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  • Health Ministry Congratulates Camacho-Thomas on Acting Environment Director Appointment

    Health Ministry Congratulates Camacho-Thomas on Acting Environment Director Appointment

    In a formal announcement this week, Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs has announced a leadership transition at the nation’s Department of Environment, confirming the appointment of Ambassador Ruleta Camacho-Thomas as the agency’s new Acting Director. Alongside celebrating Camacho-Thomas’s new role, the Ministry has also paid public tribute to outgoing Director Diann Black-Layne, who is stepping down after a years-long tenure of landmark service to the country’s environmental agenda.

    Throughout her professional career, Camacho-Thomas has established a well-documented track record of strong leadership, rigorous professionalism, and unshakable dedication to advancing both environmental stewardship and balanced sustainable development across Antigua and Barbuda. Ministry officials emphasized that they hold full confidence in Camacho-Thomas’s ability to build on the Department of Environment’s existing progress, noting that her decades of accumulated expertise, forward-thinking strategic vision, and deep commitment to the agency’s core mission will only strengthen the organization as it works to protect and responsibly manage the nation’s rich natural resources.

    The Ministry extended its warm congratulations to the newly appointed Acting Director, expressing excitement for the work ahead under her guidance. Officials noted that Camacho-Thomas will inherit a robust, well-structured institution shaped by her predecessor’s efforts, and they are optimistic that the Department will continue to deliver tangible, impactful progress for Antigua and Barbuda’s environment during her tenure. The entire ministry extended well wishes for Camacho-Thomas as she settles into her new leadership role.

    Meanwhile, the Ministry shared sincere gratitude for Black-Layne’s years of dedicated service and transformative leadership as Department Director. Over the course of her distinguished career at the helm of the agency, Black-Layne played a foundational role in building the Department of Environment into the respected, effective institution it is today. Her work laid critical groundwork for advancing environmental protection, boosting national climate resilience, and embedding sustainable development practices across Antigua and Barbuda’s policy framework. Ministry officials emphasized that her vision, passion, and lifelong commitment to environmental progress have created an enduring legacy that will continue to benefit the nation for generations to come.

    All levels of Ministry leadership, alongside staff from both the Ministry and the Department of Environment, joined together to extend heartfelt thanks to Black-Layne for her decades of exceptional public service. The entire organization joined in wishing her a long, healthy, and deeply fulfilling retirement, as well as great success and joy in any new pursuits she chooses to take on in this next chapter of her life.

  • Sunrise Airways launches direct Antigua-Barbados service

    Sunrise Airways launches direct Antigua-Barbados service

    In a landmark move for Caribbean regional integration, Caribbean-based carrier Sunrise Airways has launched a brand-new direct air service linking Antigua and Barbuda with the island nation of Barbados, expanding its network and advancing ongoing efforts to knit closer ties across the region. The first flight on the route touched down at Barbados’ Grantley Adams International Airport this Wednesday, drawing a crowd of senior tourism, aviation and government representatives from both island nations for an official ceremony to mark the milestone launch.

    This new cross-Caribbean route is scheduled to operate two flights per week, eliminating the need for connecting travel between the two popular destinations and opening up more flexible, convenient travel options for a wide range of passengers: leisure tourists seeking new Caribbean experiences, business professionals conducting cross-border trade, and families visiting loved ones across regional borders.

    For Sunrise Airways, the new Barbados route represents another key milestone in the carrier’s long-term mission to strengthen transport links across the entire Caribbean archipelago. “Every new route brings our region closer together,” a company representative noted of the development.

    Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of State for Tourism, Michael Freeland, offered enthusiastic praise for the new service, emphasizing that consistent, reasonably priced air connectivity is a foundational driver of sustainable economic growth across the Caribbean. Freeland explained that expanded, reliable air access is critical to unlocking the region’s full untapped economic potential, by removing barriers to movement for both people and commercial operations across Caribbean borders.

    Per Sunrise Airways’ official announcement, the new route aligns with the carrier’s flagship “One Caribbean” initiative, a program focused on bridging gaps between Caribbean nations through improved, accessible air transport. The airline currently operates services to 20 destinations across the Caribbean, North America and Central America, with plans to continue expanding its regional network in the coming months.

    Industry and government stakeholders widely expect the new Antigua-Barbados route to deliver broad benefits beyond just easier travel: it will strengthen overall regional connectivity, support growth in the vital tourism sector, boost cross-border commercial activity, and deepen people-to-people cultural exchange between the two neighboring island nations.

