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  • Penny wants a stronger PCA

    Penny wants a stronger PCA

    Trinidad and Tobago’s opposition leader Pennelope Beckles has ramped up pressure on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, accusing the sitting head of government of ignoring a sharp rise in public distrust of national police operations. Speaking out via a public social media statement on Wednesday, Beckles laid out two urgent legislative priorities her bloc is pushing to overhaul police accountability: strengthening the oversight powers of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) and mandating all frontline law enforcement officers to wear activated body-worn cameras during duty.

    Beckles argues the current PCA lacks sufficient investigatory authority to handle high-stakes cases involving police-involved killings, and is calling for the local oversight body to be restructured along the lines of Jamaica’s Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), a model that grants independent investigators immediate on-site access to preserve evidence and launch probes right after a fatal police incident occurs. “As Opposition Leader I have made a plain and simple call for the Prime Minister to immediately cause legislative amendments to be made to improve the powers and investigatory procedures of the Police Complaints Authority modelling the Jamaican INDECOM example which will allow features such as on-scene site evidence preservation and access by PCA personnel immediately upon the occurrence of police killing,” Beckles said in her official statement.

    The push for PCA reform is paired with a longstanding opposition demand for binding legislation requiring body-worn camera use for all on-duty police and authorized law enforcement personnel. Beckles emphasized that updated legislation covering both PCA oversight and body cameras would deliver tangible benefits for all parties: “Legislation relating to the PCA and the use of body cameras will ensure transparency, accountability and protection for both officers and civilians alike,” she said.

    Beyond attacking the prime minister’s inaction, Beckles also targeted Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander over the unexplained cancellation of a planned procurement of body cameras, noting the public has received no official clarification or timeline for reversing the decision. She also took aim at the soon-to-expire State of Emergency (SoE), suggesting the government is quietly paving the way to extend emergency powers by manufacturing a new national crisis to shield cabinet ministers who have avoided media scrutiny amid widespread corruption allegations.

    As chair of the National Security Council, Persad-Bissessar has completely failed to address growing public concerns over police accountability and transparency, Beckles claimed. She criticized the prime minister for only recently breaking her public silence on policing issues via text message, using the outlet only to announce vague plans for appointing a new Chancellor of the Judiciary and adjusting age limits for alcohol consumption, recreational marijuana use, and gambling—while ignoring the far more pressing demand for policing reform.

    “From the vacuum of her silence and absence, the Prime Minister as the head of the National Security Council has finally emerged by text message once again to now gift the nation with two cryptic quotes and the promise of a Chancellor of the Judiciary, an increase in the age for consumption of alcohol, use of marijuana and gambling,” Beckles said. She called Persad-Bissessar’s inaction on policing transparency a clear dereliction of constitutional duty, noting that balanced reform would protect the rights of both civilians and law enforcement officers by creating clear, documented records of police interactions.

    Beckles tied the growing public distrust to recent high-profile developments, including the controversial execution of warrants against Kaia Sealy. “It is undeniable that suspicion in police action has taken unnecessary root in the matter of the charges brought against Kaia Sealy,” she stated. She also condemned previous provocative comments made by the prime minister about public safety, including remarks describing “rough men” protecting citizens at night and earlier calls to “buss heads and kill people violently”—language that Beckles says has done nothing to ease public anxiety about excessive police force.

    In closing, Beckles praised the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions as one of the last remaining independent pillars of public trust in the country, while reiterating that the prime minister has consistently refused to engage with or adopt the opposition’s evidence-based recommendations for strengthening policing accountability.

  • PM Friday promises ‘course correction’ on SVG debt

    PM Friday promises ‘course correction’ on SVG debt

    When Prime Minister Godwin Friday’s New Democratic Party (NDP) swept into power in St. Vincent and the Grenadines last November, ending a quarter-century of Unity Labour Party rule, the incoming administration expected fiscal challenges. What it uncovered, however, was a public finance crisis far deeper than any public disclosures or opposition analysis had prepared it for.

    In a bombshell interview with Grenadian journalist Kellon Bubb on *The Bubb Report*, broadcast Sunday, Friday detailed the extraordinary fiscal reckoning his government is now navigating, framing the administration’s immediate priority as a urgent “course correction” to pull the country back from unsustainable debt levels.

