Carib Scope

分类： society

  • Criminal Records Office collections unit to move to Duke Street in June

    Criminal Records Office collections unit to move to Duke Street in June

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — A key administrative shift is coming to Jamaica’s law enforcement infrastructure next year, as the Criminal Records Office has issued an official public announcement regarding the planned relocation of its core collections department. Currently housed at 34 Hope Road in central Kingston, the unit will move operations to its new permanent address at 56 Duke Street, Kingston, with the change officially taking effect on Monday, June 1, 2026.

    The advisory, released to ensure minimal disruption for residents and businesses that rely on the unit’s services, urges all individuals with upcoming business with the collections department to take note of the new address ahead of the moving date. For any questions about the relocation, adjusted service timelines, or other related concerns, the public has been directed to reach out directly to the Criminal Records Office via their dedicated contact line at 876-922-3221 during regular operating hours.

  • SKYhigh Dominicana flight returns to AILA after technical indicator alert

    SKYhigh Dominicana flight returns to AILA after technical indicator alert

    In a recent operational incident handled according to global aviation standards, SKYhigh Dominicana, the Dominican Republic-based carrier, has confirmed that one of its scheduled services, flight DO850 set for operation on May 25, 2026, was forced to execute an unplanned precautionary return to its departure point, Las Américas International Airport (AILA) based in Santo Domingo. The disruption was triggered after the flight crew detected an unexpected system alert on board the aircraft mid-flight.

    Following strict international aviation safety protocols that are mandatory for all commercial air carriers, the flight’s operating pilots made the deliberate decision to turn back to the Santo Domingo airport as a proactive preventive measure, prioritizing the well-being of all people on board over on-time performance. In a statement released by the airline, officials confirmed that the aircraft touched down safely and remained fully under crew control throughout the landing process, with no reports of physical injuries to passengers or crew, and no additional unexpected incidents occurring during the return and landing.

    SKYhigh Dominicana’s official communication stressed that the safety of every passenger and crew member was never placed at risk at any point during the incident. The entire response to the technical alert was carried out in strict alignment with the company’s pre-established contingency procedures for in-flight technical issues, which are designed to mitigate risk effectively in unexpected scenarios.

    To reduce the impact of the incident on passenger travel plans and keep the airline’s service network operating as close to schedule as possible, all passengers originally booked on flight DO850 were swiftly transferred to an alternative standby aircraft. This arrangement allowed travelers to continue on to their intended destinations according to their original scheduled itineraries, with only limited delays incurred.

    In closing, the carrier issued a public statement of gratitude to the affected passengers for their patience and understanding during the unplanned disruption. The airline also took the opportunity to reaffirm its long-standing commitment to operational safety, noting that protecting the wellbeing of everyone on board remains the company’s number one priority across every one of its flight operations.

  • Onesvie says Naco inspections were part of seismic evaluation training

    Onesvie says Naco inspections were part of seismic evaluation training

    In Santo Domingo, a recent wave of confusion among residents of the National District’s Naco sector over unprompted building inspections has been resolved by the National Office of Seismic Evaluation and Vulnerability of Infrastructure and Buildings (Onesvie), the country’s leading public body for seismic risk management. The agency has confirmed that the teams spotted carrying out structural assessments in the area were affiliated with the Dominican Network of Structural Evaluators (REED), a national technical program focused on upgrading the Dominican Republic’s seismic preparedness and structural safety standards.

    According to an official statement from Onesvie, the Naco sector activity was not a random or unauthorized operation, but a supervised field training exercise for students enrolled in the institution’s specialized Building Evaluation Diploma. This credential program was created to build a skilled workforce of structural engineers and construction professionals capable of accurately identifying seismic vulnerability across the country’s building stock.

    Onesvie further detailed that the field practice, conducted between May 12 and 15, was strictly limited to external visual surveys of building exteriors. At no point did participants enter private residential or commercial properties, nor did they carry out any modifications, structural alterations, or invasive testing on the structures they observed. All participants carried official institutional identification throughout the exercise to verify their affiliation with the program, the agency added.

    The clarification comes after out-of-context misinformation spread across local community networks, leading some Naco residents to link the technical training activity to unrelated government or private operations, sparking unnecessary uncertainty and concern among local property owners.

    In its statement, Onesvie reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to transparency, public safety, and proactive national seismic prevention work. The agency stressed that continuous technical training and widespread structural evaluations are critical investments that save lives and protect critical national infrastructure from the impact of potential seismic events.