  • Kim Poole Brings Soul-Fusion to Antigua

    Kim Poole Brings Soul-Fusion to Antigua

    As Antigua and Barbuda prepares to mark 192 years since the abolition of chattel slavery, international performing artivist Kim Poole has arrived on the islands to launch a deeply collaborative new musical exploration rooted in Carnival culture, set to take center stage at the annual Emancipation Watch Night gathering.

    The event, scheduled for 8 p.m. on July 31 at the nation’s Botanical Gardens, will see Poole share the stage with Sir Hilary Beckles, Chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission and one of the globe’s most prominent reparations historians. This unique gathering weaves together live music, collective cultural memory, critical historical reflection, and the ongoing global call for reparative justice for African diasporic communities across the Caribbean and beyond.

    For Poole, the invitation to perform marks far more than a single appearance: it is the opening chapter of a new creative journey shaped by the landscapes, people, and sounds of the Caribbean. Long known for her genre-defying Soul-Fusion style, Poole’s work has always reflected the lived experiences and encounters of her travels, drawing from soul, African diasporic rhythms, spiritual expression, spoken word, jazz, movement, and cultural storytelling. Rejecting the idea that musical traditions exist as rigid, isolated categories, she lets the places she visits and the people she meets guide the evolution of her sound.

    Antigua and Barbuda offers an especially rich creative landscape for this evolution. The nation’s musical identity pulses with the layered traditions of calypso, soca, steelpan, communal drumming, Carnival processions, sacred gatherings, and centuries of shared African-Caribbean memory. Poole says she has arrived not just to perform her own work, but to listen closely—to local musicians, intergenerational cultural bearers, traditional storytellers, and the vibrant rhythms that move across the islands during Carnival season.

    This spirit of respectful exchange sits at the core of Poole’s identity as an “artivist” — a term that merges artistic practice with activist values. Her performances consistently connect musical expression to urgent conversations around identity, collective freedom, cultural inheritance, and shared communal possibility. For her, the stage is both a space for unapologetic joy and a platform to confront the unresolved histories that continue to shape the lives of African-descended communities around the world.

    Poole’s appearance at Emancipation Watch Night carries layered symbolic weight. While Beckles will bring historical and intellectual context to the reparations movement, Poole’s performance will center the movement’s emotional, spiritual, and creative dimensions. Together, their presence underscores that reparations cannot be reduced to policy and scholarship alone: it must also be understood through collective memory, cultural expression, lived experience, and art.

    Timing her arrival to coincide with Carnival also situates Poole’s work within one of the Caribbean’s most enduring traditions of cultural resistance and survival. Far from just a festive celebration, Carnival serves as living testimony: its music, masquerade, movement, and public gatherings carry the legacy of enslaved people who turned systemic oppression into radical creative expression, reworking ancestral memory into new forms of collective freedom.

    For Poole, these traditions are not material to be borrowed or appropriated; they are living cultural languages that demand respectful encounter, curiosity, and collaboration. The rhythms, stories, and energy she absorbs during her time in Antigua and Barbuda will likely form the foundation of future compositions, as she continues building a body of work rooted in cross-cultural exchange across Global Africa.

    As the nation gathers to commemorate 192 years of emancipation, Poole is ready to both contribute her unique voice to the commemoration and absorb new creative inspiration from the islands. What begins as a single performance may well bloom into something far larger: the birth of a new evolution of her Soul-Fusion sound, where the spirit of Antigua, the energy of Carnival, and the enduring music of freedom converge.

  • Senator Angelica O’Donoghue Launches “Your Future Is Yours” Award to Inspire Young Dreamers

    Senator Angelica O’Donoghue Launches “Your Future Is Yours” Award to Inspire Young Dreamers

    In a move aimed at unlocking the potential of the next generation of leaders and innovators, Senator Angelica O’Donoghue has formally launched the ‘Your Future Is Yours’ Award, an initiative designed to recognize and lift up young people who dare to chase their dreams across a wide range of fields. The award program, first announced during O’Donoghue’s recent address to the Senate Committee on Youth Affairs, will accept applications from individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 who are residents of the senator’s home state.

    O’Donoghue emphasized in a kickoff press conference held at a downtown youth community center that the initiative fills a critical gap in support for young people who often face systemic barriers when turning their ideas into action. Unlike traditional scholarships that focus solely on academic performance or need-based grants tied to financial hardship, this award celebrates both achievement and ambition, honoring young people working in areas from community organizing and entrepreneurship to artistic creation and scientific research.

    Winners of the annual award will receive not only a $10,000 cash prize to put toward their educational or project goals, but also one year of mentorship from industry leaders and public figures hand-picked by the program’s advisory board. O’Donoghue noted that mentorship is often just as important as financial support for young dreamers, many of whom lack access to professional networks that can help them navigate early career challenges.

