Decades of uncertainty over property ownership for thousands of long-term public housing tenants in Barbados have moved closer to resolution, following new legislation passed by national lawmakers that clears the way for full legal transfer of occupied National Housing Corporation (NHC) units, though residents continue to voice frustration over lingering delays.\n\nThe long-running push to grant ownership to eligible long-term tenants gained formal legislative backing in May this year, when Parliament approved the State (Acquisition and Vesting of Property) Act. The legislation, designed to cut through years of crippling administrative backlogs, paves the way for 3,892 long-term NHC tenants to become official homeowners, with upper house senators hailing the law as a long-overdue reform expected to deliver sweeping social benefits. The measure covers nine major housing estates across the country: Deacons Farm, Grazettes, Fernihurst, Wildey, Bonnetts, Golden Acre, Silver Hill, Gall Hill and Wotton.\n\nIn an update on the programme’s rollout, NHC General Manager Ian Gill confirmed that progress is already visible in the initial distribution phases. To date, nearly 500 households across the first two allocation batches have successfully taken full ownership of their properties through the initiative.\n\nThe government’s scheme builds on the existing Twenty-Year Programme, a policy that grants full legal ownership to NHC tenants who have continuously rented their units for 20 years or more and met all eligibility criteria. For many qualifying residents, however, the promise of ownership has remained unfulfilled for more than a decade, leaving them grappling with serious practical and financial barriers.\n\nWithout official title deeds, many households cannot leverage their property as collateral for loans, unlock equity for home improvements or development, or formalize inheritance arrangements after the death of a property occupant. One long-term Deacons Farm resident, who has waited more than 10 years for her title, shared her experience following her mother’s death: despite having lived in the home her entire life, she was still required to produce formal legal proof of ownership to secure rights to the property. “When my mother got the keys for this house, she put them in my hand. I was the first one to open this door, and to this day I am still waiting for papers,” she said, adding that without formal documentation, she cannot even access basic banking services that rely on property proof.\n\nOther residents have pointed to a pattern of broken political promises around the title transfer process. Multiple residents reported that electoral candidates routinely pledge fast-tracked title deeds during campaign periods to win votes, only for the process to stall immediately after elections conclude. “When election time comes, they bring a piece of paper telling you that they will give it to you after the election in a couple of weeks or months, but it never happens. It is empty promises, and that has been going on for four or five elections now,” one long-term tenant explained, adding that every change in NHC leadership requires residents to restart the entire application process from scratch.\n\nGill acknowledged the frustration among waiting residents but sought to reassure them that the administrative process is moving forward, stressing that legal property transfers require thorough, deliberate oversight to avoid errors. “Everybody across Barbados who has been approved under the twenty-year programme will eventually receive their houses,” he said. “Whatever the legislation states, they will receive their houses. It is only a matter of time. Everything takes time, especially where legal work is concerned.”\n\nWhen asked to address separate resident concerns about the Grotto housing complex, Gill declined to comment on the record but invited local outlet Barbados TODAY to tour the site to observe ongoing work. During the outlet’s visit, two construction cranes were on site carrying out tree removal, and residents reported that the work is part of a broader estate beautification project that will include power-washing and repainting building exteriors, as well as cleaning up common green spaces and grounds.
分类： society
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Pokie: 300 woningen Voorburg en Reeberg nog dit jaar gereed
On August 19, Social Affairs and Housing Minister Diana Pokie led the official cornerstone-laying ceremony for a new affordable housing development in Voorburg, Suriname, marking a key milestone in the national Affordable Housing Project (AHP) that aims to deliver 300 completed homes to low- and middle-income households before the end of the current year.
The initiative splits the 300 units evenly across two districts: 150 homes will be constructed in Voorburg, located in Commewijne, and an equal number will be built in Reeberg, Wanica. In her remarks at the ceremony, Minister Pokie emphasized that all units available through this phase of the project are already reserved for applicants who registered for the program prior to construction restart. No new applications are being accepted for this round of housing allocations, she confirmed. Selected beneficiaries are required to contribute a personal down payment of 135,000 Surinamese dollars to secure their home.
Two private construction firms have been contracted to deliver all 300 units, in a public-private partnership overseen by the AHP’s dedicated Project Implementation Unit. The initiative is carried out in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank, which provides funding and project governance support. All allocations will follow pre-established eligibility criteria set out in the project’s official framework, with no adjustments to selection rules for this phase.
