Carib Scope

分类： society

  • Cheni Greene Wins Best Learning Experience Award at Caribbean Baking Awards

    Cheni Greene Wins Best Learning Experience Award at Caribbean Baking Awards

    The annual Caribbean Baking Awards, a prestigious event that celebrates excellence across the regional baking industry and highlights emerging talent in culinary arts, has named Cheni Greene as the 2024 recipient of its Best Learning Experience Award. The award recognizes Greene’s transformative journey through the Caribbean baking sector, where she turned a lifelong passion for traditional Caribbean baked goods into a structured, community-centered learning experience that has resonated with aspiring bakers across the region.

    Unlike technical awards that focus on final product quality, the Best Learning Experience Award honors individuals who have turned their personal baking journey into an educational resource for others. Greene, who launched her popular online and in-person workshop series three years ago, has centered her curriculum on preserving centuries-old Caribbean baking techniques, from making traditional jerk-spiced sourdough to classic coconut bread and festive black cake. What set her submission apart was her focus on inclusive learning: she offers sliding-scale tuition for low-income aspiring bakers and provides free digital recipe kits and tutorial videos to community centers across 12 Caribbean island nations.

    At the awards ceremony held in Kingston, Jamaica, judges praised Greene for creating a learning environment that prioritizes cultural preservation alongside skill development. “Cheni hasn’t just learned to bake incredible Caribbean food—she’s created a pathway for hundreds of young people to connect with their culinary heritage while building marketable skills,” said lead judge Maria Hernandez in her presentation of the award. Greene, in her acceptance speech, shared that she plans to use the award’s cash prize to expand her workshop program to include apprenticeships for youth in rural communities, where access to culinary training has long been limited.

    Industry analysts note that the award highlights a growing trend in the Caribbean food sector: increasing investment in educational initiatives that preserve culinary tradition while creating economic opportunities for small-scale producers. Greene’s win draws attention to the critical role that accessible, community-focused learning plays in sustaining the region’s unique baking heritage for future generations.

  • Police probe alleged kidnapping of girl, 15

    Police probe alleged kidnapping of girl, 15

    Law enforcement officers from Trinidad and Tobago’s Western Division have opened a formal investigation into a brutal alleged kidnapping and sexual assault targeting a 15-year-old minor, an incident that unfolded in the coastal community of Cocorite.

    According to official police accounts, the teenage victim was en route to a neighborhood mini-mart close to her residence on the day of the attack when she opted to cut her journey short by taking an isolated path behind a local building. It was in this secluded spot that she came face-to-face with an unknown male attacker.

    The first suspect, described by the victim as wearing a black athletic jersey and black three-quarter length jeans, grabbed the teen before forcefully dragging her to a waiting black sedan parked nearby. He then shoved her into the vehicle’s rear passenger seat, where a second accomplice was already positioned. That second man, clad in a white sleeveless vest and full-length white trousers, pinned the victim’s head down as the car pulled away and traveled to an undisclosed location.

    Within minutes of departing the original abduction site, the driver pulled the vehicle onto a neglected, abandoned plot of land. The man in the white vest then dragged the teenager out of the car and into a nearby derelict house, where he forced her to the ground and raped her, according to the victim’s official statement.

    After carrying out the assault, the two attackers returned the minor to their vehicle and drove her back to Cocorite, dropping her off near the area’s well-known walkover. Before fleeing the scene, the pair threatened the victim, warning her that she “better not tell nobody about this” to avoid retaliation.

    Terrified but unharmed in any other physical sense, the teenager walked straight home and immediately disclosed the full details of the attack to her father. The pair wasted no time in traveling to the St James Police Station to file an official report with authorities.

    Following the filing of the report, a female acting corporal named Durham escorted the victim to the St James Medical Centre, where she underwent a full forensic medical examination to collect evidence for the ongoing investigation. As of the latest update, no arrests have been announced, and detectives are continuing to canvass the area for witnesses and review any available surveillance footage that could help identify and apprehend the two attackers.

  • Police Investigating People who use Stolen Credit Cards to buy fete Tickets

    Police Investigating People who use Stolen Credit Cards to buy fete Tickets

    A major ticketing service has teamed up with law enforcement to crack down on a coordinated credit and debit card fraud scheme that illegally generated Carnival event tickets, in a move that signals a hardening stance against recurring ticketing fraud in the lead-up to popular seasonal celebrations.

    TickeTing, the regional ticketing platform at the center of the probe, confirmed Friday that it is collaborating with the local Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to unpack an alleged operation where bad actors have been leveraging stolen payment card data to purchase tickets for personal use, distribution to loved ones, and illegal resale.