    The program has already drawn bipartisan support from other members of Congress, as well as endorsements from national youth advocacy organizations, which have praised the initiative for centering youth agency and encouraging civic engagement among young people. Applications are set to open next month and close in late spring, with winners scheduled to be announced at a public ceremony in the nation’s capital ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.

    O’Donoghue closed her remarks at the launch event by stressing that investing in young people’s dreams is an investment in the future of the entire country. ‘Too often, we write off young people’s ideas as too ambitious or too untested,’ she said. ‘This award sends a clear message: we believe in you, we trust in your vision, and your future truly is yours to shape.’

  • St. Joseph’s Academy Invests EC$12,500 in Junior Chef Prize Money in Commercial Ovens

    St. Joseph’s Academy Invests EC$12,500 in Junior Chef Prize Money in Commercial Ovens

    St. Joseph’s Academy, a prominent educational institution focused on nurturing culinary talent, has made a strategic decision to redirect EC$12,500 earmarked for junior chef competition prize money toward the acquisition of new commercial-grade ovens for its culinary arts training program.

    The investment marks a key shift in how the school supports its emerging culinary students, prioritizing long-term skill development over one-time competition rewards. The new commercial ovens will replace outdated equipment in the school’s teaching kitchen, giving hundreds of aspiring junior chefs access to industry-standard tools that mirror the working conditions found in professional restaurants, bakeries, and catering operations across the region.

    School administrators explained that the decision came after identifying a critical gap in training infrastructure. While the annual junior chef competition has long incentivized student excellence, many participants noted that limited access to modern cooking equipment held back their progress outside of competition events. By reallocating the prize budget, the academy is creating sustained benefits that will serve current and future cohorts of culinary students for years to come.

    Local culinary industry leaders have welcomed the move, noting that hands-on experience with commercial equipment gives student graduates a significant advantage when entering the workforce. The new ovens are expected to be installed and operational before the start of the next academic semester, when the academy will launch an expanded junior chef training track to meet growing student interest in culinary careers.

  • Should Belize City Have a Bigger Say on Who Gets a Liquor Licence?

    Should Belize City Have a Bigger Say on Who Gets a Liquor Licence?

    On July 22, 2026, Belize’s Ministry of Local Government announced a forthcoming public consultation that will give Belize City residents a direct voice in reshaping the nation’s liquor licensing framework. Scheduled to take place next Tuesday, July 28 at the city’s House of Culture, the event forms part of a national initiative to modernize regulations that have drawn growing criticism from communities and business operators across the country.

    The consultation invites a broad cross-section of stakeholders to weigh in on a series of pressing, unresolved questions that have divided local communities for years. Participants will be asked to share their perspectives on whether Belize City should have greater autonomy over approving liquor license applications, if existing operating hour restrictions should be relaxed to allow bars to stay open later, and whether the current number of issued licenses has reached unsustainable levels. The conversation will also address how authorities should penalize businesses that repeatedly violate noise ordinances and other operational rules, a top complaint from residents living near entertainment districts.

    The nationwide review of liquor licensing rules was initiated in response to years of sustained public discontent. Stakeholders on both sides—local residents and licensed business owners alike—have raised consistent concerns about the fairness of the current application and approval process. Additional grievances include unregulated operations at open-air bars, persistent excessive noise that disrupts residential neighborhoods, and widespread violation of mandated closing times that have gone insufficiently penalized in many cases.

    Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner emphasized that the public input collected during the consultation will play a central role in shaping final policy changes. “This liquor license reform is a local government-driven initiative rolling out across the entire country, and Belize City is a key stop on that process,” Wagner explained. “This event creates a formal opportunity for residents to show up, engage directly with policymakers, and act as active stakeholders in the reform of our liquor licensing system. No changes will be finalized without hearing the perspectives of the people who are affected by these rules every single day.”

    Organizers have confirmed that all interested parties—including individual residents, bar and restaurant owners, event promoters, and local community organizations—are encouraged to attend and share their feedback. The input collected in Belize City and other consultation stops across the nation will be compiled and used to draft updated legislation and regulatory procedures for liquor licensing.