Minister Pokie acknowledged that the AHP has faced prolonged challenges in past years, with a very low implementation rate and significant delays long before the current administration took office. Since the new government came to power, she said, targeted policy interventions and dedicated resources have been deployed to speed up construction progress. “When this administration took office, the project’s completion rate was extremely low. Through focused efforts, we have pushed the project forward at a much faster pace, so that these homes can be made available to selected families as quickly as possible,” Pokie stated.
The minister also openly acknowledged that this 300-unit phase will not come close to meeting the overall unmet demand for affordable housing across Suriname. To address the country’s growing housing deficit, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing is actively exploring additional pathways to expand national housing supply, including new partnerships between the public sector and private developers to launch additional affordable housing projects in coming years.
If current construction timelines hold, all 300 units in Voorburg and Reeberg will be completed and ready for occupancy by the end of the year, delivering much-needed housing solutions to hundreds of Surinamese families that have waited years for their new homes.
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Man remanded on assisting offender charge
A 34-year-old resident of Christ Church, Barbados, has been ordered into pre-trial detention at Dodds Prison following an initial court appearance this week, as he faces four criminal charges ranging from assisting a person who escaped custody to multiple driving violations.
Miguel Rico Ranaldo Daniel, a general laborer based in the Thornbury Hill neighborhood, made his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon before acting Chief Magistrate Douglas Frederick in District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court No. 1. All four charges against him stem from alleged incidents that took place on August 16.
The most serious charge accuses Daniel of intentionally assisting 29-year-old Tyrese Farrell, who authorities say had already fled lawful custody at the time of the incident. Prosecutors claim that, with full knowledge of Farrell’s escape, Daniel provided unauthorized aid by driving Farrell in a private motor vehicle. Three additional traffic offenses were also laid out in court: failing to pull over as far to the left side of Church Hill Road as required when an emergency police vehicle with activated siren approached, driving without proper care along Evergreen Road, and operating his vehicle without reasonable consideration for the safety of other road users.
At Wednesday’s hearing, no formal pleas were entered on Daniel’s behalf for any of the charges. Prosecution representative Sergeant Victoria Leacock formally objected to Daniel being granted bail ahead of his next court appearance. Leacock argued that Daniel posed a flight risk, pointing out that after police intercepted the vehicle he was driving, he left the scene immediately and avoided immediate arrest.
Defense attorney Damien Sands pushed back against the prosecution’s claims, telling the court his client’s account of the incident differs substantially from the prosecution’s version. According to Sands, Daniel actually pulled his vehicle over and stayed in the car after hearing the police siren, and officers never approached him to take him into custody at that time. The defense lawyer further emphasized that Daniel holds steady full-time employment in the area and has no prior criminal record matching the severity of the current charges. Sands formally requested that the court grant Daniel bail with appropriate, court-monitored conditions to ensure his appearance at future hearings.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Chief Magistrate Frederick ordered Daniel remanded to Dodds Prison. The case has been transferred to the Oistins Magistrates’ Court, where Daniel is scheduled to make his next appearance on Thursday, with formal bail arguments and plea proceedings expected to move forward at that time.
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‘Who dropped the ball?’ Police grilled on St Omer case
A tense standoff unfolded between reporters and senior leadership of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) at a Wednesday press conference, as journalists pressed officials over the handling of the high-profile Joy St Omer killing and responded to the victim’s family’s demand for an independent public inquiry into systemic gaps in the country’s response to gender-based violence.
The confrontation came one day after St Omer’s family revealed they had submitted a formal petition to Saint Lucia’s Governor General, requesting the creation of a formal commission of inquiry. The probe would not target the question of who killed St Omer — a criminal trial for that case is already underway — but would instead examine the failures of state systems that failed to protect St Omer despite her repeated pleas for intervention before her death. Specifically, the family wants a review of how domestic violence protection orders are monitored and enforced, how critical case information is shared across police, court, and prosecution agencies, and whether frontline institutions have sufficient resources and training to respond to gender-based violence threats.
