Carib Scope

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  • Barbuda Successfully Completes Tsunami Ready Exercise and Public Awareness Activity

    Barbuda Successfully Completes Tsunami Ready Exercise and Public Awareness Activity

    The small Caribbean island of Barbuda has wrapped up a three-day, comprehensive tsunami preparedness drill that marks a critical milestone in its quest to earn the globally recognized Tsunami Ready designation from UNESCO. Held between May 26 and 28, the exercise was spearheaded by Antigua and Barbuda’s National Office of Disaster Services (NODS), and drew cross-sector collaboration from local educational institutions, government disaster response teams, international disaster risk experts, and community groups all aligned to advance the island’s long-term goal of securing and retaining official Tsunami Ready status.

    The Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme, operated by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), is a widely accepted global framework designed to boost community resilience against tsunami hazards. To qualify for the designation, communities must meet clear standards: sustained public education on tsunami risks, functional standardized early warning systems, formally documented and tested evacuation plans, and regular preparedness drills. This recent exercise in Barbuda is the first formal requirement the island has completed to move forward in the evaluation process for the recognition, which is only granted to communities that have fully implemented risk reduction measures tailored to their local tsunami threat.

    The initiative kicked off on May 26 with educational outreach activities at two of Barbuda’s main schools: Holy Trinity Primary School and Sir McChesney George Secondary School. During the school visits, participating students and faculty took part in interactive workshops covering key topics including the nature of local tsunami hazards, basic individual and community preparedness actions, and step-by-step evacuation protocols. The outreach effort was designed to embed safety knowledge among young residents, who can in turn share that information with their families and broader community networks.

    The full-scale exercise concluded on May 28 with an island-wide community evacuation drill, with a primary focus on the two participating secondary and primary schools to test the evacuation procedures that had been discussed just days prior. The drill successfully tested response times, route clarity, and communication between school administrators, disaster management officials, and community volunteers.

    In comments following the completion of the exercise, NODS Director Sherrod James emphasized the foundational role of broad community engagement in effective disaster preparedness. “This exercise demonstrates the importance of community involvement in disaster preparedness,” James stated. “By engaging young people and conducting practical evacuation exercises, we are helping to ensure that Barbuda remains prepared to respond effectively to tsunami threats.”

    The drill received technical and operational support from a multi-national team of local and international disaster risk specialists. Leading the international contingent was Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, Manager of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) International Tsunami Information Center Caribbean Office (ITIC-CAR). They were joined by Emiliano Rodriguez Nuesch, Director at Risk Communications Agency Pacifico and a leading expert in risk communication and behavioural science, as well as Diego Voloschin, a videographer documenting the exercise for future training and outreach use.

    Local technical support was provided by members of the NODS team including Alvah Guishard, NODS’ GIS mapping specialist, and Daryl George, Project Officer in the NODS Project Management Unit. Additional support came from John Mussington, Chairman of the Barbuda Council and a dedicated consultant for the Barbuda Tsunami Ready initiative, alongside a number of other local technical specialists.

    Following the successful completion of the exercise, NODS issued formal statements thanking the leadership, teaching staff, and student bodies of both participating schools for their energetic participation and commitment to building a local culture of safety and disaster resilience. The agency also extended gratitude to Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Education for its ongoing backing of the Tsunami Ready initiative.

  • Motorcycle Passenger Killed in San Pedro RTA

    Motorcycle Passenger Killed in San Pedro RTA

    A fatal road traffic accident in San Pedro Town, Belize has claimed the life of a local resident just before midnight on Thursday, June 11, 2026, leaving another person injured and triggering an official police investigation into the crash.

    The victim, identified as 33-year-old Gilberto Noble, was riding as a rear passenger on a red Lifan motorcycle operated by 23-year-old Vincent Donaji Canul when the collision unfolded. According to initial details from law enforcement investigators, the motorcycle was traveling south along Pescador Drive when Canul initiated a maneuver to overtake a yellow golf cart traveling in the same direction. The impact between the two vehicles occurred shortly before 11 p.m.

    Noble suffered severe, fatal head trauma in the crash. First responders rushed both he and Canul to the local San Pedro Polyclinic for emergency care, where medical staff pronounced Noble dead upon arrival. Canul, meanwhile, walked away with non-life-threatening injuries to his right foot and remains receiving treatment at the same medical facility.

    Footage captured at the crash site documents the immediate aftermath of the incident: emergency medical workers loaded an injured Canul onto a stretcher for transfer to care, while Noble’s body remained at the scene as uniformed officers carried out forensic evidence collection and processed the crash site to document key details.

