Carib Scope

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  • Hurricane Melissa spurs rethink of corporate disaster readiness

    Hurricane Melissa spurs rethink of corporate disaster readiness

    Nearly two months after Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica, leaving a trail of destroyed infrastructure, upended communities and an estimated $12.2 billion in total economic damage, the Caribbean nation is still navigating the long, uneven process of recovery. Against this backdrop of ongoing reconstruction, leaders from Jamaica’s private sector, national disaster management agencies and leading media outlets came together last week at Kingston’s AC Marriott Hotel for the IMPACT Marketing Conference, where they pulled back the curtain on their post-storm response efforts and unpacked key lessons for building national and organizational resilience.

    The high-profile panel discussion brought together four experienced stakeholders: Dianne Ashton-Smith, head of corporate affairs at leading Jamaican brewer Red Stripe; Chloleen Daley-Muschett, assistant vice president for public relations and corporate affairs at gaming and entertainment group Supreme Ventures; Arthur Hall, editor-at-large for the Jamaica Observer; and Commander Alvin Gayle, director general of Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM). Over the course of the conversation, the group explored what makes for effective disaster response, how private sector action can deliver tangible, meaningful support to affected communities, and why cross-sector collaboration is non-negotiable for long-term resilience.

    Ashton-Smith outlined Red Stripe’s people-first response framework, explaining that the company’s immediate priority in the chaotic 72 hours after the storm passed was confirming the safety of all its employees and its key distribution partner, Celebration Brands. With critical communication infrastructure damaged and cellular networks down across large swathes of the country, the full safety check took multiple days to complete. She emphasized that while every organization should have pre-built crisis frameworks, no plan can ever be a step-by-step script for an unprecedented disaster. When systems fail and situations shift by the hour, decision-making has to be rooted in core organizational values and real-time on-the-ground judgment.

    Only once every team member was accounted for and safe did Red Stripe shift its focus to external relief efforts, working in lockstep with ODPEM and local community partners to identify the hardest-hit regions and deliver the support that was actually needed, rather than deploying pre-planned assistance that might not match on-the-ground needs. For Ashton-Smith, corporate crisis responsibility is measured solely by the impact of action, not media visibility or brand recognition. “Responsibility and visibility are not mutually exclusive; people expect us to step up. But the real focus has to be on impact, what reaches people and makes a difference,” she said. She added that the company’s response was guided by its long-held values: a commitment to caring for all people, the courage to act quickly amid uncertainty, and a focus on addressing the real needs of local communities, rather than centering the company’s brand in relief messaging. She also stressed that meaningful crisis response is not a one-time effort: consistent, long-term support for recovery matters far more than a single high-profile donation immediately after the storm.

    Daley-Muschett echoed the focus on internal prioritization and intentional action, sharing that Supreme Ventures’ first step after Hurricane Melissa was also checking in with its own staff and its network of more than 1,300 retail partners across the country. To avoid stretching resources too thin and ensure support reached vulnerable communities quickly, the company focused its relief efforts on distributing high-priority essentials – clean drinking water and non-perishable food – through its already existing retail network, cutting down on logistics delays that often slow disaster aid. She echoed the panel’s focus on authentic action over performative giving, noting that every donation and relief initiative was aligned with the company foundation’s core mission to serve Jamaican communities. “It’s important to be authentic, not performative. When you highlight the good you do, good follows,” she said.

    Commander Gayle, the head of Jamaica’s national disaster preparedness agency, praised the widespread private sector support delivered after Hurricane Melissa but pushed for more intentional, long-term collaboration between the private sector and government disaster management bodies. He emphasized that building national resilience requires moving beyond immediate life-saving relief to strategic long-term recovery planning, a process that is greatly strengthened by private sector participation. He urged all Jamaican companies to coordinate their response efforts through the national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), where centralized information sharing allows for faster, more coordinated policy-level decisions that can speed up recovery across the country. “Private sector participation can greatly enhance national recovery efforts,” he noted.

    By the end of the discussion, all panelists reached a clear consensus: effective crisis response requires authentic action, long-term commitment to recovery, proactive pre-disaster planning, and sustained cross-sector partnership. As Jamaica continues to rebuild from Hurricane Melissa’s devastation and prepares for the more intense, frequent storms that climate change is projected to bring to the Caribbean, the core message from the IMPACT Conference resonated: crisis management is not a one-off activity, it is an ongoing process of preparation, collaboration and adaptation. Only through coordinated action across the public, private and media sectors can Jamaica build a more resilient future for all its citizens.

