Carib Scope

分类： society

  • Put ID badges on your kids before the next storm hits

    Put ID badges on your kids before the next storm hits

    As the Atlantic hurricane season brings heightened risk of destructive storms to Caribbean nations including the Bahamas, a leading disaster preparedness expert has issued a critical recommendation to local families: equip every young child with a customized identification badge before a storm makes landfall, to speed up family reunification if separation occurs during emergency response.

    Dr. Kendra Van Kirk, senior advisor for community engagement and education at the University of Miami’s Global Institute, laid out this guidance during Thursday’s “Stronger Than the Storm – Hurricane Preparedness” workshop hosted at the Collab Unit of the Ministry for Grand Bahama. The initiative is the result of a collaborative partnership between the University of Miami and the Grand Bahama Ministry, designed to deliver accessible, targeted disaster preparedness education to children, their families, and the community professionals that support them.

    As part of the outreach program, Dr. Van Kirk has already toured multiple Urban Renewal summer camps across the region, where she connected directly with young attendees and walked attendees through the custom ID badges the institute has developed for this purpose. She emphasized that the ID badges fill a particularly critical gap for two vulnerable groups: very young children who cannot share personal or family information, and children living with developmental conditions including autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, who may struggle to communicate their identity or family contact details in the chaos of a disaster evacuation or emergency response.

    Each of the custom-designed badges includes a sealed, secure compartment that stores key emergency and medical details: the child’s full name, family contact information, pre-existing health conditions, current required medications, and known allergies. This information allows first responders and temporary caregivers to deliver appropriate, timely medical care while working to reconnect the child with their family.

    Beyond the ID badge recommendation, Dr. Van Kirk used the workshop platform to urge Bahamian families to move away from the common habit of last-minute hurricane preparation. Too often, she noted, families leave critical prep work until a hurricane is already bearing down on the islands, leaving little time to address key details that can protect vulnerable family members.

    She encouraged households to complete three core preparedness steps well in advance of any storm threat: assemble a fully stocked emergency supply kit, develop a clear household emergency action plan, and pre-identify a designated meeting point where all family members can gather if separation occurs during evacuation or storm response. The ongoing partnership program also offers additional resources for families, including evidence-based guidance on managing storm-related stress and building long-term disaster resilience for children, young people, and their caregivers.

  • Dominican Republic sets new record for electricity demand

    Dominican Republic sets new record for electricity demand

    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic’s national power grid has marked an unprecedented milestone in energy consumption, with the country’s National Interconnected Electric System (SENI) hitting a new record peak demand of 4,166.52 megawatts (MW) at 9:58 p.m. on July 16, according to an official announcement from Joel Santos, the nation’s Minister of Energy and Mines.

    This latest demand milestone beats the country’s previous all-time high set just one month earlier. On June 18, SENI recorded a peak load of 4,077.34 MW, a reading that marked the first time the Dominican Republic ever crossed the 4,000 MW threshold for national electricity demand.

    In his remarks following the announcement of the new record, Minister Santos outlined three key drivers behind the consistent upward trend in national electricity consumption. He explained that ongoing expansion across the Dominican Republic’s economy has lifted commercial and industrial energy use, while growing residential demand and unseasonably hot seasonal temperatures have also combined to push overall consumption higher across every sector of the country.

    The energy minister emphasized that this new record peak underscores an urgent, ongoing need to continue expanding the Dominican Republic’s entire energy ecosystem, including power generation facilities, high-voltage transmission networks, and local distribution infrastructure to keep pace with rapidly growing consumer and business demand. Santos added that the national government is currently moving forward with a slate of strategic energy infrastructure projects designed to reinforce the country’s long-term energy security and guarantee a consistent, reliable supply of electricity even as consumption continues to climb in the coming years.

    For continued coverage of energy developments and national news from the Dominican Republic, follow DominicanScope.

  • Video of altercation involving employee at hotel in Punta Cana

    Video of altercation involving employee at hotel in Punta Cana

    A viral video filmed at Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana, a high-profile resort in the popular Dominican tourist destination of Punta Cana, has ignited widespread debate across social media platforms after capturing a heated altercation involving one of the property’s employees.