    In a procedural update, law enforcement officials confirmed they have issued notices of intended prosecution to both the motorcyclist Canul and the golf cart driver involved in the incident. As part of standard investigation protocol for fatal road crashes, investigators obtained a blood sample from Canul to test for potential alcohol or drug impairment, with full results of that analysis still pending as the inquiry moves forward.

  • WPC reports $57,000 in Gucci jewels stolen from police station

    WPC reports $57,000 in Gucci jewels stolen from police station

    A brazen theft has shaken one of Hong Kong’s core law enforcement facilities, after an on-duty police officer reported that luxury gold jewellery valued at more than HK$57,800 was stolen from her personal handbag while she was carrying out official duties at Central Police Station earlier this week.

    Per official police documentation of the incident, the officer detailed that she left her handbag unattended on a desk inside the station’s Charge Office at approximately 8:15 a.m. on Monday, before departing the room to fulfill her scheduled work responsibilities. She did not return to the Charge Office until roughly eight hours later, at around 4:00 p.m., when she first noticed that multiple high-value jewellery pieces had been taken from her bag and launched an official inquiry.

    The stolen items all carry significant luxury and monetary value, according to the officer’s official theft report. The most valuable piece is a gold Bubble Gucci chain appraised at HK$45,000, followed by a matching Bubble Gucci gold bracelet engraved with the initials “KK”, which is valued at HK$9,000. The third stolen item is a gold ring set with a white gemstone, worth an estimated HK$3,800. When combined, the total estimated worth of all stolen jewellery reaches HK$57,800.

    In the wake of the reported theft, specialist Crime Scene Investigators have already attended the location to process the officer’s handbag for potential forensic evidence, including DNA traces and latent fingerprints that could lead investigators to the responsible party. As the investigation continues, probe leads have also requested all relevant closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from within the Central Police Station compound to review movements of all people who entered and exited the Charge Office on the day of the incident, to identify potential persons of interest.

  • PDJSS, Sir Ira Simmons host career fair in Castries

    PDJSS, Sir Ira Simmons host career fair in Castries

    On Thursday, June 11, Castries’ Vide Bouteille neighborhood played host to a community-focused career development event, organized jointly by Patricia D. James Secondary School (PDJSS) and Sir Ira Simmons Secondary School. Held on the PDJSS campus, the fair marked the latest activity under a joint Career Preparation and Awareness campaign spearheaded by the two District 2 educational institutions.

    This year’s gathering centered on the core theme “Empowering Skill Development and Adaptability for Lifelong Careers”, a framework designed to align with the evolving demands of modern workplaces. While the event was primarily curated for Forms Two to Four secondary students gearing up to select subject tracks for their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, organizers intentionally opened participation to local primary school students, turning the one-day fair into a cross-age learning opportunity for attendees of all grade levels.

    More than 20 local organizations and industry partners set up interactive exhibition booths across the campus grounds, one of which was operated by regional media outlet St. Lucia Times. Each booth was tailored to introduce students to a wide range of professional pathways, with presenters sharing detailed information on the personal attributes, technical competencies, and academic qualifications required for different careers. To keep young attendees engaged, displays incorporated a mix of visual aids, hands-on samples, explanatory diagrams, interactive digital media, branded signage, and free informational giveaways.

    PDJSS school counselor Lianda Aimable, who served as lead organizer for the event, emphasized the long-term value of the annual initiative for Saint Lucia’s youth. “This is a tradition we uphold every year to help our students make informed choices when it comes to selecting their CSEC subjects,” Aimable explained. “By connecting students directly with a diverse range of local institutions and organizations, we give them the context they need to align their academic decisions with their long-term career goals.”

    The annual career fair is just one component of a broader ongoing commitment by the two collaborating secondary schools to systematically prepare young people for a smooth transition from the classroom to the global workforce. By bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world professional expectations, the institutions aim to equip the next generation with the clarity and adaptability they need to build sustainable, fulfilling careers.

  • Young man killed during alleged shootout in Tábara Arriba, Azua

    Young man killed during alleged shootout in Tábara Arriba, Azua

    A fatal confrontation between a wanted suspect and law enforcement unfolded in the Dominican Republic’s southwestern province of Azua Friday afternoon, ending in the death of 31-year-old Junior Alexander Peña following an alleged gun battle with operatives from the Central Directorate of Criminal Investigation (Dicrim).

    The incident took place on the main thoroughfare of the La Palmita neighborhood, located within Tábara Arriba municipality, according to initial official statements. Peña was already the target of five active arrest warrants at the time of the planned operation, law enforcement officials confirmed.