    Even after years of reviewing government budgets from the opposition benches, Friday said the true scale of the nation’s debt burden remained hidden until the NDP took office. “To be honest with you, I thought there was nothing about the economy that could surprise me,” he shared. “We knew that things were pretty difficult… but I was not quite ready for the depth of the crisis that we found ourselves in, in terms of the finances of the country.”

    Long publicly pegged at a debt-to-GDP ratio around 90%, the actual figure clocked in at 113% — and projections show it will climb even higher in the near term. Friday described the country’s public finances as “very precarious”, noting that the government’s overdraft facility was completely maxed out, and the ballooning debt is already crippling the state’s ability to deliver policy programs and public services to citizens.

    The incoming government’s discovery of the crisis overlapped with the existing national budget timeline, leaving little room to build a new fiscal plan from scratch. “We had to, essentially, tag on to the budget process that was there, because we didn’t have time to redo the entire thing ourselves, at the same time acknowledging that we are in really worse economic shape than we had thought,” Friday explained, adding that even the NDP’s sharpest opposition criticism fell short of the reality the party inherited.

    Friday attributed the crisis to systemic fiscal recklessness from the previous administration, which he said disregarded long-standing fiscal guardrails in pursuit of short-term priorities. “We’ve been saying this all the time when we were in opposition: you can’t disregard the guardrails and simply say, ‘Well, I’m doing it in the best interest of the people,’” he said. “In the end, if you are reckless and you don’t pay attention… the very people that you say you want to help are the ones who are going to wind up paying the cost of it.”

    To reverse the trajectory, Friday’s administration has committed to returning to the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank’s recommended 60% debt-to-GDP cap, a target that is far more challenging to reach today after years of unreported debt growth. “But we have to signal… that we want to turn it around,” he emphasized.

    On the global stage, the prime minister laid out a clear plan for rules-based, collaborative engagement with international financial institutions including the International Monetary Fund. While Friday acknowledged that working with these bodies is unavoidable for a small nation facing fiscal crisis, he stressed that any partnership will be rooted in domestic priorities and democratic accountability.

    He described the institutions’ policy advice as thoughtful and constructive, framing engagement as a collaborative rather than adversarial process designed to support the country’s social and development goals. At the same time, he noted, “They have their views, their positions, and they cannot be ignored… but we also have our own understanding of the needs of [the] country, of the people, and we are politicians as well. We have to listen to the voice of the people. That’s the nature of democracy.”

    Friday outlined a multi-pronged strategy to reduce the debt burden, including pursuing debt swaps, seeking international debt forgiveness, and securing new concessional loans with favorable terms. But the prime minister stressed that sustainable economic growth is the only long-term solution to the nation’s fiscal woes.

    External analysts project St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ growth will remain below 3% in the coming term, and Friday framed lifting growth above that threshold as his administration’s core economic test. The NDP won a landslide mandate in November’s election, taking 14 of 15 parliamentary seats, running on a promise to deliver improved living standards, security and opportunity to all Vincentians.

    To drive that growth, the government is launching an aggressive push to attract foreign direct investment that aligns with national development priorities and creates local jobs, while unlocking untapped domestic private capital — a critical priority in a region that faces persistent capital scarcity. “Where we can have investment that fits with our own developmental goals, that creates jobs, that are responsible for our people, we invite and will court such investments,” Friday said. “You will see during the term of this government… a tremendous push in investments that will create jobs and business opportunities for people. That’s the way we get out of the debt.”

    Ultimately, Friday said, growth must deliver tangible benefits for citizens: better-paying jobs, expanded business opportunities, and robust social programs, not just improved fiscal ratios. “We have to find mechanisms for our people to find work, better-paying jobs, to have business opportunities, and where social programmes are necessary… they are put in place,” he said.

  • Union Island mourns beloved educator, historian, and lawyer

    Union Island mourns beloved educator, historian, and lawyer

    In the mid-1990s, decades after Category 5 Hurricane Janet devastated Union Island in 1955, a visionary secondary school teacher named Steve Eugene Stewart gave his students at Union Island Secondary School an unusual research assignment that would leave a lasting mark on both the students and the small island community. Instead of asking them to flip through textbook pages or dig through static encyclopedia entries to study the historic storm, Stewart tasked his class with a far more meaningful project: seek out the island’s oldest residents, visit them in their homes, and record their first-hand memories of the catastrophic 1955 hurricane.

