分类： society

Barbuda has witnessed significant community engagement through a recent seedling distribution initiative, forming a crucial component of the ongoing Plant 2Plate Backyard Gardening Competition. This program, designed to bolster household food production and enhance national food security, has generated enthusiastic participation from residents of the sister island.

Ika Fergus, Acting Chief Extension Officer, reported exceptionally strong response from Barbudan residents, noting both impressive turnout and positive energy throughout the agricultural outreach visit. The collaborative effort between the Barbuda Council’s Department of Agriculture and the Extension Division of the Ministry of Agriculture resulted in the distribution of 20 full trays of seedlings to participating households.

The distributed seedlings encompassed a diverse array of crops ideally suited for backyard cultivation and domestic consumption, including watermelon, cucumber, tomato, sweet pepper, and Chinese cabbage. This careful selection provides households with both nutritional variety and practical growing options.

Beyond distribution, the initiative served a dual purpose of comprehensive data collection and verification. Extension officers meticulously updated records on backyard gardens throughout Barbuda, identifying active producers and assessing their production scales. This crucial information enables authorities to quantify the substantial contribution of backyard gardening to the national food supply.

The collected data proves indispensable for accurate food security assessment, particularly in determining how household cultivation supplements Antigua and Barbuda’s overall food provisions. This intelligence allows the Ministry of Agriculture to strategically deploy technical support and advisory services where most needed.

The program’s overarching objectives remain firmly focused on promoting the ‘Grow What You Eat’ philosophy, enhancing the quality of locally grown produce, and diminishing reliance on imported food items. A structured follow-up mechanism has already been established through the Backyard Gardening Committee and Extension Officers, incorporating ongoing crop cycle monitoring to ensure continued support and measurable outcomes from this vital food security initiative.

Residents of Bolans are expressing heightened security concerns following a bold daylight livestock theft that occurred on Tuesday afternoon. At approximately 2:00 p.m., an unidentified perpetrator severed the chains and ropes securing a domesticated goat tied to a post, making off with the animal in a brazen act that has left the community unsettled.

The owner, who had properly secured the animal with both chain and rope reinforcements, discovered the theft after returning to find the cut restraints. This incident has reignited discussions about persistent livestock theft problems plaguing certain communities, where animals represent both economic assets and personal property.

Local authorities have launched an investigation into the matter and are appealing to the public for assistance. Community members with any information regarding the incident or the whereabouts of the stolen goat are being encouraged to come forward to aid in the investigation. The theft has prompted discussions about increased neighborhood vigilance and improved security measures for livestock owners in the area.

Recently released dashcam footage has cast a stark spotlight on the perilous driving conditions along All Saints Road, where reckless overtaking maneuvers are creating significant public safety concerns. The video evidence captures multiple instances of vehicles executing dangerous passes, often crossing solid center lines and narrowly avoiding head-on collisions with oncoming traffic.

The footage reveals a pattern of drivers taking extreme risks to overtake slower-moving vehicles, frequently in areas with limited visibility or where such maneuvers are explicitly prohibited by road markings. Traffic safety experts analyzing the recordings note that these actions consistently violate fundamental right-of-way protocols and demonstrate a blatant disregard for established traffic laws.

Local authorities have acknowledged the growing problem, with transportation officials confirming that All Saints Road has emerged as a particular hotspot for aggressive driving incidents. The road’s design—featuring alternating straightaways and curves—appears to encourage some motorists to make ill-advised passing decisions despite inherent dangers.

Community response has been one of heightened concern, with residents reporting numerous near-misses and expressing frustration over what they describe as increasingly brazen driving behavior. The publication of this visual evidence has sparked calls for enhanced traffic enforcement measures, including possible installation of automated monitoring systems and increased police patrols along the problematic corridor.

Transportation safety advocates are using the footage to emphasize the potentially catastrophic consequences of such driving practices, urging both improved infrastructure solutions and public awareness campaigns about the dangers of improper overtaking.

Authorities in Antigua are actively seeking community assistance as their investigation progresses into the unsettling discovery of a deceased male found within a vehicle at the decommissioned Ottos School compound. The site, located near All Saints Road and currently repurposed as a panyard, was cordoned off by law enforcement following an emergency call to the 911 hotline at approximately noon on Monday, February 2nd.

A multi-unit response team comprising specialists from the Criminal Investigations Department, the Serious Crimes Unit, and the Forensic Evidence Recovery Unit was dispatched to secure the area and initiate a thorough examination. The body, which was reported to be in a state of partial decomposition, was formally pronounced dead at the scene by a district medical official.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Frankie Thomas provided an official statement, confirming the incident and emphasizing that the immediate priority for investigators is establishing the identity of the deceased individual. ASP Thomas issued a public appeal, urging residents, particularly those with a missing family member, to contact the authorities with any relevant information that could aid the process.

The police have formally requested that anyone possessing knowledge pertaining to this case reach out directly to the Criminal Investigations Department or their nearest police station to assist in bringing clarity to this ongoing investigation.