    According to the company’s official public statement, investigators have spent weeks quietly tracking suspicious transaction patterns connected to specific individuals tied to the scheme. While past incidents of this nature have historically been resolved through internal, private actions that avoided formal law enforcement involvement, TickTing officials say the scale of this current operation warrants a full criminal inquiry. In a clear warning to anyone connected to the fraudulent activity, the platform emphasized that all tickets linked to the illegal scheme will be seized permanently.

    The penalties extend even to users who unknowingly obtained the illicit tickets: anyone who received tickets from the individuals under investigation, whether they paid for the entries or got them as a gift, will face immediate account blocks and confiscation of all associated tickets. While the blocks are in place, affected users will lose access to core account functions, including logging into their profiles, resetting passwords, transferring tickets to other users, or redeeming any existing tickets for event entry. Blocks will remain active until every individual case undergoes a full, personalized review to clarify the user’s level of involvement.

    TickeTing has issued an urgent call for any users who suspect they may have inadvertently received fraudulent Carnival tickets to reach out to the platform’s customer support team directly, or contact local CID investigators to report their situation. The platform also took the opportunity to remind the general public that payment card fraud is a serious criminal offense with lasting legal consequences, noting that modern digital tools and mobile tracking technologies allow law enforcement to trace suspects even when they attempt to hide their identity or physical location.

    Closing its statement, TickeTing wished attendees a safe and enjoyable conclusion to the 202X Carnival season, urging the public to remain vigilant against fraudulent ticketing scams amid the rush for event entry.

  • ‘Africans an endangered species’

    ‘Africans an endangered species’

    In a provocative, unflinching address to mark Emancipation Day, Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander has drawn widespread attention by declaring that people of African descent have become “an endangered species” — blaming internal cycles of violence, criminality and intergenerational neglect for the community’s ongoing stagnation nearly two centuries after the formal abolition of slavery.

    Delivering his remarks in a virtual presentation titled for his hard-hitting thesis, Alexander challenged the value of annual Emancipation Day observances, questioning whether the popular celebrations have translated to tangible, meaningful progress for African communities globally. He argued that far too many people remain trapped in what he described as a slave-era mentality that continues to hold the community back generations after emancipation.

    “ I have more questions than answers because why after so long we are celebrating Emancipation but still mentally we are still on that slave ship making that same trip,” Alexander told his online audience. He pressed community leaders and members to examine their own inaction, asking: “What are we doing differently to change the hearts and minds of our people, to richly educate them, prepare young men to be adults, to be fathers and women to be able to manage their career and their family at the same time? What are we doing?”

    Alexander pointed out a stark disconnect in how African identity is practiced: while communities proudly showcase their culture, heritage, traditional clothing, distinctive hairstyles and unique talents during Emancipation events, these values are rarely upheld consistently through the rest of the year. He also leveled criticism at individuals and organizations that he says only lean into public African identity when pursuing grants or financial backing, all while ignoring the deep-rooted structural and social issues eroding the community from within.

    Acknowledging that his blunt assessment would likely stir controversy and alienate some listeners, Alexander insisted that uncomfortable, honest dialogue is a necessary first step to drive change. “I know some of us will not be impressed with what I say because most African males do not have the testicular fortitude to say it. We are endangered species, not just young men but Africans on a whole whether we like it or not. And who is doing all of this? We. We are doing it to each other. So what really changed?”

    To illustrate the ongoing crisis facing young people in the community, Alexander shared a recent anecdote: he recently spoke with a 30-year-old man who had managed to secure stable employment, yet still saw his life derailed by addiction to drugs and exposure to gang violence — a case, he says, that proves systemic problems within the community continue to undermine individual progress.

  • SGES: UNESCO-waarschuwing moet keerpunt zijn voor historische binnenstad

    SGES: UNESCO-waarschuwing moet keerpunt zijn voor historische binnenstad

    One of South America’s most unique colonial urban heritage sites is facing an uncertain future, after UNESCO placed Paramaribo’s historic inner city on its roster of World Heritage in Danger. Suriname’s primary heritage conservation body, the Stichting Gebouwd Erfgoed Suriname (SGES), says the designation, while disappointing, could be the critical catalyst needed to reverse decades of inadequate protection for the iconic site.