    What many students discovered through the project surprised them. Unlike modern natural disaster early warning systems that rely on televised alerts, radio broadcasts and mobile phone notifications, the only warning Union Island residents received before Janet hit came from leaflets dropped by a low-flying aircraft. Beyond that key historical fact, the interviews exposed young people to far more than just stories of destruction. They heard accounts of extraordinary neighborly solidarity in the aftermath of the storm, and quiet tales of courage from residents who had rebuilt their lives and their home from scratch.

    For Stewart, the project was never just about collecting historical data. It was a deliberate lesson designed to nurture an appreciation for living history, preserve the island’s fading oral storytelling traditions, teach young people to respect their elders, and foster intentional knowledge transfer between generations. The project also benefited the elderly participants: many had not received such focused attention from younger people in years, and the interviews gave them a renewed sense of purpose, showing that their experiences and wisdom still mattered to the island community. Many enjoyed connecting with young people, even walking them through generations of their family bloodlines to strengthen intergenerational ties.

    This project was just one small example of Stewart’s lifelong legacy as an educator and community leader on Union Island. His core mission as a teacher was always to root young people in their local history, connect them to experienced community leaders, and grow a deep, abiding love for their island home. His commitment to his students went far beyond standard lesson plans: on one occasion, he even sat the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exam alongside his students for a subject he had been teaching for years — surprising them all when it was revealed he never held formal certification in the subject himself, choosing to learn alongside his students to better serve them.

    Stewart’s drive to lift up others extended well beyond his own classroom. When other local teachers risked losing their jobs because they lacked required subject certifications, Stewart organized free evening classes to help them pass their mandatory exams. He was also a passionate advocate for local cultural heritage, and a founding member of the Union Island Museum Society, where he led efforts to reclaim historical artifacts from Union Island’s early settler communities that were being held in museums across Europe.

    His influence stretched across nearly every corner of Union Island’s public life. He contributed to the island’s sports, recreation and cultural sectors as a key member of the Easterval festival committee, local NGO O.S.D.E.R., May Day celebration organizing teams, and community drama and arts programs. He dedicated himself to advancing youth opportunities, regularly supporting Union Island students who moved to the mainland for higher education — helping them secure affordable housing during their studies and connecting them to job placements after they graduated.

    An avid writer and public commentator, Stewart penned dozens of articles highlighting influential local figures, little-known historical events, and ongoing policy debates affecting his homeland. He led campaigns to grant official historical heritage status to important older landmarks across the island, including Union Island’s first concrete home near Cross Road, the colonial-era cotton industry old post office building, the historic overseer’s house on Health Centre Hill, and dozens of other culturally significant relics. He even integrated tours of these sites into his teaching to help students connect with their local history firsthand.

    One of Stewart’s final community projects was the restoration of Society Hall, transforming the historic building into a living museum that preserves the story of financial organizing by Union Island’s community of formerly enslaved people. A lifelong advocate for continuous learning, Stewart even began studying law decades into his career as an educator, always reminding his students: “to never stop dreaming, never stop learning, and never stop selling opportunities.”

    An extensive traveler and widely respected thought leader on issues of sustainable island development, efficient governance, and educational reform, Stewart spent his entire life as a champion for positive change on Union Island. From his early days selling newspapers to local residents to representing his country at international forums in Switzerland, he never missed an opportunity to improve life for his fellow islanders. Above all else, Stewart was a man of deep faith, who prioritized sharing the importance of personal spiritual life, led regular Bible study classes at his church, and encouraged everyone he met to build a personal relationship with Jesus.

    This op-ed is written by Nkarlo Alexander, a former student of Stewart’s at Union Island Secondary School, and reflects the personal views of the author, not the official editorial stance of iWitness News.

  • Hopeful Hearts Foundation Donates Examination Kits to Pares Primary Grade 6 Students

    Hopeful Hearts Foundation Donates Examination Kits to Pares Primary Grade 6 Students

    A community-focused charitable organization, Hopeful Hearts Foundation, has launched a new initiative to support graduating elementary students at Pares Primary by donating specially prepared examination kits to all Grade 6 learners. The contribution comes ahead of critical national standardized assessments that will shape students’ next steps in their academic journey, addressing a gap where many low-income families struggle to afford necessary testing supplies.