Opening the press briefing, Acting Superintendent Annanthar Wilson, head of RSLPF’s Central Division, offered formal condolences to the St Omer family and acknowledged the legitimacy of their right to demand institutional reform and an independent inquiry. “I extend my sincere condolences to the family of the late Joy St Omer,” Wilson stated. “I acknowledge the concerns raised by the family and I respect the right of the family to advocate for reforms and for the call for a Commission of Inquiry.”
Wilson clarified that under Saint Lucia’s existing Commissions of Inquiry Act, the power to convene such an inquiry lies exclusively with the Governor General, not the police force. She added that if a commission is ultimately appointed, the RSLPF would commit to full transparency and complete cooperation with the probe. “Should one be appointed, we will give it our full support; we’ll cooperate and give the assistance wherever required,” she said. Until the Governor General makes a decision, Wilson noted, the force would not comment on whether the family’s request is ultimately justified.
But journalists quickly shifted the conversation to pressing, unresolved questions about the police’s own actions after St Omer’s death, starting with whether the force had launched an internal review to identify gaps in its response, given the family’s confirmation that St Omer had reached out to authorities for help multiple times before she was killed. Wilson admitted she could not confirm whether any targeted internal review had been completed, though she noted that agencies involved in the case had likely held informal discussions about process improvements to prevent similar tragedies and improve response protocols across police units and stations.
Reporters next pressed Wilson on the controversial bail decision for St Omer’s accused killer, who was released on bail less than one month before her death — even after prosecutors at the lower Magistrate’s Court had formally opposed bail. Journalist Dale Elliot questioned why the opposition to bail put forward by police prosecutors at the lower court did not carry over to the High Court bail hearing. “I cannot give a definitive answer,” Wilson responded, “but I can say that there are circumstances where lack of communication causes circumstances like that to happen.” She quickly walked back the implication, adding that she was not confirming that a communication breakdown had occurred in the St Omer case specifically.
As the questioning grew more intense, RSLPF Commissioner Verne Garde stepped in to address the bail questions. He explained that procedural rules shift once a case moves from the lower Magistrate’s Court to the High Court: while police prosecutors handle matters at the lower court level, all prosecutorial authority transfers to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) once a case is elevated. “When a case is elevated to the High Court, the matter is transferred to the direction of the Director of Public Prosecutions,” Garde said, noting that questions about the High Court bail decision should be directed to DPP Daasrean Greene instead of the police.
That answer did little to defuse tensions, with reporters pressing Garde on who bore responsibility for the conflicting stances on bail that ultimately allowed the suspect to be released before the killing. “The fallout from somebody not doing their job was a life,” Elliot said, repeating his question about why bail was not opposed at the higher court. Garde stuck to his position that the question was outside the police force’s remit and should be directed to the DPP.
When reporters followed up by asking whether the RSLPF accepted any responsibility for St Omer’s death, Garde referred back to a previous police press conference that published a full timeline of the force’s involvement in the case. “In my view, the police played the role that they were required to play,” he said. When pressed directly to answer who was responsible for the failures that led to St Omer’s death, Garde repeated that the police had fulfilled all required obligations in the case.
The press conference clash comes amid growing public scrutiny of Saint Lucia’s state institutions over their repeated failures to protect survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. St Omer’s mother Bertillia St Omer confirmed earlier this week that her daughter had reached out for help to multiple police stations, court bodies, and other state agencies, and had already secured a formal protection order against her accused killer at the time of her death. In a final question, reporters asked whether officers assigned to the RSLPF’s Vulnerable Persons Unit receive specialized training to handle domestic violence cases, with police officials confirming that all officers across the force have completed required training for this work.
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Newton Urges Businesses Not to Buy Suspected Stolen Goat Meat
Rising incidents of goat theft have pushed a local senator to launch a public appeal targeting food sellers and consumers, urging them to cut off the illegal market that sustains rampant livestock theft across the region.
Senator Lamin Newton made this targeted call to action during a recent taping of the popular public affairs radio show *Beneath the Surface*, where he shared insights from a recent conversation with a local livestock farmer that underscored the severity of the ongoing crisis. According to Newton, the farmer described goat theft as an increasingly unmanageable problem that has devastated the livelihoods of small-scale agricultural producers.