  • SWM waarschuwt: strengere maatregelen bij achterstallige waterrekeningen

    SWM waarschuwt: strengere maatregelen bij achterstallige waterrekeningen

    Suriname’s national water utility, De Surinaamse Waterleiding Maatschappij (SWM), has announced stricter enforcement measures targeting customers with overdue water bills, in a move designed to reduce widespread payment arrears and secure the long-term stability of the country’s drinking water supply. Announced on July 22, the updated policy includes two key changes: an expansion of operating hours for water service shutoffs, and a new protocol to cut off supply from roadside main lines for properties where water meters are inaccessible due to locked gates or other obstructions.
    Importantly, all additional costs incurred from these roadside shutoff operations will be passed directly to the non-compliant customer. SWM officials explained that the harsher measures are rooted in a critical need: consistent, on-time bill payments are fundamental to maintaining a reliable drinking water distribution network across the country and funding much-needed upgrades to aging water infrastructure.
    Under existing SWM terms of service, customers who have two outstanding unpaid water bills are already required to cover additional collection fees. If the outstanding balance is not cleared after these fees are added, the utility retains the right to terminate water service entirely. The new policy simply strengthens enforcement of these existing rules by removing barriers that previously allowed delinquent customers to avoid shutoffs.
    To help customers avoid service interruption and extra charges, SWM is actively reminding the public of the multiple convenient payment options available beyond in-person counter transactions. Customers can settle their bills via online or mobile banking, the digital payment platforms Uni5Pay+ and Mope, or set up automatic giro transfers through their personal bank accounts.
    Utility representatives emphasized that timely bill benefits all stakeholders. Beyond helping individual customers avoid service cuts and extra fees, consistent on-time payments guarantee the continuity of high-quality water services for all users and clear the way for planned future investments that will expand and improve Suriname’s drinking water network for decades to come.

  • ‘We’re Not Fighting the Move’, Says Tony’s BBQ

    ‘We’re Not Fighting the Move’, Says Tony’s BBQ

    A beloved local roadside eatery in Belize City has found itself caught in bureaucratic confusion over a mandatory relocation tied to the new BelCan Bridge construction project, pushing the business’s owners to push for transparency before they agree to vacate their decades-long home near the existing span.

    Tony’s BBQ, a long-standing fixture along the route near the BelCan Bridge, is not opposing the move required for infrastructure upgrades — that’s the clear message from co-owner Sarah Beck, who stresses that the business has always agreed to make way for the bridge development. What the popular food business is pushing for, however, is clear, consistent information from government authorities about timelines, relocation support, and the terms of the move, after officials issued conflicting directives in recent weeks.

    The confusion erupted last week following an abruptly called meeting between representatives of Tony’s BBQ, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing (MIDH), and Belize City Council officials. During that meeting, attendees told Beck the business would likely retain access to its current location through November, or even early 2027, since construction on the new bridge would not kick off right away. Just days later, however, officials presented a formal document ordering the eatery to vacate the property within 30 days.

    Beck made the decision to refuse signing the conflicting order, explaining that written documentation that contradicts verbal agreements creates unacceptable uncertainty for the small business. “If you sign something that says something different, then written paper values more than what comes out of someone’s mouth,” she noted in explaining her choice.

    After Beck submitted a formal written request to MIDH for formal clarification, the ministry confirmed in writing that Tony’s BBQ must leave its current location by August 15, 2026. Beck also pushed back against claims from MIDH Chief Engineer Evondale Moody that the business has operated without proper legal permission. She countered that the Belize City Council formally approved the original structure when it was built, and the business has paid $1,200 annually in required fees and rent ever since, meeting all its financial obligations to the local government.

    Beyond timeline confusion, the proposed relocation site selected by MIDH — located across the roundabout near Cleopatra — raises a host of new problems for the business, according to Beck. The proposed plot is too small to accommodate Tony’s BBQ’s existing structure. It is positioned directly adjacent to a local hospital, where cooking smoke from daily grilling operations would almost certainly prompt public complaints. The site also sits directly on a marked pedestrian crosswalk, creating safety hazards for both diners and passersby. Most critically, the area is officially zoned as public green space, a designation that prohibits commercial food operations entirely.

    Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner has stepped in to address the impasse, placing a direct call to Beck and committing to work alongside the city council and MIDH to resolve the outstanding issues. A follow-up meeting between the mayor and Beck is scheduled for next week to work through solutions. For her part, Beck says there is no question that the relocation will move forward to make way for the bridge project — the business simply wants clear answers and a viable new location before proceeding.

  • Search ends as four confirmed dead in Anse Cochon boat collision

    Search ends as four confirmed dead in Anse Cochon boat collision

    A multi-day search operation for two missing people following a deadly late-night boat collision off the western coast of Saint Lucia has concluded, with law enforcement officials confirming both victims’ remains were recovered on Wednesday morning.

    The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force announced that the bodies of Marley William and Tyrone Elivique, both residents of Baron’s Drive in the coastal town of Soufrière, were located in waters off Anse La Raye Bay during a three-hour search window between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. Wednesday.