  • Dozens remanded in custody after post-PSG match unrest

    Dozens remanded in custody after post-PSG match unrest

    In the wake of chaotic violence that erupted after Paris Saint-Germain secured their spot in the UEFA Champions League final, French law enforcement and judicial authorities have taken firm action, with nearly 100 people placed in pre-trial detention across the country. The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed Thursday that 95 individuals, nine of whom are underage, are being held in custody in the French capital, with an additional 14 minors detained outside Paris following the outburst of unrest.

    The violence broke out after PSG secured a 1-1 away draw against Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, locking in a 6-5 aggregate win that sent the defending champions through to the 2025 final. What was meant to be a celebratory moment for PSG supporters quickly spiraled into public disorder, with groups engaging in violent clashes, vandalism, and attacks on law enforcement.

    Authorities have outlined a range of charges against the detained individuals. Offenses include participating in an armed gathering after official orders to disperse, joining assemblies organized to coordinate violence and property damage, assaulting police officers, and setting off unauthorized fireworks. Multiple vehicles were damaged in the unrest, and a total of 11 civilians were injured – one critically, hurt by a firework explosion. Twenty-three police officers also sustained minor injuries during efforts to restore order. In total, 127 people were arrested across the Paris region, 107 of those within city limits, Interior Ministry spokesperson Laurent Nunez confirmed in an interview with CNews and Europe 1.

    For those facing the most serious charges, the legal consequences are steep: convicted offenders can face up to 10 years of prison time and fines as high as 150,000 euros. Nunez emphasized that law enforcement will not show any leniency ahead of the Champions League final, scheduled for May 30 in Budapest, where PSG will face Arsenal in a bid to defend their continental title. He warned that police will respond with equal force to any future unrest, stressing “We won’t tolerate unrest.”

    The post-violence fallout has also sparked political friction between national security officials and Paris’s new city leadership. Nunez criticized Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire for unilaterally announcing plans for a public fan zone in the capital to host supporters watching the final on May 30, saying standard pre-planning consultations with the police prefecture were skipped entirely. “Normally we talk about that a bit with the police prefect beforehand, which didn’t happen,” he noted, raising concerns about uncoordinated public event planning amid ongoing risks of fan violence.

  • OP-ED: Interrogating the narrative concerning teachers

    OP-ED: Interrogating the narrative concerning teachers

    On this year’s observance of National Teachers’ Day in the United States, educator and social commentator Wayne Campbell has published an opinion piece challenging the hollow performative celebration of educators and calling for urgent, systemic action to address the collapsing status and working conditions of the teaching profession.

  • Crash triggers gas leak at Haggatt Hall

    Crash triggers gas leak at Haggatt Hall

    A violent two-vehicle collision in the St Michael district of Barbados on a weekday morning caused a significant gas leak and forced local emergency services to launch a rapid coordinated response to contain the hazard. The incident unfolded on Roberts Road in the Haggatt Hall neighborhood just after 7:30 a.m., when the Barbados Fire Service received an urgent emergency call reporting the crash and the associated risk of gas escaping from damaged infrastructure.

    Fire Officer Ramsey, who was identified by service number 250, shared details of the first responders’ arrival on site. When fire crews pulled up to the collision scene, they confirmed that two passenger vehicles had been involved in the crash, and one of the vehicles had come to rest directly on top of a residential gas meter. The weight of the vehicle had damaged the meter, leading to an uncontrolled leak of natural gas that created an immediate safety risk for anyone in the surrounding area.

    Given the specialized nature of the gas hazard, emergency commanders immediately called in technicians from the National Petroleum Corporation (NPC), the country’s national petroleum and gas authority, to carry out a controlled shutoff and repair the damaged infrastructure. Local ambulance services were also dispatched to the scene to provide immediate medical assessment and care to any individuals injured during the collision.

    Reverend Byron Waithe, a local resident whose property was directly affected by the crash, described the chaotic moment the incident occurred. He told reporters he was in his home when he heard a deafening bang that shook the surrounding area. One of the vehicles involved in the crash careened off the road, crashed through his residential gate, and collided with a van that was legally parked on his property, causing significant damage to both the gate and the parked vehicle.

    Waithe added that in order to protect public safety while emergency crews worked to seal the gas leak and secure the scene, all residents in the immediate impact zone were ordered to evacuate their properties temporarily. Despite the disruption and damage to his property, Waithe offered high praise for the speed and professionalism of the emergency response teams. He emphasized that both fire service personnel and NPC gas technicians arrived at the scene within minutes of the crash being reported, and worked efficiently to bring the dangerous situation under control.