    First inscribed on the regular UNESCO World Heritage List in 2002, Paramaribo’s inner city earned its protected status for two defining traits: it retains an almost completely intact 17th-19th century colonial urban planning grid, and it showcases one-of-a-kind traditional wooden architecture that blends European and Caribbean design influences. “When you compare the current street layout to 18th century maps, you’ll find barely any change to the city’s core structure,” SGES acting director Rachel Deekman explained in an interview with Suriname’s Communication Service (CDS) on Friday. “This unbroken continuity is what makes Paramaribo truly one-of-a-kind globally.”

    That irreplaceable outstanding universal value, however, has come under growing threat in recent years. The endangered listing was not an unexpected decision, Deekman emphasized. It followed a years-long process during which UNESCO repeatedly issued formal recommendations to address risks to the heritage site, few of which were implemented by local authorities and stakeholders. If damage to the site’s historic character continues unchecked, Deekman warned, Paramaribo faces the ultimate consequence of losing its UNESCO World Heritage status entirely.

    Two key threats top the list of concerns flagged by UNESCO and SGES. First is unregulated development that overruns restrictions on building height within the protected historic zone. UNESCO does not oppose progress or modernization, Deekman noted, but it requires all new construction to align with the low-rise character that defines Paramaribo’s historic cityscape. For generations, Paramaribo developed as a low-density city with no tall buildings – a signature trait that new projects have repeatedly violated in recent years. “UNESCO repeatedly called for changes to proposed designs and height limits for these developments, but those recommendations were never followed,” Deekman said.

    The second major threat is fire risk. Paramaribo’s historic wooden architecture has always been vulnerable to blaze, a lesson reinforced by two catastrophic city-wide fires in 1821 and 1832, and a major fire just last year that destroyed multiple historic structures. Every lost monument further erodes the site’s unique global value, Deekman added.

    Despite the disappointing turn of events that led to the endangered designation, SGES remains optimistic that the international wake-up call will prove to be a turning point. “It is regrettable that matters had to progress to this point, but we hope this designation will act as a much-needed stimulus to finally implement all required conservation measures,” Deekman said. The heritage foundation is calling for coordinated action from the national government, private property owners, and other relevant stakeholders to heed UNESCO’s warning, collaborate on addressing the identified threats, and preserve Paramaribo’s irreplaceable historic inner city for future generations.

  • UNDP and UEH sign an agreement to strengthen the psychosocial well-being of displaced persons

    UNDP and UEH sign an agreement to strengthen the psychosocial well-being of displaced persons

    Against a backdrop of surging armed violence that has displaced hundreds of thousands of Haitians and left deep trauma across affected communities, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Haiti’s State University (UEH) formalized a new partnership on July 31, 2026, to expand critical mental health and psychosocial support for displaced people and host communities in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. The two institutions signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the initiative, which operates under the umbrella of the South Korea-funded Rekonekte project.

    Decades of escalating gang violence in Haiti has turned everyday life upside down for millions of residents, forcing more than 300,000 people to abandon their homes to seek safety in displacement camps or informal host communities across the Port-au-Prince region. While international attention has often focused on addressing immediate material needs like food, shelter, and medical care, leaders from both institutions note that unaddressed psychosocial trauma from violence and forced displacement has emerged as a silent crisis affecting all demographics, from young children to older adults.

    Under the terms of the new partnership, UEH will leverage its decades of academic expertise in psychology, social work, and community engagement to design and deliver locally rooted support services, while also building long-term national capacity for mental health care across the country. Ronald Jean-Jacques, the initiative’s coordinator at UEH, outlined the project’s scope during a virtual presentation, explaining that all programming will follow a evidence-based protocol already tested and proven effective by UEH teams across Haiti. Services will be delivered by a trained team of psychologists, social workers, and on-the-ground field supervisors, with direct outreach to displacement camps in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.

    Jean-Jacques emphasized that the project’s core mission goes beyond traditional clinical care: it aims to create safe, welcoming spaces where displaced people can process their trauma, rebuild a sense of self-worth, and kickstart personal and collective healing. Programming will take diverse, accessible forms to meet communities where they are, including peer discussion groups, targeted trauma rehabilitation sessions, creative sociocultural activities that leverage storytelling, art, music, dance, and nature connection, all designed to help survivors understand their trauma and build practical coping skills for long-term mental well-being. “When we went into the field, the people clearly shared their needs with us,” Jean-Jacques said. “Beyond material assistance, they expressed the urgent need for psychosocial support to cope with the trauma caused by violence and forced displacement.”

    Xavier Michon, UNDP’s Resident Representative in Haiti, framed the partnership as a deliberate rejection of fatalism about Haiti’s crisis, rooted in the organization’s core belief that progress is possible even amid unprecedented challenges. “We refuse to accept this as inevitable. We refuse to believe that there is no way out for Haiti. We are convinced that, despite the challenges, it is possible to move forward,” Michon said.