    The circulating footage, which was first shared by social media creator Enyel Peralta, shows the hotel employee exhibiting aggressive behavior during the on-property confrontation, while multiple bystanders can be seen making attempts to calm the situation and prevent the conflict from escalating. In the wake of the video’s rapid spread online, many social media users have raised sharp questions about the actions of the resort’s in-house security team, with multiple commenters claiming that security personnel failed to step in and intervene at the earliest stages of the incident.

    Public pressure has grown rapidly since the video went viral, with hundreds of online users calling on resort leadership to release a full public explanation of the events that unfolded, as well as provide clear clarification on the official security protocols the staff followed during the confrontation. Tourism observers note that calls for transparency come as the Dominican Republic works to maintain its reputation as a safe, welcoming destination for international travelers, making on-resort security incidents a particularly sensitive issue for local hospitality stakeholders.

    As of the time of this reporting, senior leadership at Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana have not released any official public statement addressing the incident, nor have they confirmed whether the resort has launched an internal investigation to review the altercation and the security team’s response.

  • Dad grieves slain son: ‘Not this one’

    Dad grieves slain son: ‘Not this one’

    A quiet, hardworking handyman has been killed in a brazen late-night shooting by masked assailants in the Bahamas, leaving his devastated family searching for justice and grappling with an unspeakable second loss to violent crime. Thirty-five-year-old Dwight “Smily” Benjamin was fatally shot just after 9 p.m. Wednesday as he left a private residence off Father Calnan Road, a side street connected to Market Street, according to local law enforcement accounts.

    Police investigations confirm two attackers arrived at the scene on a motor scooter. One suspect, wearing a black jacket and a white face covering, dismounted the vehicle and opened fire directly on Benjamin, striking him multiple times before the pair fled the area. The sudden attack has left Benjamin’s relatives in shock, as they describe the victim as a man who dedicated his life to work and caring for his family, and who never sought conflict with anyone.

    Shawn Benjamin, the victim’s grieving father, told local reporters he cannot reconcile why his son was targeted. He said if attackers had been aiming for his other son, he would not have been surprised – but that “not this one.” “My son ain’t that type of person,” Shawn Benjamin explained in an interview. “I have another son. If they say they come for that one, I could believe that, but not this one. I upfront. I grieving right now.”

    According to the elder Benjamin, his son was visiting a friend at the time of the attack. When he traveled to the residence to investigate the killing afterward, he was told the attack was almost certainly a case of mistaken identity. “I been hunting,” he said, describing his search for answers in the wake of his son’s death. “I don’t care whoever I come behind. That’s my son. I been hunting. I been up and down the place where they does be.”

    Tragically, this killing reopens a devastating old wound for the father of four. Shawn Benjamin already lost his eldest son to gun violence back in 2008, leaving him with just two surviving sons after this latest attack. “I done lose a son. I done know how it feel but this the second one and for unnecessary violence,” he said.

    Family members paint a consistent picture of Benjamin as a reserved, family-focused handyman with strong practical skills. He kept mostly to himself, they say, rarely leaving his routine of work and time at home, and was always willing to help relatives with errands, mechanical projects, construction work, and other hands-on tasks.

    Shandera Sweeting, Benjamin’s cousin, said the senseless nature of the killing has compounded the family’s pain. “This is why it really hurts a lot,” Ms Sweeting said. “Smily don’t even trouble people. This the first time my family ever had to go through something like this and for a person who don’t even party or any of them things, to do my cousin so dirty.”

    She added that the family is still reeling from the recent burial of another relative, making this sudden, violent loss even harder to process. “Something really need to be done with all this reckless killing,” Ms Sweeting urged. “They take away my uncle son. He didn’t deserve that. Smily was a very respectable man.”

    According to unofficial murder count records kept by The Tribune, Benjamin’s killing pushes the total number of murders in the country so far this year to 41, highlighting the ongoing crisis of violent gun violence that continues to tear apart communities and families across the nation.