    By the end of the response operation, emergency teams had fully secured the scene, and authorities had begun conducting detailed on-site assessments to determine the cause of the collision and document the full extent of the damage to infrastructure and private property.

  • Man removed from Gall Hill library after complaints

    Man removed from Gall Hill library after complaints

    In a coordinated multi-agency operation carried out on Wednesday, public officials removed an unhoused man who had been squatting at the disused Old Gall Hill Library in St John, Barbados, after months of growing community pushback over unsafe conditions and public disturbance. For an extended period, the vacant former public library has served as an informal shelter for the man, who took up unauthorized residence on the property. In the process of occupying the unused space, the facility’s surrounding yard became heavily cluttered with construction debris, discarded personal goods, and other accumulated waste, creating both health and aesthetic hazards for neighbors living nearby. Local MP Charles Griffith, who represents the St John constituency, confirmed that the intervention was a direct response to sustained complaints from area residents, who had repeatedly raised alarms about the deteriorating state of the property and persistent public disruptions stemming from the occupation. As authorities moved to clear the site, the man’s behavior became increasingly agitated, prompting responding officials to arrange for him to be transported to Barbados’ Psychiatric Hospital for evaluation and care by medical professionals. Griffith extended public recognition to the three government bodies that collaborated to resolve the long-running issue: the Barbados Police Service, the Department of Environmental Health, and the Sanitation Service Authority. He also credited local residents for their persistent advocacy, noting that their consistent efforts to draw official attention to the unsafe situation were key to推动ing the coordinated response that resolved the community concern.

  • Several buildings affected by another early morning fire in Roseau

    Several buildings affected by another early morning fire in Roseau

    Roseau, the capital city of Dominica, is grappling with its second devastating urban fire in less than three months after an early morning blaze on Wednesday, May 6, tore through a cluster of downtown structures along Great Marlborough Street and Upper Lane. Deputy Fire Chief Matthew Prosper confirmed that the inferno destroyed between eight and nine local buildings, counting several high-profile commercial and professional properties among the losses. Affected sites include the law offices of local attorney Joshua Francis, the multi-use French Connection Building, and the popular local eatery Family Restaurant, alongside other smaller businesses. Prosper emphasized that the blaze has left a stark financial and community void, calling the destruction a major loss for the entire Roseau area.

    In a public statement posted to his social media channels shortly after the fire broke out, Francis shared his shock at the damage to his practice. “This morning I was alarmed that HAJ LAW offices, my offices—two floors—were compromised by fire,” Francis wrote, adding that formal damage assessments would be conducted once authorities clear the site for inspection. As of Wednesday afternoon, official investigations into the cause and origin of the latest blaze remain ongoing.

    This incident comes on the heels of a separate large-scale fire that rocked Roseau’s commercial district just two months prior, on Monday, March 2, 2026. That earlier blaze on King George IV Street also destroyed multiple businesses and forced the permanent closure of one of the country’s most prominent pharmacies. Deputy Chief Prosper confirmed the 2026 March fire damaged Jolly’s Pharmacy, the adjacent Fitness University gym, a local retail store operated by Chinese owners, and a neighborhood bar. Despite the extensive damage from that incident, Prosper publicly commended responding fire crews for their rapid, effective action, which stopped the fire from spreading to adjacent blocks and prevented even greater destruction. “The fire officers did a very, very good job in confining the fire,” Prosper told local outlet DBS Radio in comments following the March incident. Even with the successful containment, Prosper warned at the time that the total financial impact of that first blaze on the city’s business community would be substantial.

  • Headless, mutilated body found

    Headless, mutilated body found

    A week-long search for a missing community member in the quiet coastal community of Icacos took a tragic turn on Thursday, when a multi-agency search team recovered a dismembered body from the area’s dense wetland swamps. The search operation, which brought together volunteer hunters and specialized police units, was launched after 50-year-old Indar Rampersad, a local coconut picker who had lived alone in the area for years, was reported vanished after neighbors had not seen him for nearly seven days.

    The grim discovery was the result of coordinated efforts between the volunteer Hunters Search and Rescue Team, headed by veteran search coordinator Vallence Rambharat, and three specialized police divisions: the police Air Support Unit, the South Western Division Task Force, and local Cedros Police officers. According to official police briefings, the recovered body was found with its head severed from the torso. The victim was found shirtless and barefoot, and the corpse had been deliberately concealed under a layer of freshly cut grass before being located by searchers.