    To further expand public access to seismic safety resources, authorities also issued a call to action for Dominican citizens who are interested in obtaining a free professional building evaluation. Those seeking the service are encouraged to reach out to Onesvie through its verified official communication channels and digital platforms to access accurate guidance and process requests.

  • 66-year-old mother’s partially decomposed body discovered in bushes off Coral Road

    66-year-old mother’s partially decomposed body discovered in bushes off Coral Road

    What began as a desperate, hope-filled search for a missing elderly mother in Freeport ended in heartbreak for a Bahamian family Sunday, when investigators recovered Barbara Lewis’ partially decomposed body from dense foliage off Coral Road, closing the door on any chance the 66-year-old would be brought home alive.

    The grim discovery was made shortly before 4 p.m., after police working alongside Lewis’ close relatives launched a drone search of an overgrown area along an unpaved track behind Pioneer’s Loop Subdivision. Lewis, a resident of Spinney Road, was first reported missing to authorities the previous Wednesday, three days after she was last seen by family.

    The chain of events that led to her disappearance traces back to a hospital stay for barracuda poisoning. After being treated and discharged from Rand Memorial Hospital, Lewis was set to head home. On the day of her discharge, she waited for her boyfriend, who had brought her to the facility but was later arrested following an outburst over long wait times for care. Unaware of his detention, Lewis eventually began walking home on foot when he failed to return.

    Surveillance camera footage captured Lewis along her route home, showing her pausing repeatedly as she traveled. Her daughter, Kenya Adderley, who flew in from Florida to join the search just two days before the body was found, told reporters her mother was already visibly weak and dehydrated from the poisoning, which had caused vomiting and diarrhea. Combined with Lewis’ pre-existing history of seizures, Adderley said the conditions could easily have triggered a fatal episode during the walk.

    A key tip from a passing motorist ultimately guided search teams to the area. Adderley told reporters she received information Friday that her mother had been seen crossing from Nansen toward the unpaved track, with food in her hand, as drivers stopped to let her pass. She immediately brought the new intelligence to the Criminal Investigation Department, provided a personal clothing item to help the police K9 unit track Lewis’ scent, and accompanied officers to the site.

    When the drone took flight, searchers spotted a buzzard circling overhead and followed the bird’s path. In less than two minutes, the drone captured clear footage of Lewis’ body, roughly 300 feet into the thick underbrush. Family members had actually searched the same general area days earlier, but were unable to navigate the dense foliage on foot to reach the spot where Lewis was found.

    Even amid overwhelming grief, Adderley said the family found some small measure of peace in finally locating Lewis, ending the week of uncertainty. She expressed sincere gratitude to law enforcement and local community volunteers who dedicated time and resources to the search. “I was prepared for the worst but hoping for the best. But at least I know we found her,” Adderley said, surrounded by supportive family members at the scene.

    Her aunt Barbara Lewis echoed that sentiment, noting the family never abandoned hope of finding her through the days of searching.

    In a scathing critique of the hospital that treated her mother, Adderley said she holds Rand Memorial Hospital responsible for Lewis’ death, criticizing staff for discharging her mother without contacting any family members first, given her known seizure disorder. “All of this, unfortunately, is what caused the death of my mom,” she said.

    Police have stated they do not currently suspect foul play in Lewis’ death, but investigations remain ongoing. An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the official cause of death. For the Lewis family, the next painful step is moving through the formal identification process and making funeral arrangements to lay their loved one to rest.

  • Mother of murdered man calls for justice

    Mother of murdered man calls for justice

    A heartbroken Bahamas mother is pleading for clarity and justice after her 21-year-old son was gunned down in a cold-blooded ambush during what was supposed to be a routine online cellphone purchase, leaving a shattered family grappling with unfathomable loss. Vandashia Johnson, mother of Dario Butler, a quiet hardworking security officer, broke down in an exclusive interview with The Tribune over the weekend, questioning why her innocent son had to lose his life over a petty transaction when the attacker could have simply stolen his belongings and spared him.

    The tragedy unfolded on Friday night, when Butler headed to a meeting spot near Columbus Primary School, across from a local soccer field, to buy an iPhone advertised through an online platform. According to initial police accounts, the young man was ambushed by an unidentified assailant shortly after he arrived at the location. Shot in the left upper torso, Butler made a desperate bid for survival by climbing over a wall to escape, but eventually collapsed on the elementary school’s grounds. The suspect fled the scene in a light blue Suzuki Swift, heading north along Collins Avenue, with no clear license plate information available to investigators.