    Preliminary accounts from authorities, backed by a forensic certificate from the Dominican National Institute of Forensic Science (INACIF), outline that the suspect spotted the Dicrim agents approaching before drawing a loaded firearm and opening fire multiple times. After exchanging gunfire, Peña barricaded himself inside a local residence with a zinc roof. In response to the attack, Dicrim agents returned fire, inflicting life-threatening injuries on the suspect that ultimately proved fatal.

    Following the conclusion of the operation, law enforcement personnel secured two illicit firearms from the scene: a semi-automatic pistol manufactured by Browning, and a second unbranded black pistol. Investigators also recovered a collection of spent 9mm caliber shell casings as evidence for ongoing procedural review.

  • The weather is getting worse: storms and heavy downpours put the Dominican Republic on alert

    The weather is getting worse: storms and heavy downpours put the Dominican Republic on alert

    SANTO DOMINGO — Officials in the Dominican Republic have expanded emergency weather warnings to cover 16 of the country’s provinces this Friday, as a dual weather system of a trough and an incoming tropical wave continues to bring unstable atmospheric conditions across large swathes of the national territory.

    Two distinct alert levels are currently in effect across the affected regions. Fourteen provinces and the capital’s National District have been placed under green alert, the lower of the two activated warning levels. These areas include Santiago, Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo, Elías Piña, Espaillat, Valverde, San Juan, Dajabón, San Cristóbal, Monte Cristi, La Altagracia, San Pedro de Macorís, and Santiago Rodríguez. By contrast, two eastern provinces — Hato Mayor and El Seibo — face a higher-risk yellow alert, requiring stricter preparedness measures for incoming severe weather.

    In its latest official meteorological bulletin, the country’s Emergency Operations Center (COE) warned that the coming hours are expected to bring moderate to intense rainfall across multiple regions, alongside sudden thunderstorm activity and a risk of isolated hailstorm events.

    Meteorologists with the COE clarified that the current period of heightened rain risk stems from the interaction of two separate weather systems. A low-pressure trough sitting in the upper levels of the troposphere combines with the slow movement of a tropical wave positioned just south of the Dominican Republic’s coastline. Together, these two phenomena create ideal conditions for the formation of sustained, heavy rainfall across the country.

    In response to the developing hazardous conditions, COE has issued a public call for precaution. The agency specifically urged residents living in high-risk zones — particularly low-lying areas near rivers, seasonal streams, and steep ravines that are prone to flash flooding — to remain vigilant, check for updated official weather warnings regularly, and prepare all necessary emergency steps to protect their lives and property ahead of any potential weather-related disaster.

  • Gov’t moving swiftly to relocate 9 Trelawny residents still in shelter

    Gov’t moving swiftly to relocate 9 Trelawny residents still in shelter

    FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Almost a year after Hurricane Melissa swept across Trelawny, leaving a trail of destroyed property in its wake, nine local residents still remain trapped in emergency accommodation at the Bunkers Hill Community Centre — and Jamaican government agencies are in a urgent race against the clock to deliver permanent, safe housing for them before the Atlantic hurricane season peaks.

    The urgent timeline and ongoing efforts were laid out by C Junior Gager, Mayor of Falmouth and chairman of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation (TMC), during the body’s regular monthly public sitting on Thursday.

    Gager told attendees that all nine displaced people lost their homes to catastrophic damage when Melissa made landfall last October, leaving them with no alternative but to seek refuge in the community-run emergency shelter. “Their houses were badly damaged and they had nowhere else to go,” he explained to the corporation.

    To move the project forward, two national government ministries — the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, and the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation — have partnered with local municipal authorities to develop a coordinated housing solution for the group. Under the current plan, the nine residents will move into eight newly constructed units, with two brothers who currently live together in the shelter set to share one home.

    With the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season already underway, Gager confirmed that the TMC has already completed all required pre-construction groundwork to avoid costly delays once funding is secured. That work includes scouting, vetting, and securing appropriately zoned, safe plots of land that meet all building requirements for the new housing units.

    “Our team from the local authority went through and checked to ensure that the land was available and everything was in place so that the houses could be built,” Gager said. Detailed cost estimates for the construction project have already been finalized and submitted to the Ministry of Local Government for review, and municipal leaders are now awaiting final approval of the budget allocation to break ground.

