising social and economic barriers facing young Newtown residents. “Our mission is clear: to transform young lives through holistic development,” Faustin stated. “We are committed to tackling the challenges of unemployment, crime, teenage pregnancy, and declining opportunities in sports, while instilling values of discipline, teamwork, respect, service, and patriotism.”

    In the lead-up to this week’s official launch, NYDP has built out a robust governance framework designed to guarantee full transparency and accountability to the community it serves. This structure includes a central executive committee and a formal financial management system, alongside specialized subcommittees that oversee each core program area: sports, education, health, skills development, communications, and spiritual development.

    Even before its formal launch, the initiative has already notched early milestones. It has secured more than EC$16,000 in donated sports gear, educational resources, and health supplies from international partners. Program members have already begun First Aid certification training, and NYDP has established formal collaborative partnerships with a range of local and international supporters. Organizers have specifically highlighted the critical longstanding support of Vivian Rene and the U.S.-based Roy Mason family, whose early contributions were foundational to getting the formal initiative off the ground.

    Looking forward, NYDP has laid out an ambitious long-term vision to create sustainable, intergenerational opportunity for Newtown’s youth. Key planned projects include converting the shuttered former Roseau Boys’ School into a flexible multi-purpose community centre, upgrading local sports facilities with modern amenities, expanding access to local scholarships and international training placements, and strengthening mentorship and spiritual guidance programming through partnerships with local civic and faith-based groups.

    Friday’s official launch ceremony will feature keynote remarks from Chairman Faustin, national Minister for Sports Oscar George, Chekira Lockhart-Hypolite — Parliamentary Representative for the Roseau South Constituency — and Irving “Tosh” Williams, who will represent the program’s international donor community. Members of the press have been formally invited to attend and cover the event.

    Organizers emphasize that the launch represents more than just the introduction of a new non-profit: it is a key milestone in Newtown’s ongoing work to invest in its youngest residents, and build a stronger, more resilient local community through intentional investment in education, leadership, sports, and public service.