In his appeal, Newton laid out clear guidance for restaurants, mobile weekend food vendors, and retail shop owners: any time an unfamiliar seller offering goat meat cannot prove they own a farm or raise livestock themselves, buyers should refuse the transaction. “Do not encourage the thieves by buying any sort of goat meat from people who you know have no farm and don’t raise goats,” he emphasized during the interview.
Newton explained that continued demand for this cheap, potentially stolen goat meat creates a profitable cycle that keeps thieves returning to target vulnerable farming operations. Thieves rely on a steady, willing market to offload their stolen animals, so every purchase of unconfirmed goat meat sends a signal that this criminal activity will be rewarded. “When you do that, you are encouraging them because they can come back again and keep coming back,” he added.
The senator also pushed for greater public empathy for the hardships farmers face after falling victim to livestock theft. Raising goats requires months of consistent labor, significant upfront investment in feed, shelter, and care, and a long-term commitment to growing a sustainable product. When thieves steal an entire herd or flock of goats, they do not just steal property — they wipe out months of work and leave families that depend on agricultural income facing severe financial strain. Newton urged businesses and consumers to practice perspective-taking before purchasing cheap goat meat from unknown sellers: “Put yourself in the place of the farmers who work hard and raise their animals just to have somebody come in, steal it and come and sell it to you at a reduced price.”
According to Newton, widespread refusal to buy suspected stolen goat meat is one of the most accessible and effective forms of collective action to combat livestock theft. Rather than leaving enforcement entirely to law enforcement, everyday people and local business owners can directly undermine the financial incentive for this crime by closing off the illegal market. “Protest against it by not buying it,” he stated. He went on to argue that by publicly making it clear they will not purchase meat or animals obtained through theft, buyers can eliminate the profit motive that drives repeated theft incidents, ultimately reducing the frequency of this harmful crime against small-scale farmers.
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Senator Newton Calls for More Neighbourhood Watch Groups Across Antigua and Barbuda
As Antigua and Barbuda grapples with persistent challenges of violent crime, senior legislator Senator Lamin Newton is pushing for widespread community action, calling on residential groups across the twin-island nation to launch and expand neighborhood watch initiatives as a core pillar of the country’s anti-crime strategy.
Speaking during an interview on the popular local current affairs radio show *Beneath the Surface*, Newton outlined that collective public participation is just as critical to crime reduction as official law enforcement operations. He emphasized that local residents hold a unique advantage in spotting out-of-the-ordinary activity in their own neighborhoods, a vantage point that no external police patrol can fully replicate.
“What I’m calling on communities to do is to get more neighborhood watches going,” Newton told listeners. “That is a part of crime-fighting as well.”
Newton laid out a clear action plan for residents: any time an individual observes behavior that feels suspicious or out of place, they must not stay silent. Instead, they should immediately reach out to local police to share details and alert nearby neighbors to the potential risk. These simple, proactive steps, he argued, act as a powerful deterrent to criminal groups that rely on community inaction and silence to operate undetected.
A core point of Newton’s message pushed back against the common narrative that crime mitigation falls exclusively to the country’s top leadership and law enforcement bodies. He stressed that crime and violence are not problems that can be solved by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, the national Cabinet, police departments, or other law enforcement agencies working alone.
“The issue of crime and violence is a national issue,” he said. “It’s an issue that requires the collaboration of the entire country so that we can address the situation.”
In addition to calling for cross-sector collaboration, Newton urged political leaders and citizens alike to set aside partisan divisions when discussing public safety. He argued that the security of communities is far too critical a priority to be turned into a political football, and that meaningful progress can only be achieved when people work together across party lines.
When fully implemented, Newton explained, coordinated neighborhood watch partnerships between residents and police will strengthen layered community surveillance, streamline the flow of intelligence between the public and law enforcement, and create an environment where criminal actors can no longer operate in the shadows. Newton’s remarks came during a broader on-air discussion covering multiple pressing public safety topics, including rising gun violence, sentencing reform, and the ongoing need for aligned action between government institutions, law enforcement, and everyday citizens to protect residential communities across the country.
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DYEC Talent Hunt 2026 to showcase young Dominican talent
A promising new initiative centered on nurturing young Dominican talent is set to kick off later this month, as the Dominica Young Entrepreneurs Club (DYEC) reaches out to the local community for broad public support. The organization’s upcoming flagship event, Talent Hunt 2026, is crafted specifically to create a accessible, high-energy stage for young people to display their unique skills, original creative visions, and long-term personal and professional aspirations.