    He also highlighted the unique dual value of the university-led partnership: the model gives emerging psychology students at UEH the chance to gain hands-on field experience serving their own communities, while building a sustainable local workforce for future mental health programming. For UNDP, the initiative will also serve as a critical learning opportunity to inform larger-scale recovery and reintegration programs for violence-affected populations across Haiti. Michon stressed that the project is just a first, vital step rather than a full solution to Haiti’s overlapping crises, noting “It is only a beginning, but it is an important one. We will dedicate our full commitment to it as an organization, and I know that we will do it together.”

    UEH Rector Dieuseul Prédélus reaffirmed the university’s longstanding commitment to placing academic expertise and research at the service of Haiti’s most pressing national development challenges. He extended gratitude to partners including the Haitian Psychological Association, UEH’s Faculty of Ethnology, Faculty of Humanities, and all university staff who continue to deliver public-facing programming under extremely difficult security and operational conditions. Through this new partnership, Prédélus noted, UEH is reaffirming its mission to connect science, education, and community service to support Haitian people amid ongoing crisis.

  • ABEA to Host Annual Prayer-Cade on Emancipation Day

    ABEA to Host Annual Prayer-Cade on Emancipation Day

    As communities across Antigua and Barbuda prepare to mark Emancipation Day 2024, the Antigua Barbuda Evangelical Alliance (ABEA) has finalized plans for its signature annual observance: the Prayer-Cade, a faith-focused procession that blends public worship with national reflection. This year’s gathering will kick off at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 2, with participants assembling at the iconic Old Parliament Building before setting off on a cross-island motorcade.

    Unlike standard parades or processions, the Prayer-Cade is designed to bring intercommunal prayer to every corner of the nation. Organizers have planned multiple stops at neighborhoods and population centers across the island, where participants will lead collective prayers for the people, institutions, and future prosperity of Antigua and Barbuda. Rooted in the annual commemoration of Emancipation Day, the event carries dual meaning: honoring the historical legacy of emancipation while uniting people of faith across the country in a shared mission of spiritual support.

    ABEA has issued an open invitation to all segments of local society, encouraging congregations from every church, family groups, and individual members of the public to join the procession. Event organizers note that the Prayer-Cade fills a unique role in the nation’s Emancipation Day calendar, providing an opportunity for people to express their faith publicly while lifting up the needs of local communities across the island. For anyone seeking additional details about registration, route information, or participation guidelines, organizers can be reached directly at two contact numbers: (268) 781-2899 and (268) 725-0282.

  • Flow Makes Carnival Dreams Come True for Latest “We Live For This” Summer Campaign Winner

    Flow Makes Carnival Dreams Come True for Latest “We Live For This” Summer Campaign Winner

    For many people, a trip to a world-famous carnival is a long-held dream that feels just out of reach — too expensive, too far, too packed into a busy schedule to ever become a reality. But this summer, one lucky winner got to watch that years-old fantasy turn into an unforgettable real-life experience, thanks to Flow’s popular annual “We Live For This” summer campaign.

    Flow, a brand built around connecting with community members and celebrating life’s most joyful moments, launched the “We Live For This” campaign earlier this year with a clear mission: to give ordinary people the chance to check a long-coveted experience off their bucket lists. Thousands of participants from across the country submitted their own personal dream experiences, sharing stories of why the specific event or trip meant so much to them. After weeks of public voting and careful judging by the campaign’s organizing committee, the winner was selected for their heartfelt story about a lifelong desire to attend the iconic carnival.

    In the lead-up to the trip, the brand arranged every detail to tailor the experience to the winner’s preferences, from secured event passes to accommodation and curated activities that aligned with what the winner had described in their entry. When the winner arrived at the carnival, they were able to immerse themselves in the vibrant parades, live performances, savory street food, and electric atmosphere that make the event famous around the globe.

    Campaign organizers say the “We Live For This” initiative is more than just a promotional contest — it’s a way for Flow to reaffirm its commitment to putting customers’ dreams first. “We created this campaign because we believe that everyone deserves a chance to experience the things that make life feel rich and meaningful,” said a Flow spokesperson in a statement following the trip. “Seeing this winner’s reaction when their dream came alive is exactly why we do this. It’s not just about giving away a prize; it’s about creating memories that last a lifetime.”

    Local community members have praised the campaign for its focus on personal, meaningful experiences over generic giveaways, and organizers have already confirmed that the program will return next summer, giving more people the chance to share their own dreams and potentially see them fulfilled.