    The project is currently in the public procurement phase, Gager confirmed, with relocation efforts progressing steadily even as formal funding approval is pending. “The estimate was done and we are now awaiting funding so that we can kick off the action of building their homes,” he added. Once funding is greenlit, the construction contract will be put out to competitive public tender to award the build to a qualified contractor.

    Seeking to reassure both the displaced residents and the broader community that their plight remains a top government priority, Gager stressed that the nine people stuck in the emergency shelter have not been forgotten by authorities. “It is not that they are there and no attention is being placed. The attention is on track. The work is being carried out. The land has been identified and soon they will be able to have their own private homes,” he promised.

  • Merchants support restricting daytime traffic of heavy vehicles

    Merchants support restricting daytime traffic of heavy vehicles

    A top business leader in the Dominican Republic has thrown his organization’s full weight behind a public advocacy campaign from leading national newspaper Listin Diario, which calls for strict restrictions on heavy truck and trailer movement during peak daytime working hours to cut down on crippling traffic congestion in the country’s two largest urban areas, Greater Santo Domingo and Santiago. The proposal, outlined in the outlet’s recent editorial titled “Heavy Vehicles in Peak Hours,” has earned clear backing from Iván García, president of the Dominican Federation of Merchants (FDC).

    García highlighted that national transit agencies Intrant and RD Vial, the governing bodies responsible for managing the country’s highway network, have long had the authority to regulate movement of large heavy-duty vehicles including flatbed trucks, double-axle trucks and double-van trucks. He pointed to recurring public safety and traffic problems linked to unregulated heavy truck passage through urban and town centers across the country, specifically naming the central towns of Mao and Esperanza as locations that have seen repeated collisions involving large freight trucks hauling construction materials and food supplies toward the capital.

    After the town of Esperanza banned through traffic for heavy trucks, most vehicles were rerouted through the Guayacanes intersection – a shift that did little to resolve underlying safety and gridlock issues that plague communities across the nation, according to García. He emphasized that large freight vehicles create persistent, unnecessary congestion in urban cores, particularly in Santo Domingo, the country’s capital and most populous urban center.

    García argued that the geographic constraints of the Dominican Republic make off-peak overnight travel entirely feasible for long-haul heavy freight operators. The longest intercity route for trucks heading to the capital stretches just 130 kilometers, a trip that can easily be completed if drivers depart by 10:00 p.m., arriving at their destination between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. This shift would keep both highway and urban street traffic flowing freely for passenger vehicles and smaller commercial vehicles during daylight working hours, he explained.

    The FDC president also drew a key distinction between large long-haul freight trucks and smaller local delivery vehicles. He noted that long-haul flatbed trucks typically measure 40 feet in length, and double-axle configurations can stretch up to 80 feet total. By contrast, smaller delivery trucks used for last-mile distribution to local businesses are only around 15 feet long, and do not create the same major traffic disruptions as their larger long-haul counterparts.

    García said the Dominican Federation of Merchants has long been aware of this public safety and traffic crisis, having first discussed the issue with the National Federation of Transport Workers (Fenatrado) two decades ago. He expressed hope that the high-profile campaign from Listin Diario, the country’s most enduring and well-established media outlet, would draw meaningful attention from both national regulatory authorities and private business and transport sectors. The FDC stands fully behind the outlet’s proposal, he confirmed.

    While García acknowledged that implementing the new restrictions would require domestic merchants to adjust their own operational schedules to coordinate overnight dispatches and goodsreceipts, he stressed that the commercial sector is fully willing to make this adjustment for the public good. “This will even require us to get up earlier to receive the goods, but I understand that we all have to pay the price, the cost of this sacrifice, for the benefit of the majority of the country,” García stated. He added that the commercial sector is already prepared to open warehouse facilities as early as 5:00 a.m. to accept incoming freight shipments from overnight long-haul runs.

    Listin Diario’s editorial clarifies that the current crisis is not the result of a lack of existing regulation. The National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (INTRANT) has already put formal restricted hours in place for heavy vehicle traffic in urban areas, but the existing rules are not being enforced by authorities, leaving congestion and safety risks unaddressed.

  • Rooting for resilience

    Rooting for resilience

    To mark World Environment Day 2024 on June 5, a cross-sector community gathering converged on Whitehouse, a coastal town in Jamaica’s Westmoreland parish, to advance local reforestation and food security goals. Bringing together nearly 30 elementary school students from New Hope Primary School and Kings Primary School, local smallholder farmers, Forestry Department officials, trained environmental wardens, and team members from the Sandals Foundation, the event centered on planting native fruit trees as part of a larger national environmental initiative.