    Local education representatives have praised the foundation’s effort, noting that the donation does more than just provide physical materials: it also boosts students’ confidence and reduces financial stress for working-class households enrolled at the school. Foundation organizers shared that they developed the project after hearing from Pares Primary teachers about the unmet needs of Grade 6 families, and they hope to expand similar support programs to other neighboring primary schools in the coming academic year.

  • Teheran veroordeelt Amerikaanse aanvallen tijdens staakt-het-vuren

    Teheran veroordeelt Amerikaanse aanvallen tijdens staakt-het-vuren

    Fresh United States airstrikes against targets in southern Iran have triggered fierce condemnation from Tehran, which has branded the military incursion a blatant, severe violation of the fragile ceasefire that has held across the region since April. The strikes come at a critical juncture, just as both Washington and Tehran had begun showing tentative signs of progress in indirect negotiations aimed at forging a broader peace agreement and reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which nearly 20% of the world’s daily oil supplies pass.

    Seyed Majid Moosavi, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force — the branch of Iran’s military that oversees the country’s ballistic missile and drone programs — issued a stark warning in response to the attacks. He stated that Iran is fully prepared to retaliate against the U.S. aggression, dismissing ongoing diplomatic engagement with Washington as a pure waste of effort. Moosavi added that his force remains on high alert, standing by for formal orders from Iran’s supreme commander to launch any response deemed necessary.

    Even in the wake of the airstrikes, senior Iranian diplomatic officials have continued indirect talks with U.S. mediators in Doha, Qatar. A core sticking point in the current negotiations remains the release of approximately $24 billion in Iranian assets frozen by Western sanctions, which sources close to the talks identify as the final major hurdle to reaching a preliminary agreement. Such a deal would not only work toward ending ongoing regional hostilities but also restore unimpeded commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

    U.S. officials have publicly confirmed the airstrikes, saying the targets included boats suspected of planning to lay naval mines and Iranian missile launch facilities. The U.S. Central Command argued the operation was a defensive measure carried out to protect American troops in the region from imminent threats posed by Iranian-aligned forces. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed Washington’s stance that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to international shipping under all circumstances.

    Tensions across the Middle East have climbed even higher as Israel escalates its military campaign against the Hezbollah militant group in southern Lebanon. Following an announcement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli military carried out a series of overnight air raids that Lebanese authorities confirm killed 12 people. Regional analysts broadly view this Israeli escalation as a major complicating factor for the ongoing U.S.-Iran peace talks, creating new uncertainty for a potential deal.

    Lorenzo Kamel, a historian at the University of Turin specializing in Middle Eastern affairs, noted that without outside pressure to rein in Israeli policy led by Netanyahu, any prospective U.S.-Iran agreement will remain extremely fragile. There are also growing regional fears that Iran could retaliate for Israeli strikes in Lebanon by ramping up its own military activities against other regional actors, including the United Arab Emirates.

    The situation around the Strait of Hormuz remains highly tense, with Iranian officials repeatedly stating the country is prepared to push back against any U.S.-led blockades or external pressure. Tehran-based analyst Mohammad Eslamy argues the latest U.S. airstrikes are no coincidence: he suspects Washington is deliberately engineering military escalation to force greater concessions from Iran during the ongoing negotiations, shifting the balance of power in Washington’s favor ahead of any final agreement.

  • Wins, Gaps and the Road Ahead for Healthy Food Policy in the Caribbean

    Wins, Gaps and the Road Ahead for Healthy Food Policy in the Caribbean

    Across the Caribbean region, efforts to build more equitable, nutrition-focused food systems have yielded measurable progress in recent years, yet deep-rooted gaps continue to undermine public health outcomes and leave vulnerable communities underserved. For decades, Caribbean nations have grappled with a dual burden of malnutrition: widespread diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, coexisting with persistent food insecurity in low-income coastal and rural communities. These challenges have spurred regional bodies and national governments to roll out targeted healthy food policies aimed at reshaping food environments and improving access to nutrient-dense, local produce.