In an official press announcement shared by DYEC, the event will feature a dynamic lineup of performances spanning multiple art forms, from soulful music and high-energy dance to side-splitting comedy and other crowd-pleasing entertainment genres. Alongside emerging young contestants, established local entertainers and community performance groups—including the well-known Sisserou Singers—will also take the stage to add to the event’s festive atmosphere. A curated panel of experienced judges will evaluate contestants throughout the showcase, providing valuable feedback and recognition for standout acts.
This annual talent showcase is far more than a one-night entertainment event, DYEC leadership emphasizes: it is a core reflection of the organization’s long-standing mission to drive holistic youth development across the island. All of DYEC’s work is guided by the foundational belief that “The Youth Is Our Greatest Investment,” a principle that shapes every program and initiative the club runs.
Beyond spotlighting young talent, Talent Hunt 2026 serves a critical fundraising purpose for DYEC’s ongoing community programs. These ongoing initiatives provide vulnerable and aspiring young people across Dominica with a comprehensive suite of support, including one-on-one mentorship, professional skills training, entrepreneurial capacity building, strategic business guidance, and targeted psychosocial assistance—with a particular focus on supporting at-risk youth populations.
Event organizers explain that all proceeds from ticket sales and community donations will go directly toward sustaining and expanding these impactful programs, while also giving competing young people a chance to gain valuable public exposure, receive encouragement for their craft, and connect with community supporters invested in their success.
“Purchasing a ticket to Talent Hunt 2026 means you’re doing far more than reserving a spot for an entertaining night out,” organizers shared in their statement. “You’re directly contributing to a movement that builds pathways to opportunity, nurtures untapped young potential, and invests in the long-term development of the next generation of Dominica’s leaders and creators.”
DYEC is encouraging community members of all ages to attend the event with family and friends, turn out to cheer on the competing young contestants, and add their support to this island-wide effort to lift up local youth.
Mark your calendars: DYEC Talent Hunt 2026 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 22, 2026, beginning at 5:00 PM at The Factory, located on Valley Road in Roseau.
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Mother renews call for justice two years after death of 15-year-old Achazia James
For Asabi Charles, two full years have passed since her 15-year-old daughter Achazia James – known affectionately to her family as KayKay – lost her life, and still, the fundamental answers her family craves remain out of reach.
August 18 marked the second anniversary of the teen’s passing, a day Charles used to honor her daughter’s vibrant life, mourn the future that was stolen from her, and highlight the ongoing lack of accountability that continues to haunt her entire family. If Achazia had survived, she would now be 17 years old, on the cusp of either advancing to post-secondary education or stepping into the working world. With the recent release of Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results across the region, Charles said her grief felt especially sharp, as she could not stop imagining what milestones her daughter might have hit this year.
In an open letter shared to mark the anniversary, Charles laid bare the unresolved pain her family carries every day. “Still… no justice. Still no one held accountable. Still questions that remain unanswered,” she wrote. The mother explained that over two years, grief has become a quiet, constant companion as she navigates ordinary life, caring for her other children and taking part in the joys of loved ones around her.
In a striking act of resilience, Charles revealed she has already forgiven the person responsible for her daughter’s death – but that forgiveness has done nothing to dim her demand for full accountability. “It simply means I refuse to allow whoever took your life to take the rest of mine too,” she explained. Her deep-rooted Christian faith, she added, has become a lifeline that has helped her process the loss and hold onto hope that the full truth of her daughter’s death will eventually come to light.
Charles remembered Achazia as a spirited teen with a love for sports, a deep devotion to her friends, a naturally caring personality, and big dreams for her own future. She is determined that her daughter will not be reduced to the circumstances of her death, but remembered for the bright young person she was in life.
As the second anniversary passed, Charles reaffirmed that the passage of time has not eroded her commitment to seeking answers. “Still standing. Still praying. Still saying your name. Still loving you. Still fighting for you,” she wrote. She closed her message with a tender reaffirmation of her endless love for her daughter, and her unshakable belief that justice will one day be served.