  • Beijing ontvluchten: Een nieuwe bladzijde voor de jonge generatie in China

    Beijing ontvluchten: Een nieuwe bladzijde voor de jonge generatie in China

    For centuries, Beijing has stood as a global symbol of Chinese ambition, opportunity, and national legacy. From its centuries as an imperial capital to its modern role as the country’s political and economic core, the city has drawn millions of dreamers from across the nation, all chasing upward mobility and a higher standard of living. Centuries ago, imperial scholars flocked to the city to prove their worth and secure prestigious positions; in recent decades, as China experienced an unprecedented economic boom, waves of new graduates, ambitious entrepreneurs, and rural migrant workers arrived in Beijing, each betting on the city to deliver a brighter future.

  • Commissioner Jeffers Tells New Police Officers Public Service Must Be at Heart of Policing

    Commissioner Jeffers Tells New Police Officers Public Service Must Be at Heart of Policing

    At a milestone graduation ceremony for the 50th Recruit Training Course held at the Sir Wright F. George Police Academy, Antigua and Barbuda’s top law enforcement leader has laid out clear expectations for the country’s newest class of police officers, emphasizing that public service must be the core of every officer’s career.

    Police Commissioner Everton Jeffers addressed the 43 graduating recruits, who successfully completed a rigorous six-month training program to earn their placements. With an overall 95.6 percent pass rate for the course, the graduating class marks a new generation of law enforcement officers joining the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda.

    Jeffers stressed that the new officers are not merely entering a traditional nine-to-five career, but accepting a public commitment that demands far more than just showing up for a paycheck. “Today, you’re not just simply receiving a certificate of completion. You are accepting a sacred trust,” he told the assembled graduates and guests. He framed the legal authority granted to police officers not as a personal privilege to be exploited, but as a weighty responsibility that must always be exercised for the good of the Antigua and Barbuda public.

    “From this day forward, you are the guardians of the law, protectors of the vulnerable and ambassadors of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda,” Jeffers said. “The authority you now carry is not a privilege for you to abuse, but a responsibility to exercise with fairness, humility, compassion and unwavering integrity.”

    The commissioner made clear that technical training alone is not enough to build an effective, trusted police force. The force needs officers who bring strong personal character to their work: dependability, courtesy, empathy for community members in need, and the ability to maintain composure and professional conduct even when facing high-stakes, adversarial situations. Every interaction with the public, from investigating routine complaints to responding to emergencies, must be carried out with the highest respect for the rights and dignity of all people, he added, noting there are no shortcuts to delivering quality public service.

    Jeffers also issued a firm warning that unprofessional conduct will not be tolerated within the force. Zero tolerance will apply to laziness, consistent lateness, unproductive work, and any behavior that erodes public trust in law enforcement. He acknowledged that new officers will face repeated tests of their honesty and integrity throughout their careers, and urged them to uphold ethical standards even when no oversight is present.

    In closing, Jeffers called on veteran senior officers across the force to step into mentorship roles for the new recruits, noting that early career guidance is critical to helping new officers build long, successful careers. Young officers need experienced role models to show them what ethical, effective policing looks like, and senior leaders have a responsibility to prevent new recruits from straying from the force’s core values, he said.

    He ended his address by reminding graduates that their police badge carries far more meaning than just a symbol of legal power. “Your badge represents far more than authority. It represents sacrifice, honour, courage and service. Wear it with humility. Protect it with integrity. Live worthy of it every single day,” he said.

  • Police report decline in major crimes ahead of Carnival

    Police report decline in major crimes ahead of Carnival

    As the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia enters the final stretch of preparations for its iconic annual Carnival, the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) has released promising new crime data showing significant declines across multiple major offense categories. The announcement comes as law enforcement ramps up public safety measures ahead of one of the nation’s most culturally significant celebration events.

    Acting Deputy Commissioner Dr. Mashama Sealy, the leading voice behind the RSLPF’s public safety initiative, emphasized that the latest crime statistics reflect consistent progress in community safety through the first half of the current year. Comparing data from January 1 to July 10, 2026 to the same 19-month period in 2025, the force recorded a 23% drop in residential and commercial burglaries, a 5% reduction in robberies, and a 21% decrease in drug-related offenses. Additional declines include a 21% fall in personal theft incidents and a 19% reduction in reported sexual offenses.

    Dr. Sealy attributes these positive trends to the combination of consistent, proactive law enforcement work and ongoing cooperation from the Saint Lucian public. “The reductions we are seeing in several major crime categories show what can be achieved through the hard work of our officers and the continued support of you, the public,” she stated in the official address.