    Notable policy wins have already transformed regional food landscapes in meaningful ways. Several Caribbean states have implemented mandatory front-of-package warning labels for processed foods high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat, giving consumers clear, accessible information to make informed purchasing decisions. Some governments have also introduced fiscal measures, including taxes on sugary beverages and processed snacks, while offering subsidies to small-scale local farmers growing fruits, vegetables, and legumes. These initiatives have cut consumption of unhealthy products in multiple markets, and boosted demand for locally grown nutrient-dense foods, supporting both public health and smallholder livelihoods. Regional collaborative bodies, such as the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), have also streamlined knowledge sharing between nations, helping smaller states adopt evidence-based policies without starting from scratch.

    Despite these advances, significant gaps remain that block widespread, equitable impact. Many policies suffer from weak enforcement, particularly in informal markets where unlabeled processed food is widely sold, and tax loopholes allow vendors to avoid price adjustments that would discourage unhealthy purchases. Infrastructure barriers also persist: inadequate cold storage and transportation networks leave small farmers unable to get fresh produce to urban markets at affordable prices, eroding the impact of agricultural subsidies. Additionally, policy design often fails to center the needs of marginalized groups, including Indigenous communities, low-income households, and remote island populations, who face the highest rates of diet-related illness but are rarely included in the policy development process. The powerful influence of transnational processed food corporations, which invest heavily in marketing unhealthy products across the region, also creates political and economic headwinds that slow policy progress.

    Looking ahead, stakeholders across the region agree that closing these gaps will require coordinated, multi-sector action that prioritizes equity and community leadership. Experts argue that strengthening enforcement capacity, investing in food distribution infrastructure, and increasing community participation in policy design will be critical to expanding the impact of existing initiatives. Moving forward, regional cooperation will also be key: pooling resources for research, supporting small island states with limited administrative capacity, and advocating collectively against industry interference can help Caribbean nations build food systems that deliver better health for all residents. While the road ahead includes significant challenges, the early policy wins across the region provide a strong foundation for future progress.

  • SVG takes part in 28th Caribbean Postal Union Conference in Bahamas

    SVG takes part in 28th Caribbean Postal Union Conference in Bahamas

    As Caribbean nations work to reframe their postal systems for the digital age, a high-level delegation from St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is convening in Nassau, Bahamas, for two landmark regional postal gatherings that run through Friday. The 28th Annual Caribbean Postal Union (CPU) Conference, paired with the 21st Meeting of the Caribbean Council of Ministers of Postal Affairs (CCMPA), has drawn senior leaders, policymakers, regulators, and global postal stakeholders from across the region to tackle the shifting landscape of global postal services.

    Leading the SVG delegation is Major St. Clair Leacock, who holds multiple cabinet roles including Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Security, Disaster Management and Immigration, and Minister with oversight of the SVG Postal Corporation. Supporting Leacock as Assistant Head of Delegation is Marlon Bute, the recently appointed chairman of the SVG Postal Corporation Board of Directors. Rounding out the delegation are June Jacqueline Adams Ollivierre, the corporation’s director, and Desiree Robinson, executive secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister.

    Hosted under the overarching conference theme “Leading for Resilience – Transforming Caribbean Post for a Connected Future,” the event brings together cross-sector postal leaders to tackle a packed agenda of pressing industry challenges and opportunities. Key topics on the table include sweeping digital transformation, integration of artificial intelligence into postal operations, streamlining cross-border logistics and transportation, building organizational and operational resilience, advancing trade facilitation, expanding e-commerce integration for postal networks, strengthening cybersecurity defenses, modernizing postal payment systems, deepening regional collaboration, improving disaster preparedness, fostering service innovation, and implementing governance reform.

    For SVG, the timing of the delegation’s participation aligns with a national push to overhaul and revitalize the country’s postal service, a government press release confirmed. The SVG administration is currently ramping up efforts to modernize and reposition the public postal institution to better meet the needs of the country’s residents.

    Leacock has laid out a clear vision for the transformation: strengthening the postal corporation by expanding accessible services, boosting operational efficiency, embedding innovation into core processes, and adapting the organization to the demands of today’s fast-paced, digitally connected world, where speed, reliability, flexibility, and customer-centric service have become non-negotiable priorities.

    The minister has also stressed that peer learning from regional and international peers is critical, as postal providers worldwide grapple with shared headwinds: plummeting volumes of traditional letter mail, shifting consumer demands, rising competition from private logistics providers, widespread technological disruption, and the growing market dominance of digital commerce and on-demand rapid delivery networks.