    With the recovery of William and Elivique, the total death toll from the July 18 collision has risen to four. Police had previously identified the two other fatal victims: 21-year-old Mhakeida Nestor, a resident of La Fargue in Choiseul, and 25-year-old Debbie Dolor, who lived on Market Road in Soufrière.

    The tragic incident unfolded just five minutes before midnight on Saturday, July 18, near the coastal area of Anse Cochon. The collision involved two commercial motor vessels operating in the region: the Ocean Angel and the Mango Tours. Initial investigative findings outline that the Mango Tours vessel was traveling southbound when it collided head-on with the northbound Ocean Angel. Authorities have confirmed that the wreckage of both damaged vessels has since been retrieved from the collision site for forensic examination.

    Fourteen additional people sustained injuries in the crash. All injured individuals were first transported to Soufrière Hospital for immediate medical evaluation and stabilization. Those with more severe, life-threatening injuries were later transferred to the island’s two main public hospitals to receive advanced ongoing care. As of the latest update, no further details have been released on the current condition of the injured survivors.

    Local law enforcement has confirmed that official investigations into the root causes of the collision, including potential factors like operator error, equipment failure, poor visibility or adverse water conditions, remain ongoing. Authorities have not yet announced a timeline for the release of the full final investigative report.

  • Belize Still Hasn’t Fully Delivered on Its UN Anti-Corruption Pledge

    Belize Still Hasn’t Fully Delivered on Its UN Anti-Corruption Pledge

    Nearly 10 years after Belize signed onto the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), the small Central American nation remains far from meeting its international anti-corruption pledge, as ongoing high-profile corruption scandals fuel public frustration and mounting pressure for urgent action.

    Corruption has long been a persistent challenge for Belize’s public institutions, with no comprehensive, functional system in place to prevent graft, investigate violations, and hold wrongdoers accountable. Fresh public anger over two ongoing controversies – the Mira Millions scandal and unresolved questions about irregular procurement practices within the Ministry of Defence – has refocused national attention on the 2016 commitment Belize made to fully implement UNCAC, the world’s only legally binding global anti-corruption agreement.

    UNCAC provides a universal, structured framework for nations to build transparent governance, enforce public accountability, and safeguard state resources from misappropriation. While Belize formally joined the pact a decade ago, translating its requirements into domestic practice has hit repeated barriers: gaps in national legislation, severely limited technical capacity among government agencies, and the significant financial costs associated with sweeping systemic reform.

    The United Nations frames UNCAC as a complete “toolkit” for combating systemic corruption. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly emphasized that corruption undermines the foundation of fair, functional societies: when public servants across all sectors – from frontline healthcare workers and police officers to senior elected politicians – prioritize personal gain over public duty, critical funding earmarked for schools, hospitals, and core infrastructure is siphoned away, worsening inequality and eroding public trust in government.

    Cesar Ross, director of Belize’s Good Governance unit, the government body tasked with shepherding UNCAC implementation, confirmed that full adoption remains incomplete after 10 years. Ross identified two core obstacles blocking progress: limited government funding for reform efforts, and a chronic shortage of technical capacity across relevant agencies. Legislative drafters and Crown counsels, who are responsible for drafting the new laws required to align domestic policy with UNCAC standards, are already stretched thin by existing workloads, he explained. While bringing in external expert consultants would accelerate the drafting process, the associated costs remain a major sticking point for cash-strapped government leaders.

    Despite these setbacks, Ross stressed that implementation work has not come to a standstill. Among the most advanced ongoing reforms is a draft whistleblower protection bill, inspired in part by the leaked Smart Stream invoices that exposed potential wrongdoing in recent public contracting. The proposed legislation would mandate that all corruption complaints receive formal review, and create a clear escalation process for reports that public agencies attempt to dismiss out of hand.

    However, Ross made clear that passing new legislation is only the first step, not the end goal. True success, he argued, will only be achieved when these new laws are consistently enforced, and tangible results are delivered – including meaningful legal consequences for corrupt public officials. Ross has previously documented the massive scale of annual losses Belize suffers from corruption, noting that billions in public funds are lost to graft every year in public contracting and procurement alone.

    Opposition figures have grown increasingly vocal in their criticism of the government’s slow progress. At a recent protest organized by the United Democratic Party (UDP), aspiring councillor Phillip Willoughby stated bluntly that full implementation of UNCAC is the only measure that can meaningfully curb systemic corruption in Belize, arguing that the nation cannot afford to delay action any longer.

    While Ross acknowledged that full implementation of UNCAC could still be years away, he reaffirmed that the reform process is still advancing, with ongoing work to close the legislative and institutional gaps that have allowed corruption to flourish in Belize.