  • Saint Lucia loses respected business leader Evaristus Jn Marie

    Saint Lucia loses respected business leader Evaristus Jn Marie

    The Caribbean nation of Saint Lucia is mourning the loss of one of its most prominent cross-sector leaders, Evaristus Jn Marie, who passed away Friday at 67 after a period of illness that was never publicly disclosed.

    Over a professional career that stretched across more than 30 years, Jn Marie built a reputation as a steady, respected leader across both private business and national public institutions. At the time of his death, he held multiple critical leadership posts: he served as chairman of two major national entities, the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) and the Bank of Saint Lucia. He also held a board seat at the East Caribbean Financial Holding Company Ltd, acted as managing director for his family’s enterprise Jn Marie & Sons Ltd., and served as a board director for the Saint Lucia Electricity Services Limited, widely known as LUCELEC.

    Beyond his corporate and institutional roles, Jn Marie emerged as a leading voice for the island’s fuel retail sector during his tenure as president of the Saint Lucia Petroleum Dealers Association. He regularly stepped into the public eye to advocate on behalf of local petroleum retailers, particularly during policy and pricing debates that directly impacted the sector’s stability and the livelihoods of its operators.

    Jn Marie also dedicated years to formal public service, serving as an independent senator before rising to the position of Deputy President of the Senate of Saint Lucia.

    Following the announcement of his passing, tributes have poured in from across the island’s political and business communities. Among those paying respects is House Speaker Claudius Francis, a lifelong friend of Jn Marie and a former classmate from St Mary’s College. Francis remembered Jn Marie not just as a respected leader, but as a trusted confidant whose commitment to serving the Saint Lucian public went far beyond the titles he held.

    In a written tribute, Francis noted: “He gave himself to public service with a seriousness that marked him as a man of immense value.”

    Francis reflected on Jn Marie’s consistent willingness to answer calls to serve his country, highlighting that his guidance was always steady, his loyalty to the people of Saint Lucia never wavered, and his leadership was never motivated by personal acclaim. Instead, Francis emphasized, Jn Marie’s work was driven by a core goal: to ensure that every institution he served operated in the best interest of the Saint Lucian public.

  • Protest SDE residents complain of blackouts and high bills: “We have to fan ourselves with our hands”

    Protest SDE residents complain of blackouts and high bills: “We have to fan ourselves with our hands”

    On a tense Thursday night in Santo Domingo Este, dozens of families from the Cayenas and Amalia neighborhoods took to a major city intersection to stage an impassioned demonstration against ongoing, extensive power outages they blame on the Eastern Electricity Distribution Company (Edeeste). Gathered at the crossing of Coronel Rafael Tomás Fernández Domínguez Avenue and Freddy Beras Goico Street, protesters made their frustration heard through the rhythmic clanging of pots and pans and loud, unified chants, turning a routine public intersection into a stage for widespread public discontent.

    Many residents expressed that the cumulative strain of weeks of unreliable power service has finally pushed their communities past the breaking point. “We’re fed up, we can’t stand this anymore. We pay a lot for electricity here and we have no peace and quiet at any time,” one local protester stated publicly as the clamor of banging cookware echoed across the intersection. For residents enduring sweltering summer heat, the outages have created an unlivable daily situation: multiple protesters confirmed that many households have gone multiple days without enough power to run even basic cooling appliances.

    “We don’t sleep; we haven’t slept for three days. We have to fan ourselves with our hands,” one female protester explained. She added one of the most contentious details fueling public anger: even with days of no power service, residential electricity bills still arrive with exorbitant, sky-high charges that families are forced to pay regardless of the lack of service.

    Multiple community members described the ongoing crisis as a recurring nightmare that has upended daily life for working-class families in the area, and called on national Dominican authorities to step in and address the long-running problem. “Government, we are yours. Please, help us. We’re not sleeping. Electricity is incredibly expensive, up to 30,000 pesos, and when you go to Protecom (the Consumer Protection Office for electricity), you lose; you always have to pay,” a frustrated housewife told local journalist Harrison de Mora in a video recorded at the protest.

    Another resident, holding his young child in his arms as he spoke, echoed the widespread despair among local households: “We are tired. The worst nightmare of all time has arrived. What a national tragedy. The pain has returned.”

    As the demonstration progressed, protesters set fire to old tires in the street to draw more attention to their cause, prompting an immediate response from local law enforcement, with multiple National Police patrols deployed to the site to monitor the unrest. As of this report, Edeeste has not released any official statement responding to the complaints and grievances raised by the protesting residents.