    Bute, an experienced entrepreneur with deep expertise in business development, operational management, customer experience, and organizational leadership, was recently tapped to lead the postal corporation’s board specifically to help chart a new strategic course for the institution during its transformation. Speaking from the conference venue in Nassau, Bute highlighted that the gathering offers SVG an unprecedented chance to gain firsthand insight into the shared challenges, emerging opportunities, and evolving industry dynamics shaping postal services across the Caribbean and beyond.

    “Postal corporations throughout the Caribbean and around the world are operating in a period of tremendous change and disruption. Traditional models are under pressure, consumer expectations are changing rapidly, and institutions must evolve or risk becoming irrelevant,” Bute noted in his on-site comments.

    He emphasized that the SVG government, under Leacock’s leadership, is pursuing a deliberate, strategic turnaround of the national postal service, with the goal of building a more efficient, modern, responsive, and technologically adaptable institution that directly serves the evolving needs of the country’s people and businesses.

    “For us, this conference is an important learning experience and an opportunity to wet our feet, as it were, as we begin charting the way forward. We are fortunate to have the guidance and experience of the director, Mrs. Ollivierre, and the senior staff of the Corporation, but we are also approaching this process with open minds, fresh energy, and a willingness to embrace innovation and reform,” Bute added.

    Over the course of the conference, the SVG delegation will take part in targeted discussions covering a range of priority areas for the country’s reform agenda: deepening regional postal cooperation, improving postal logistics and transportation infrastructure, unlocking new e-commerce opportunities for local businesses, expanding digital postal services, developing postal banking and modern payment systems, streamlining customs processes, securing resilience funding for infrastructure upgrades, advancing governance improvements, and shaping the long-term strategic direction of the regional postal network.

    Going forward, the SVG Postal Corporation reaffirmed its commitment to delivering tangible improvements: upgrading service delivery, cutting operational inefficiencies, modernizing core operations, and exploring new revenue and service opportunities that will build long-term institutional sustainability and position the organization to better serve the SVG public for decades to come.

  • Fisheries Minister announces conch hatchery amidst declining catch

    Fisheries Minister announces conch hatchery amidst declining catch

    On May 25, 2026, Fisheries Minister Conroy Huggins used the platform of the country’s 49th Fisherman’s Day celebrations, held in Little Tokyo, Kingstown, to lay out an ambitious new agenda for the nation’s fisheries sector and blue economy, while sounding an alarm over accelerating declines in two of the region’s most valuable marine species: queen conch and lobster.

    Huggins outlined positive recovery trends for the broader fishing industry in the wake of 2024’s Hurricane Beryl, noting that 2025 total fish landings bounced back to roughly 1.93 million pounds, with an estimated market value exceeding EC$16.3 million. This marks a clear uptick from 2024’s post-hurricane totals of 1.7 million pounds and EC$14.7 million. However, the improvement across the sector masks troubling declines for high-value commercial species: conch landings dropped 17.6% year-over-year, translating to more than EC$0.2 million in lost revenue, while lobster earnings fell 27% for an estimated loss of EC$0.3 million.

    “These realities… remind us that the sea is generous, but its resources are not unlimited,” Huggins told attendees, stressing that the new policy framework will center on science-backed, sustainable resource management to reverse current declines. This marks the second consecutive year that a senior fisheries official has flagged the downward trend in conch populations: last year, then-minister Saboto Caesar announced plans to implement a mandatory closed conch season starting in 2026, alongside broader revisions to the country’s Fisheries Act to establish protected marine replenishment zones. Caesar had already secured government approval for the closed season before Hurricane Beryl made landfall in July 2024, framing the move as an intergenerational responsibility to preserve marine resources for future Vincentian communities.

    To address the conch decline head-on, Huggins announced a new queen conch recovery initiative that will include the construction of a purpose-built conch hatchery and nursery unit on Union Island, with construction set to break ground before the end of 2026. Complementing this project, ongoing coral reef restoration work is underway across all of St. Vincent and the Grenadines through regional and international collaborative partnerships, designed to rebuild critical marine habitats, boost wild fish populations, and strengthen the country’s overall climate resilience. “Where science tells us resources are declining, we must act responsibly. Conservation today is production and sustainability for tomorrow,” Huggins said.