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Residents protest in Licey al Medio demanding justice for Carolay Taveras
On Wednesday, widespread public demonstrations broke out across two communities in the Dominican Republic, as hundreds of local residents rallied to demand accountability for the death of 25-year-old Carolay Taveras Morel, who was killed in an alleged premeditated vehicle attack that is currently the focus of an official manhunt.
Residents from Licey al Medio and Moca, joined by the victim’s family members, friends and other supporters, took to one of the region’s busiest thoroughfares to voice their anger. Protesters set fire to tires and blocked Duarte Highway at the key crossing connecting Licey al Medio and Canca la Reina, bringing vehicle movement through the high-traffic corridor to a standstill and creating major travel disruptions that impacted commuters and commercial traffic across the area for hours.
Preliminary law enforcement accounts outline a violent chain of events leading up to Taveras Morel’s death. The victim was reportedly in the company of a second young person when a verbal dispute erupted between the pair and the alleged suspect, Darlin Martínez Ulloa, who is known locally by the alias “Darlyn Zaza.” Investigators say that following the altercation, Martínez Ulloa allegedly got behind the wheel of his vehicle and deliberately ran over both Taveras Morel and her companion, before immediately fleeing the scene to avoid capture.
Emergency responders rushed both victims to local medical facilities, but Taveras Morel succumbed to her critical injuries shortly after arrival. The second victim remains in hospital care for their injuries, and law enforcement has not released any public update on their current condition as of Thursday.
The Dominican National Police has formally named Martínez Ulloa as the prime suspect in the killing and has already secured an official arrest warrant from judicial authorities. Active search operations are currently ongoing across the region to locate the suspect and take him into custody. Law enforcement units were also deployed to the protest site to maintain public order, clear the blocked highway to resume traffic flow, and prevent any escalation of confrontation between demonstrators and local residents.
In a public statement issued amid the demonstrations, officials have called on Martínez Ulloa to voluntarily surrender to authorities through established legal channels, rather than force law enforcement to extend the manhunt. Protesters, meanwhile, have made clear they will not end their public demonstrations until the suspect is apprehended and a full, transparent investigation into the killing is completed. They emphasized that they will continue blocking key infrastructure and staging public actions to demand full justice for Taveras Morel.
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Jet Set Justice Movement calls Jalao “Antonio Espaillat’s second Jet Set”
Nearly three months after the deadliest crowd disaster in Dominican Republic’s history claimed 236 lives at the Jet Set entertainment venue, grieving relatives and surviving victims gathered for a peaceful demonstration of remembrance and demand on Wednesday. The vigil took place outside Jalao, a popular nightlife spot located in the heart of Santo Domingo’s historic Colonial City, where participants carried hand-held candles and framed photographs of their lost loved ones to honor those who perished in the 2025 disaster.
Organized under the banner of the Jet Set Justice Movement, attendees drew a direct connection between Jalao and Antonio Espaillat, the businessman at the center of the ongoing legal investigation into the Jet Set collapse. Movement representatives labeled Jalao “Antonio Espaillat’s second Jet Set,” pointing out that the venue shares identical core functions with the ill-fated Jet Set: it hosts large-scale public gatherings, live musical performances, dance events, and on-site alcohol sales, operating as a major nightlife destination for locals and visitors alike.
According to timeline details shared by the movement, Jalao temporarily suspended operations on April 11, 2025, just three days after the catastrophic Jet Set tragedy unfolded. However, the venue was allowed to reopen its doors to the public barely three weeks later, on May 3, 2025, and immediately resumed hosting high-attendance events and live entertainment. This rapid return to full operation has raised sharp questions from victim families, who are challenging how an individual facing ongoing criminal investigation and formal legal proceedings tied to the country’s deadliest civilian disaster could retain the ability to operate a second, similar entertainment venue.
The core demand of the gathering extends beyond regulatory scrutiny of Jalao: participants are calling on Dominican national and local authorities to release full, public documentation of all safety inspections, operating permits, approved maximum occupancy levels, emergency evacuation blueprints, and ongoing safety control protocols that have been applied to Jalao both before its initial closure and following its May reopening. Throughout the demonstration, participants maintained a peaceful posture, with no reports of clashes, property damage, or disruptions to local activity. Movement leaders emphasized that their primary goal is not protest for protest’s sake, but to secure greater institutional transparency and ironclad guarantees that a disaster of this catastrophic scale will never be repeated in the Dominican Republic.