    A core focus of the RSLPF’s recent crime reduction strategy has been cracking down on the illegal firearms trade, a key driver of violent crime across many Caribbean nations. Between January 1 and July 10 of this year, officers across the island have successfully recovered 39 unregistered illegal firearms, alongside large stockpiles of ammunition and disassembled gun parts. Dr. Sealy explained that these seizures are not random seizures, but part of a coordinated long-term strategy to reduce violent crime before it occurs. “The recoveries reflect the force’s sustained efforts to remove illegal firearms from circulation and prevent violent crime before it occurs,” she added.

    With Carnival festivities drawing thousands of locals and international tourists to events across the island, the RSLPF has finalized a full island-wide security plan tailored to the unique risks of large-scale public gatherings. The plan includes a visible increase in law enforcement presence, with expanded foot and mobile patrols, enhanced traffic management protocols, and dedicated specialized response teams positioned at high-traffic key locations. Security resources will be concentrated along Carnival parade routes, major event venues, and residential and commercial areas expected to draw large crowds of revelers. The specialized response teams are on standby to address any emerging incidents rapidly, while continuous proactive operations run throughout the celebration period to pre-empt criminal activity.

    Dr. Sealy has issued a public appeal to all attendees, both local and visiting, to prioritize collective safety and act responsibly throughout the festivities. “As we prepare to celebrate carnival, I ask everyone to make safety a priority, respect one another, avoid confrontations, and make responsible decisions,” she said. She also issued a special reminder to revelers who choose to consume alcohol, urging caution and moderate consumption: “If you choose to drink, do so responsibly.”

    The RSLPF is encouraging all members of the public to stay alert to their surroundings, look out for fellow attendees, and follow all guidance from both police officers and event organizing staff. Dr. Sealy also reflected on the deep cultural meaning of Saint Lucia’s Carnival, framing the event as a cornerstone of national identity. “Carnival is one of Saint Lucia’s proudest traditions,” she said, noting that the entire force’s goal is for the 2026 celebration to be remembered “for its music, creativity, and culture, and not for violence or disorder.”

    Closing the announcement, the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force reaffirmed its full preparedness to safeguard all attendees during the celebration period, and extended well wishes for a safe, joyful Carnival to all locals and visitors across the island.

  • $500 Reward Offered as Search Continues for Missing Mount Joy Cat

    $500 Reward Offered as Search Continues for Missing Mount Joy Cat

    A growing search is underway for a missing domestic cat in Mount Joy, and the worried owner is putting up a $500 reward to incentivize community help for the pet’s safe return. The missing feline, named Ace, is a neutered black cat who has been absent from his home for several days. His owner, Reeva Armstrong, explained that while Ace has a habit of wandering around the neighborhood, this extended disappearance is completely out of character for the pet. This unusual stretch away from home has left Armstrong increasingly anxious about Ace’s well-being and safety. According to the latest updates from the owner, Ace was last spotted in the Mount Joy neighborhood in close proximity to the local service station. Armstrong is urging anyone who may have seen Ace, has information about his whereabouts, or has encountered a stray black cat matching his description in the area to reach out via phone immediately. Every tip, no matter how small, could bring Ace one step closer to being reunited with his waiting owner.

  • Prescod wants more Bajan books in primary schools

    Prescod wants more Bajan books in primary schools

    At a launch event held Wednesday at the Barbados Museum for the national BIM@60 initiative, Trevor Prescod, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with oversight for Pan African Affairs, has laid out a urgent push to embed locally written Barbadian books into primary and pre-primary education curricula, arguing that culturally rooted storytelling can drive major gains in literacy while nurturing stronger personal connections to language for young learners.

    Prescod emphasized that the island nation must step up support for its homegrown writing community, especially creators focused on developing content for child audiences. He noted that integrating more local texts into secondary and post-secondary education systems faces significant barriers, most notably rigid, exam-mandated reading lists that leave little room for new, local works. To bypass these hurdles, he argued the shift toward culturally relevant reading should start long before students reach higher education levels.