    Funding for the new slate of initiatives comes from the 2026 national budget, which allocates approximately EC$14.3 million to the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine and Land Conservation and Climate Resilience. More than EC$8.4 million of that allocation is earmarked for capital expenditure, targeted at upgrading fisheries infrastructure, expanding marine conservation work, boosting climate resilience, and scaling up emerging blue economy projects. As an island nation with a marine exclusive economic zone 90 times larger than its total landmass, Huggins emphasized that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is well-positioned to unlock the vast untapped economic potential of ocean-based industries.

    A holistic, long-term sector strategy to guide all future policy, infrastructure development, resource management, climate adaptation, investment planning, and institutional strengthening is currently in development, with many of the upcoming initiatives tied to the World Bank-supported Unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean (UBEC) programme. Key projects outlined by Huggins include retrofitting existing fishing vessels to improve catch quality and on-board safety, strengthening monitoring and enforcement systems to crack down on unreported and illegal fishing, building out national food safety and seafood inspection frameworks, and supporting aquaculture development for high-value species including sea moss, conch, and lobster. Additional plans cover the refurbishment of fisheries facilities, jetties, and boat ramps, the construction of climate-resilient storage infrastructure to protect fishers’ assets, investment in vessel monitoring systems and cold storage networks, and expanded access to affordable financing for small-scale fishing operations.

    Beyond infrastructure and conservation, the ministry is rolling out targeted training and capacity-building programmes for both working fishers and fisheries sector staff, covering critical topics including open sea safety, seafood quality control, best practices for fish handling and processing, boatmaster certification, and adoption of modern fishing technologies. New inclusive initiatives will specifically open up opportunities for youth and women through fisheries skills training and seafood product development, pushing back against narratives that the fishing industry is in decline. “Fisheries is not a dying industry. Fisheries is a sector of innovation, entrepreneurship, science, technology, and opportunity,” Huggins said. Closing his address, the minister called for shared collective responsibility across all sectors of society: he urged fishers to comply with sustainable harvesting regulations, and called on local communities to participate in protecting critical coastal ecosystems including reefs, mangroves, beaches, and seagrass beds that underpin long-term fisheries health.

  • HEBERSaVax: The story of a Cuban product, unique in the world, with great potential in the fight against cancer

    HEBERSaVax: The story of a Cuban product, unique in the world, with great potential in the fight against cancer

    On the afternoon of May 27, 2026, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, who also serves as First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, chaired a regular meeting of health sector experts and scientists at Havana’s Palace of the Revolution. The gathering’s most anticipated highlight was an update on HEBERSaVax, a groundbreaking Cuban-developed therapeutic vaccine candidate for treating multiple types of malignant tumors, a development that has already sparked early optimism for global cancer care.

    During the session, Díaz-Canel extended formal congratulations to HEBERSaVax lead scientist Yanelys Morera Díaz, a full member of the Cuban Academy of Sciences, and her entire research team. Following the conclusion of the meeting, Morera spoke to state press about the vaccine’s mechanism and developmental progress, outlining how the innovative candidate works to stop cancer progression.

    Morera explained that HEBERSaVax functions as a form of active immunotherapy, targeting two critical aspects of tumor growth. First, it prompts the body to produce specific antibodies that block the blood supply tumors need to access nutrients and oxygen for expansion. Second, it reactivates the patient’s own immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells, creating a multi-functional approach to treatment.

    After completing all preclinical testing, including early trials in laboratory animal models, the candidate has advanced to Phase II clinical trials focused on specific tumor types. Morera emphasized that early safety data shows the therapy has a strong tolerability profile, with only mild, manageable adverse effects. This low toxicity profile allows HEBERSaVax to be combined with conventional cancer treatments without increasing harmful side effects, opening the door for broad clinical applications. While the candidate remains in active research, Morera noted that many trial participants have already reported meaningful improvements to their quality of life, with some patients with advanced-stage cancer achieving complete responses to treatment. Moving forward, the research team must continue compiling clinical evidence to meet Cuba’s rigorous national regulatory standards before advancing to later trial phases. Morera expressed confidence that the candidate will successfully complete all required testing and eventually become a core tool in global cancer treatment, with long-term plans to integrate the therapy into primary care settings.