    “I don’t mind if y’all came to rob him, take the money and let my child go. Why my innocent son?” Johnson said through tears. “Y’all take my son away from me.” A mother of six, Johnson described the crippling toll her son’s murder has taken on her physical and mental health: she now struggles to eat, suffers from persistent insomnia, and ignores family pleas to keep up with her blood pressure medication as she navigates the overwhelming heartbreak of losing her child.

    The fatal encounter came just hours after Butler called his mother to ask if he could borrow his brother’s car to meet the seller, Johnson recalled. When her older son returned home, he handed over the keys without a second thought, and the family waited for Butler to come back with his new device. No one in the family imagined the routine online secondhand purchase would end in death.

    When word spread of a shooting near Columbus Primary School, one of Johnson’s other children called her with a sinking sense of worry, because Butler had not yet returned home. Urged by her family to check the scene, Johnson arrived and gave police a description of her son and the car he was driving. Within moments, her worst nightmare was confirmed: Dario was dead.

    Law enforcement officials confirmed they responded to the shooting after receiving an anonymous tip, finding Butler unresponsive from his gunshot wound. Investigators have confirmed the young man was ambushed en route to meet the iPhone seller, but have not yet publicly identified a suspect or clear motive. This killing marks the 26th murder recorded in the country this year, per The Tribune’s public tracking, and police say investigations are still ongoing.

    Johnson told reporters that her son often purchased secondhand items online, and that sellers almost always agreed to meet the young man at the family’s home. She told The Tribune she believes Butler may have had at least a passing acquaintance with the seller, which would explain why he agreed to meet at an off-site location. Butler’s sister has also shared that she believes her brother knew he was in danger before the shooting, though no further details have been confirmed.

    Family members describe Butler as a quiet, introverted young man who worked as a security officer, kept to himself, and almost never went out unnecessarily. He spent nearly all of his free time at home with his family, and shared an extraordinarily close bond with his mother. Their last conversation before the shooting was a lighthearted discussion about a planned family beach gathering for Labour Day, where the pair laughed about what food Butler planned to bring to the event. In hindsight, Johnson said, she was unknowingly planning for her son’s funeral just days before his death.

    The murder has compounded a year of unthinkable grief for the Butler family. Dario’s grandmother died on June 10 last year — on her own birthday — and Dario’s killing comes just days before the first anniversary of that loss. “This is very hurtful,” Johnson cried through her tears. The family is now calling for police to expedite their investigation, identify the person responsible for Butler’s death, and deliver the justice they say their beloved son deserves.

  • COE expands yellow alert for Santo Domingo and 11 provinces

    COE expands yellow alert for Santo Domingo and 11 provinces

    On Tuesday, the Dominican Republic’s Emergency Operations Center (COE) rolled out an expanded network of severe weather alerts across the country, ramping up preparedness measures in response to predicted dangerous precipitation and storm activity. Eleven provinces and the National District have been placed under yellow alert, the second-highest warning level, while six more provinces remain under lower-level green alert as atmospheric conditions set the stage for heavy rain, thunderstorms and potential flash flooding.

    Meteorological and hydrological agencies, the National Institute of Meteorology (Indomet) and the National Institute of Water Resources (Indrhi), have traced the unstable weather pattern to three overlapping atmospheric drivers: a low-pressure trough lingering over the region, a tropical wave moving south of Hispaniola, and increased daytime heating that is amplifying atmospheric instability. These combined conditions are forecast to trigger intense localized downpours, severe electrical storms, powerful wind gusts, and even isolated episodes of hail across multiple regions of the nation.

    The areas elevated to yellow alert include Monte Plata, Sánchez Ramírez, Santo Domingo, San Cristóbal, El Seibo, Hato Mayor, San Pedro de Macorís, Monseñor Nouel, La Vega, María Trinidad Sánchez and La Altagracia, in addition to the capital’s National District. The six provinces maintaining green alert are Duarte, particularly the low-lying Bajo Yuna region, San José de Ocoa, Peravia, Santiago, La Romana and Samaná. Green alert status indicates that while residents should remain watchful for changing conditions, the threat level is lower than in areas under yellow alert.