    This on-the-ground planting activity is a core component of the Sandals Foundation’s ongoing support for Jamaica’s national Reforestation, Ecological Enhancement and Landscape Framework, widely known by its acronym RE-LEAF. As a leading Caribbean philanthropic organization focused on community resilience, the Sandals Foundation has followed through on its RE-LEAF commitment by distributing 360 fruit tree seedlings across six local educational institutions and one regional farming association.

    The institutions that received seedlings include Culloden Early Childhood Institution, Whitehouse Basic School, New Hope Primary School, Kings Primary School, Petersville Primary School, and Petersville Early Childhood Institution. Members of the Westmoreland Organic Farmers Association also took delivery of trees. The selection of species prioritized nutrient-dense, locally adapted food crops: breadfruit, ackee, jackfruit, mango, avocado, soursop, and Otaheite apple. The distribution and planting aim to expand access to affordable, fresh, locally grown produce for Westmoreland communities, while restoring degraded green landscapes.

    During the World Environment Day event, participating students worked side-by-side with conservation and agricultural leaders to plant 20 new fruit trees. This hands-on collaboration was designed to foster early environmental literacy and a culture of stewardship among young people, connecting classroom learning to tangible on-the-ground action. For example, Jada Myers of New Hope Primary School partnered with Sanctuary Warden Diego Salmon to plant a tree, while Elijah Bowman of Kings Primary School prepped a seedling for planting, gaining first-hand experience in ecological restoration.

    Heidi Clarke, executive director of the Sandals Foundation, explained that the organization’s choice to focus on fruit trees was a deliberate, community-centered decision. “We chose fruit trees because in addition to helping to restore green spaces and biodiversity — they sustain a community’s food security,” Clarke noted. The strategic selection ties environmental restoration directly to local livelihoods and food system resilience, a critical priority for Caribbean small island developing states grappling with the impacts of climate change.

    Georgia Scarlett, environmental manager at the Sandals Foundation, expanded on the broader mission of the project beyond tree planting itself. “Reforestation is about much more than planting trees,” Scarlett said. “It is also about ensuring future generations understand their role in protecting the natural resources that sustain our communities. By placing fruit trees in schools and farming communities we are creating opportunities for learning, nourishment, and long-term environmental stewardship.”

    For Caribbean communities already facing mounting pressure from climate change, which strains local food systems, erodes green spaces, and depletes natural resources, the RE-LEAF collaborative model offers a replicable, practical framework for local climate action. By embedding fruit trees in schools and farming hubs, the initiative does more than distribute seedlings: it empowers local residents to take ownership of their food production, cool overheated landscapes through restored tree cover, and protect the natural environment that future generations will inherit.

  • McKenzie mourns passing of former Island Supervisor Wycliffe Matthews

    McKenzie mourns passing of former Island Supervisor Wycliffe Matthews

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s political and labor communities are in mourning following the death of Wycliffe Matthews, a towering figure in the nation’s trade union movement and former local government leader, who passed away at 90 on Friday after a prolonged battle with illness. As a former Island Supervisor of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) and a decorated public servant, Matthews leaves behind a decades-long legacy of advocacy for workers and rural communities across the country. Local Government and Community Development Minister Desmond McKenzie has led tributes to Matthews, releasing an official statement honoring his lifetime of service to the Jamaican people. In the statement, McKenzie expressed deep sorrow at the news of Matthews’ passing, extending heartfelt condolences on behalf of the entire local government sector to Matthews’ family, close friends, and former union and political colleagues. “Wycliffe lived a life dedicated to service and strong advocacy on behalf of workers in Jamaica,” McKenzie noted, highlighting that Matthews consistently centered his work on delivering the best possible outcomes for the people he represented. Beyond his work supporting Jamaican laborers, Matthews earned a reputation as a skilled, results-driven chief negotiator whose work transformed outcomes for the nation’s farming community. McKenzie emphasized that Matthews’ approach to advocacy was rooted in unshakable belief in the value of grassroots representation, carrying out his work with unwavering passion, relentless energy, and deep commitment to public good. “At the heart of his work was seeking to improve the lives of those he committed to serve,” McKenzie added. “The entire local government fraternity is no doubt better for the contribution of Wycliffe Matthews. We give thanks for his life and quality service to our country.” Before concluding his career in trade union leadership, Matthews built a long record of public service in local government. He served as a councillor for both the May Pen and Sandy Bay divisions in central Jamaica’s Clarendon Parish, and later went on to hold the position of Mayor for the region. His career bridged local governance and national labor advocacy, allowing him to shape policy and community well-being at multiple levels over his decades-long career.