    “So I said let us do it in the primary schools or even in the pre-primary stages,” Prescod stated. The minister stressed his vision for young Barbadians to grow up engaging with stories that reflect their own lived environments, rather than relying on colonial-era foreign characters and narratives that bear no connection to their daily lives. “I don’t want… Flopsy Bunny or any of these characters like that. I want something that is Barbadian. And if you go a little above that, could be Caribbean, but don’t bring anything to me that is influenced by the colonial experience,” he added.

    Following his public call to action, Prescod revealed that local authors have already submitted dozens of locally produced children’s books to him. He plans to present this collection to his ministry as part of a broader advocacy push to secure annual multi-million-dollar government investments to distribute these indigenous texts to primary schools across the country. “I want you… to help me work to persuade the people at the highest level to at least spend some millions every year putting those books within the primary school, and I would bet you that the children have a better understanding, especially of literature and English language in general, just having some of their own material,” Prescod said.

    The push for local children’s literature comes amid ongoing concerns over literacy rates among students who took this year’s Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination. In response to these concerns, National Cultural Foundation-supported author Shakirah Bourne has already launched the Bajan Anansi school tour, an initiative designed to foster a love of reading among young people by centering Barbadian cultural narratives.

    Beyond education, BIM@60 is a collaborative campaign organized by the Barbados Museum & Historical Society in partnership with the National Cultural Foundation. The initiative invites public participation to select the 60 most influential songs that have shaped Barbadian national identity in the six decades since the country gained independence. Prescod used the campaign launch to highlight the island’s long legacy of musical excellence, noting that many Barbadian performers have earned global acclaim, demonstrating the massive untapped and existing potential of the country’s cultural industries.

    “We now have excellence in calypso… We also have the regional and global success of Alison Hinds, Edwin Yearwood, Rupee, Lil Rick and other internationally acclaimed musicians, producers and arrangers,” he said. Recalling the unprecedented global impact of Barbadian megastar Rihanna, Prescod shared a personal anecdote: hearing airplane passengers sing one of her hit songs during an international flight drove home just how far Barbadian creative talent resonates across the world. “I recognised how powerful the voice of artists are. But I also recognised how often Barbadian artists and the talent were resonating,” he noted.

    Prescod called on local musicians and cultural practitioners to partner closely with the government and National Cultural Foundation to expand the country’s creative industries over the next 40 years, as Barbados works toward its 100th anniversary of independence. “When we stop at this point, I say 60 years, when we want to go out to 100 years… we should be able to make a difference in the next 40 years ahead as a result of giving all the support to the artists that we can,” he said.

    He added that culture can serve as a powerful tool to address ongoing social and educational challenges, stating: “culture can be the instrument that we can use in order to help bring them back on track. I strongly believe that.” Prescod also emphasized that established, senior artists carry a responsibility to mentor the next generation of Barbadian creatives, noting that both the National Cultural Foundation and his office are committed to supporting these mentorship efforts. “The senior musicians, the artists, they must work with them. National Cultural Foundation will do so. The ministry will do so,” he said.

    In closing, Prescod extended an invitation to all Barbadians to take part in upcoming national Emancipation celebrations, confirming that the Office of Pan African Affairs and Heritage will continue rolling out programming focused on strengthening national identity and building greater public appreciation for Barbados’ unique history and cultural heritage.

  • Parents signal legal action

    Parents signal legal action

    A devastating jet ski collision at Pigeon Point Heritage Park in Tobago that claimed the life of 7-year-old Angelica Jogie on April 8 has now moved toward potential litigation, with the young girl’s family issuing a formal pre-action protocol letter to hold three parties accountable for the tragedy.

    Represented by Freedom Law Chambers, led by senior counsel Anand Ramlogan, the family’s legal filing names the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Pigeon Point Heritage Park Ltd, and the involved jet ski operator as proposed defendants. The claim is brought on behalf of Angelica’s parents Salisha Anita Narine-Jogie and Arnold Jogie, her surviving sister Angelina Jogie, and the estate of the deceased child.

    According to details outlined in the July 15-dated letter, the family was wading and bathing in a clearly marked designated swimming area at the popular coastal park when the rogue jet ski allegedly entered the restricted zone and struck multiple family members. Angelica suffered severe multiple traumatic injuries from the impact and could not be saved, a finding confirmed by her official death certificate cited in the legal document. Both of Angelica’s parents sustained physical injuries in the collision, while 10-year-old Angelina was forced to watch the entire horrific incident and its fatal outcome unfold firsthand.