    Emergency officials have flagged the most at-risk regions for severe weather, including the country’s northeast, the fertile Cibao Valley, the eastern plains, the Central Mountain Range, and all Caribbean coastal areas. To prevent preventable accidents and casualties, the COE has issued clear public safety guidance: residents are strongly advised to avoid attempting to cross swollen rivers, streams and steep ravines where water levels have risen rapidly. Authorities also recommended that the public steer clear of all recreational bathing sites in provinces currently under active weather alert, as fluctuating water conditions can create hidden hazards.

  • ‘Thanks and respect’

    ‘Thanks and respect’

    Seven months after Category 5 Hurricane Melissa tore through central Jamaica, leaving a trail of destroyed homes and damaged infrastructure, an 82-year-old stroke survivor in Mile Gully, Manchester is waking up in a fully renovated home just in time for the start of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The transformation of Joslyn Chronicle’s flood-ruined New Pond dwelling, completed as part of a Jamaican Labour Day community service project, has brought new hope to the elderly resident who narrowly survived the catastrophic storm last October.

    Chronicle, who has survived four separate strokes and lives alone with daily support from nearby neighbours, recounted the harrowing hours he spent trapped in his home as Melissa’s relentless rainfall flooded his property. Storm surges and rushing water carried heavy stones into the structure, rising so quickly that he could not even climb off his bed to escape. “God kept me,” he recalled. “The water came straight in onto the verandah, around to the back door, and into the bathroom. I couldn’t step down. It only ran out before I had to come out.” With four strokes already behind him, even his doctor has expressed shock at his survival, making the safe new home all the more meaningful for the elderly resident.

    Leading the all-volunteer renovation team was Rohan Kennedy, Deputy Mayor of Mandeville and People’s National Party Councillor for the Mile Gully Division, who had personally promised Chronicle that his home would be restored. The scope of the project addressed all the damage inflicted by the storm: workers completely rebuilt the water-damaged roof and ceiling, replaced rotten, warped doors and windows, and applied a fresh coat of paint to the entire structure.

    An emotional Chronicle expressed profound gratitude for the team’s work, saying “I give thanks and respect to them, all down to the ground that they walk on. Mr Kennedy promised that he would see to the building, and he has seen to it. He fulfilled his promise.”

    Kennedy explained that Chronicle is just one of dozens of Manchester residents still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall on October 28, 2025. The elderly man’s home was so severely compromised that neighbours had to evacuate him and host him for several days immediately after the storm. To further protect the renovated home from future flooding, Kennedy announced additional planned infrastructure upgrades for the property around Chronicle’s house: workers will widen the existing drainage channel to improve water flow and construct a new retaining wall to prevent erosion and runoff from reaching the structure.

    With less than a week remaining before the official start of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season, local authorities are pushing ahead with full preparation measures across Manchester, Kennedy confirmed. Emergency storm shelters are in an advanced state of readiness, with ongoing repairs nearly complete to ensure they can accommodate residents if a major storm threatens. While officials are hopeful the 2026 season will see below-normal storm activity, preparations are being made to withstand the worst-case scenario.

    Kennedy highlighted that the New Pond community, made up primarily of working farmers, has shown extraordinary resilience in the wake of last year’s disaster. The trauma of Hurricane Melissa has pushed residents into high gear for pre-season preparation, with neighbourhood-wide mutual aid becoming a core part of the community’s approach. “This is a tight-knit community where people volunteer and work together to help each other,” Kennedy noted, adding that just one week before the Chronicle home project, his team completed another renovation, replacing damaged zinc roofing and rebuilding ceilings for another storm-affected resident.

    Island-wide and parish-level preparation efforts are currently focused on mitigating flood risk across Manchester’s most vulnerable areas. “Presently, we are cleaning drains, because we know that we have a lot of flood-prone areas in the parish, so the emphasis now in terms of preparation is drain cleaning,” Kennedy said. The New Pond access road, which also sustained heavy damage during Hurricane Melissa, is scheduled for immenent repairs: as a municipal road, it has already been added to the priority repair list and work will begin in the near future.

    Kennedy specifically praised the high level of community participation in the Labour Day rebuild project, noting that dozens of young people from New Pond and surrounding neighbouring communities turned out willingly to contribute to the work. “You see a lot of young people here who came out willingly to help. The energy is high and the participation is good, so I am very pleased about that,” he said. Photographs from the event show Kennedy fitting the new front door to Chronicle’s home, with youth volunteers Kayla Powell and Noel Brown applying fresh paint to the property’s exterior.