    Shortly after the body was located at approximately 2:00 p.m. local time, Rambharat confirmed the find in a public social media post timestamped 2:03 p.m., noting that the body was uncovered during the active search for Rampersad. Law enforcement officials moved quickly to contact Rampersad’s next of kin following the discovery, and are now working with family members to complete a formal positive identification of the remains.

    When reached for comment by local outlet the Express Thursday evening, an anonymous member of Rampersad’s family shared new details about the missing man’s life in Icacos. The relative confirmed that Rampersad was officially reported missing to police Monday evening, after local residents grew concerned when he failed to appear at his regular coconut selling route. A well-known figure in the small community, Rampersad made his living harvesting coconuts that local buyers would purchase to process into coconut oil, and neighbors began asking after him when he stopped showing up to sell his stock.

    The relative explained that Rampersad lived a solitary life, residing alone in an abandoned property near the local district health centre. He never married and had no children, and was the only person currently reported missing from the Icacos community. He also shared identifying markers that will help investigators confirm whether the body found is that of Rampersad: the missing man has no tattoos, lacks an official birth certificate, and lost one of his fingers in a decades-old boat accident, when the digit was crushed and severed during a work outing.

    Commenting on the details of the discovery, the relative noted that the black long pants and black belt found on the body matched clothing that Rampersad regularly wore. Echoing the police description of the scene, he added that the location of the find was a remote Icacos swamp, and the concealment of the body under cut grass suggests foul play. “Somebody kill (the person) because they say the body cover down with grass,” the relative told the Express.

    As of Thursday evening, investigators from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region Three have taken over the case. Officials have not yet confirmed a potential motive for the killing, and many key details of the disappearance and death remain unconfirmed as the formal identification process and crime scene investigation move forward.

  • BNCPTA backs ministry push to curb student truancy

    BNCPTA backs ministry push to curb student truancy

    On Tuesday, the Barbados National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (BNCPTA) formally committed to partnering with the country’s Ministry of Education Transformation to curb the growing issue of students loitering on public streets during scheduled school hours. BNCPTA President Nicole Brathwaite outlined a clear, actionable framework for cross-stakeholder cooperation, noting that the association is prepared to coordinate with both the ministry and local parent-teacher associations across the island to implement practical, people-centered solutions. These measures include strengthening two-way communication between households and schools, rolling out attendance-based incentives for students, organizing neighborhood carpool programs to address transportation barriers, and sharing proven successful strategies among schools that have reduced truancy rates. The push for collective action comes just days after Minister of Education Transformation Chad Blackman announced that he and a coalition of education-focused stakeholders would travel across Barbados to address what he has called a persistent and frustrating problem plaguing the island’s education system. Brathwaite emphasized that the priority of the effort aligns with the core values of all caregivers: no parent wants their child to be on public streets instead of in a classroom, where they can access structured learning opportunities. When students are absent from school and out in the community during school hours, she explained, they forfeit more than just academic instruction; they lose out on critical social development opportunities and the controlled, safe environment that educational institutions are designed to provide. The BNCPTA leader stressed that caregivers hold the primary responsibility for ensuring children arrive at school consistently, noting that the vast majority of parents already work diligently to meet this obligation every day, even in the face of significant barriers. Common obstacles that contribute to unexcused absences include rising transportation costs, conflicting work schedules that leave parents unable to drop off and pick up children, competing caregiving demands for other family members, and unaddressed personal challenges that students themselves face. Brathwaite pointed out that truancy is a complex issue with multiple overlapping root causes, so one-size-fits-all enforcement is unlikely to deliver long-term results. She shared that BNCPTA expects the ministry’s approach to the problem to balance firm accountability with targeted support for struggling students and families. For truancy monitoring teams to be most effective, she argued, they must be paired with school social workers who can deliver early intervention for at-risk students and households. Brathwaite also highlighted a critical unmet need: these social work professionals are already overstretched by existing caseloads, so sustained, adequate resourcing for support services will be make-or-break for the success of any anti-truancy initiative. To guide participation from parents and community members, Brathwaite laid out three clear actions people can take immediately. First, she encouraged parents to stay actively connected to their child’s school: familiarize themselves with official attendance policies, keep school contact information up to date to enable fast alerts when a student is marked absent, and respond quickly to outreach from school administrators. Second, she called for early action: caregivers should flag barriers ranging from transportation issues, problems accessing uniforms or school meals, to personal mental health or family challenges before occasional absences turn into a persistent pattern of truancy. Finally, she urged community members to engage in respectful, proactive outreach: a simple, polite question asking a student found out of school during class hours if they should be in class can still have a meaningful deterrent effect. Brathwaite concluded by emphasizing that truancy cannot be resolved by any single stakeholder working alone. “If we – parents, schools, the ministry, and the wider community – commit to tackling the root causes together, consistently, we protect our children’s future,” she said. “Let’s do this together.”