    Other members of the research team echoed Morera’s cautious optimism. Julio César Hernández Perera, an internal medicine specialist, full member of the Cuban Academy of Sciences and clinical researcher on the project, described HEBERSaVax as a one-of-a-kind achievement of Cuba’s robust biotechnology sector, built on decades of targeted research. He noted that the candidate could eventually be used to treat a wide range of solid tumors, which often rely on the specific protein targeted by the vaccine to grow and spread. Its low toxicity makes it a viable option even for patients living with multiple chronic conditions, a major advantage over many conventional aggressive treatments. Like Morera, Hernández Perera called for continued research investment, but stressed that the candidate already opens new, previously unreachable frontiers in cancer care.

    Young clinical researcher Adriana Felinciano Pozo, another internal medicine specialist on the team, added that HEBERSaVax’s simple subcutaneous administration makes it easy to deploy in a wide range of care settings. Early trial results across multiple hard-to-treat solid tumor types — including colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, ovarian cancer, and kidney cancer, all in advanced patient populations — have delivered consistent positive responses. Felinciano Pozo emphasized that cancer remains one of the leading global causes of death and long-term disability, making accessible, low-toxicity new therapies a critical global public health need.

    The report frames HEBERSaVax’s development as a testament to Cuba’s enduring commitment to protecting the fundamental human right to health and life, even amid long-standing external economic pressure that has strained the country’s resources. The work of the HEBERSaVax research team exemplifies how Cuban biotechnology continues to advance life-saving innovation despite significant challenges.

  • ‘Number Seven’ returns to stage in SVG before NY debut

    ‘Number Seven’ returns to stage in SVG before NY debut

    A decades-long dream of sharing authentic Vincentian storytelling with the world is finally coming to fruition, as Ask Enterprise Ltd. has officially announced upcoming new productions of *Number Seven*, the acclaimed original work from revered Vincentian playwright Kevin Roderiques.

    The production will kick off with two local performances at Kingstown’s Peace Memorial Hall in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) on May 30 and 31. Following these domestic shows, the production will make history this October, when it becomes the first full-length Vincentian play written, directed, and performed entirely by Vincentian creatives to hit an Off-Broadway stage in New York City. The New York opening is scheduled for October 24, timed to coincide with SVG’s 47th Independence Day celebrations on October 27, turning the performance into a global celebration of Vincentian identity and culture.

    For nearly 30 years, Roderiques has been a foundational figure in shaping modern Vincentian theatre. His work consistently uses the performing arts as a platform to educate audiences, confront pressing local social issues, and center lived community experiences that are rarely shared on global stages. *Number Seven*, a tight, suspense-filled action drama, has already built a loyal following across the Caribbean: the play has earned rave critical reviews and won over audiences during prior runs in SVG, Grenada, and St. Lucia. Roderiques describes the work as a showcase of core Vincentian values, saying “*Number Seven* represents the very best of who we are as a people, our creativity, our resilience, and our ability to tell stories that matter.”

    “To finally bring this work to an Off-Broadway stage is a dream thirty years in the making. However, more importantly, it is a dream shared by every Vincentian who has ever believed that our stories deserve to be heard by the world,” the playwright added. All 12 cast members, all Vincentian actors, will appear in both the local and New York productions, serving as official cultural ambassadors for their small island nation throughout the project.

    Beyond the stage, the production carries a deep commitment to lifting up the next generation of Vincentians and strengthening ties with the global Vincentian diaspora. All proceeds from the May local performances will go toward two key initiatives. First, the funds will cover the international travel, accommodation, and on-ground logistics for the 12-person cast’s trip to New York, removing financial barriers that would otherwise prevent the all-Vincentian production from happening. Second, remaining proceeds will support the ongoing Agent Mentorship Programme, a free after-school initiative that works with boys aged 8 to 12 across SVG. The program uses theatre training to build critical life skills including self-esteem, self-discipline, and creative thinking, guiding at-risk young participants toward positive, productive futures.

    In reflecting on the full scope of the project, Roderiques emphasized that *Number Seven* is far more than a simple theatre production. “It is about showing our young people that dreams are valid. It is about connecting with Vincentians overseas and reminding them that home is always with them. And it is about proving that from our small nation, greatness can emerge,” he said.