  • Four teenagers drown in England since Sunday amid heatwave — authorities

    Four teenagers drown in England since Sunday amid heatwave — authorities

    LONDON, Aug — As an unseasonably intense heatwave bakes much of the United Kingdom, four young lives have been lost to drowning in inland lakes and reservoirs across England in just 48 hours, law enforcement and local government officials have confirmed.

    The string of tragedies began on Sunday, when a male teenager died in a water incident in Lincolnshire, a county in the country’s northeast, according to local police. A day later, a second fatality was recorded in central England, where a female teenager lost her life in Warwickshire, local council officials confirmed.

    Two more deaths followed in quick succession in northern England’s Yorkshire region. On Monday, one teenage boy drowned in a local reservoir, police reported. By early Tuesday, emergency crews had recovered the body of a second teenage boy from a country park lake, bringing the total death toll to four over the period starting Sunday.

    The deaths come as the UK faces soaring temperatures that have driven thousands of people to seek relief in unofficial, unpatrolled inland water spots, which carry far higher safety risks than regulated public swimming facilities. Local safety officials have repeatedly warned the public of hidden dangers including cold water shock, uneven underwater terrain and strong hidden currents that can catch even experienced swimmers off guard during heatwaves.

  • Police hunt for ‘Chucky’ intensifies after second brother killed in August Town

    Police hunt for ‘Chucky’ intensifies after second brother killed in August Town

    After four years without a reported murder in the close-knit community of August Town, located in St Andrew, Jamaica, a shocking wave of violence has shattered the area’s hard-won peace. Over the course of one week, two brothers were killed in targeted attacks that local law enforcement says were ordered by a notorious wanted gang leader. Police have identified the suspected mastermind as Oshane Morris, who is known locally by the alias Chucky and has appeared on the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s most-wanted list for nearly a year.

    The second and most recent of the two killings took place in the pre-dawn darkness of last Saturday. When emergency responders and police arrived at the scene following reports of an structure fire on August Town Road, they made a grim discovery: the victim’s body, which bore multiple apparent gunshot wounds to the head, had been partially burned in the blaze set at the property. Authorities have not yet publicly released the identity of the Saturday victim, but have confirmed that both slain men are relatives of popular Jamaican reggae singer Etana.

    Shortly after the second killing, Etana took to her social media channels to sound the alarm about the targeted violence against her family. “My relatives are under attack in August Town. They have taken a second person this morning. He is mentally ill and they have burned my aunt’s shop to the ground,” the artist wrote in her public post, bringing international attention to the unrest in the community.

    In an interview with the Jamaica Observer on Monday, Superintendent Mark Harris, head of the St Andrew Central Police Division which has jurisdiction over August Town, confirmed that law enforcement has launched an intensive manhunt for Morris, and that officers remained deployed in the area as they worked to track down the suspect and restore public calm. “As we speak, I am in the area,” Harris stated.

    Harris explained that the two killings stem from a brewing gang conflict that erupted earlier this year in African Gardens, a small neighborhood within August Town. “The community has had two murders because we have a small section of August Town known as African Gardens, where a gang conflict emerged since the start of the year, leading to two brothers being killed. It is said that they were ordered to be killed by a wanted man who is a gang leader in the area named Chucky,” he explained.

    Despite a sustained heavy security presence in the community, including an active Zone of Special Operations (ZOSO) designation that grants expanded authorities to security forces, the perpetrators were still able to carry out the early morning attacks. “We have a lot of resources in the area and a zone of special operations is also in the area, but these men manage to do these things at nights. One of the brothers was killed at 4:00 am. In that incident, they lit the house and when the fellow ran out they shot him,” Harris detailed.

    Local residents have expressed shock at the end of August Town’s four-year period without homicide, and police are urging community members to come forward with any information that could help lead to Morris’ capture, while reassuring the public that every available resource is being deployed to prevent further violence.

  • Butterfly Parade against violence toward women set for June 6 in Salcedo

    Butterfly Parade against violence toward women set for June 6 in Salcedo

    In the Dominican Republic’s Hermanas Mirabal province, a major annual equestrian event uniting equestrian enthusiasts, social advocacy and tourism promotion is preparing to welcome more than 1,500 participants next month. The Butterfly Parade for Non-Violence Against Women, scheduled to kick off on the morning of June 6, is backed by three national government agencies: the Ministries of Sports, Tourism and Agriculture. It is organized by the province’s Office for the Development of Women.