  • Survival and gratitude shine at “Undaunted” launch

    Survival and gratitude shine at “Undaunted” launch

    On May 5, a heartfelt book launch event gathered dozens of friends, colleagues, and supporters at Orange Grove Plaza in Bois D’Orange to celebrate the release of Undaunted, the raw and hopeful memoir by registered nurse Dr. Samina Cepal. Centered on themes of survival, personal resilience, and radical gratitude, the afternoon celebration welcomed guests from every chapter of Cepal’s life, fostering an intimate, warm atmosphere that reflected the memoir’s core message. Attendees had the opportunity to meet the author, purchase signed copies of the book, and connect over conversations about mental health and personal struggle.

    Unlike generic self-help narratives, Undaunted pulls back the curtain on Cepal’s own years-long battle with both chronic physical illness and unaddressed mental health struggles, weaving an unflinching account of how support from loved ones—or the lack thereof—shaped her road to recovery. As a medical professional, Cepal faced unique isolation during her darkest days: even with her deep understanding of healthcare systems, she often found herself without the emotional support she desperately needed, a gap that ultimately led to a failed suicide attempt. Far from just a story of suffering, the memoir serves two core purposes: it acts as a cautionary tale about the overlooked mental health needs of even healthcare workers, while standing as a source of inspiration for readers navigating their own unseen battles. It emphasizes the urgent need for greater public dialogue around mental health awareness and celebrates the human capacity for resilience in the face of overwhelming adversity.

    In an exclusive interview with St Lucia Times following the launch, Cepal reflected on the outpouring of support she received at the event, describing the moment as still feeling slightly surreal. “I just want my story to reach people who need it,” she explained. “I don’t want anybody to have to go through this journey of life alone, thinking that they’re alone in any situation. I just want people to know that everybody has walked a certain road before, and I want them to be encouraged. Just be encouraged. No matter what life throws at you, keep going. Don’t complain, and just do everything with an attitude of gratitude.”

    For readers hoping to pick up a copy, Undaunted is currently available for purchase directly through Cepal for local customers in the region, and can be ordered online for global readers via major retail platform Amazon.

  • Journalist Linda Straker was a voice of professionalism

    Journalist Linda Straker was a voice of professionalism

    The small Caribbean nation of Grenada entered a period of national mourning on May 5 following the death of one of its most distinguished media professionals, Linda Straker. The loss has been deeply felt across the country’s political and media communities, with the Democratic People’s Movement (DPM) joining the nation in grieving the passing of the trailblazing reporter.

    In an official condolence statement released Tuesday, the DPM’s executive leadership, general membership and broader base of supporters shared their collective sorrow over Straker’s death. “Rest in Peace, Linda. Your work, your voice and your legacy will live on,” the statement read.

    A resident of St John parish and an award-winning journalist with rigorous formal training in communications, Straker was also a loving mother and grandmother. Beyond her family ties, she built a decades-long reputation as a paragon of journalistic integrity across Grenada.

    DPM Leader Peter David, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for the Town of St George, praised Straker’s unwavering commitment to the profession. “Linda Straker was a voice of professionalism, knowledge and fearless communication. Her deep understanding of the rules governing Parliament, her dedication to truthful reporting and her passion for informing the public made her a respected figure across the nation,” David said. He added that Straker carried out her work with quiet wisdom and unshakable integrity, consistently prioritizing keeping the Grenadian public informed and engaged with critical national affairs.

    Straker’s journalistic work reached audiences far beyond Grenada’s borders, appearing in local, regional and international media outlets throughout her career. Arley Gill, DPM Deputy Leader and fellow St John parish native, highlighted Straker’s fierce pride in her home nation and her local roots. “She was a proud Grenadian and also very proud of her St John roots,” Gill noted. “Grenada has truly lost a remarkable media personality and national voice. Her contributions will never be forgotten, and her presence will be deeply missed.”

    To close the statement, the DPM extended its deepest sympathies to Straker’s surviving family, close friends, and all those whose lives have been affected by her passing.