    Angelica’s legal team alleges the jet ski operator committed multiple acts of negligence: the operator failed to maintain proper control of the watercraft, did not exercise reasonable care while operating near the beach, intentionally entered an area reserved for swimmers, and did not take evasive action to avoid hitting members of the public lawfully enjoying the beach.

    Beyond the operator’s actions, the filing argues that systemic failure by public and park management authorities created the dangerous conditions that allowed the crash to occur. The THA and Pigeon Point Heritage Park Ltd hold formal responsibility for the management, safety oversight, and regulation of all water-based activities at the site, including jet ski operations. The family alleges that neither entity implemented, maintained, nor enforced basic adequate safety protocols to protect beachgoers from the known risks of unregulated jet ski activity.

    Notably, the letter highlights that authorities were aware of these hazards for more than a decade before the 2024 fatal collision. As early as 2015, local records showed at least five serious jet ski accidents had been reported in south-west Tobago, sparking consistent public complaints and policy discussions about the danger jet skis posed to swimmers. In response to these concerns, the THA appointed a special task force that drafted a formal Jet Ski Policy and Regulations framework in 2017.

    That 2017 draft policy explicitly recognized the lethal risk of jet skis operating close to bathing areas, and put forward a series of evidence-based safety recommendations: these included a mandatory 300-foot exclusion zone for jet skis around all areas used by swimmers, snorkelers and divers; the creation of clearly marked separate operating zones for watercraft; mandatory operator licensing; coordinated enforcement by police, the Coast Guard and fisheries officials; and financial penalties for operators that violated the rules. The policy also required all jet ski activity to be confined exclusively to designated operating areas.

    Despite having this risk assessment and regulatory roadmap in place for seven years before Angelica’s death, no action was taken to implement or enforce these critical protective measures, the family’s legal team argues. This long-standing failure to act allowed a known dangerous situation to persist, directly creating the conditions that led to the young girl’s death.

    The legal filing also raises serious concerns about the delayed emergency response after the collision. The family faced an unreasonably long wait for an ambulance to arrive at the scene, a delay that exacerbated the pain and suffering Angelica endured before her death, according to the claim.

    The long-term trauma of the incident has devastated every member of the Jogie family, the letter details. Salisha Narine-Jogie has been diagnosed with a recognized psychiatric injury and sustained nervous shock from witnessing her daughter’s fatal collision. Arnold Jogie suffered lasting physical impairments from his own injuries in the crash and has also endured severe ongoing psychological trauma following his daughter’s death. Angelina, the surviving sister, has experienced significant emotional and behavioural changes since losing her sibling, and the entire family’s daily routine, interpersonal relationships, and overall quality of life have been permanently upended.

    Both parents were forced to miss extended periods of work after the tragedy: Salisha was out of employment for six weeks, while Arnold could not work for 35 days. The family is seeking a wide range of damages to compensate for their harm, including compensation for personal injuries, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, nervous shock, psychiatric harm, past and future lost earnings, and reduced earning capacity. They are also claiming special damages to cover out-of-pocket costs for medical treatment, transportation, and ongoing counselling and mental health care.

    On behalf of Angelica’s estate, the family is additionally pursuing damages for the child’s loss of expectation of life and lost future earnings over her entire expected lifespan. The claim also calls for aggravated and exemplary damages, arguing that the defendants’ conduct showed a blatant disregard for the safety of children and families using the public beach facility.

    The pre-action letter requires all named defendants to issue a formal position on liability and enter into good faith settlement discussions within a set timeframe. Freedom Law Chambers has notified that if no substantive response is received within 28 days of the letter’s delivery, full High Court civil proceedings will be launched without additional warning.

    As of press time, attempts to contact THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine for comment on the impending litigation were unsuccessful. Local law enforcement confirms that its criminal investigation into Angelica’s death is nearing completion. Investigators are scheduled to meet with Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard, SC, this week to receive guidance on what criminal charges, if any, will be filed in connection with the tragedy.