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  • Dominican Republic to host Ibero-American road safety data summit

    Dominican Republic to host Ibero-American road safety data summit

    The Caribbean nation of the Dominican Republic is preparing to welcome delegates from 14 Ibero-American countries for the eighth iteration of the Ibero-American Meeting on Data and Road Safety, a landmark regional event organized by the country’s National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (INTRANT). Scheduled to run from May 20 to 23 at the convention center of the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital city of Santo Domingo, the gathering aims to strengthen cross-border data management practices and craft collaborative strategies to cut down on preventable traffic accidents across the region.

    Among the participating delegations are senior technical representatives from major Ibero-American states including Spain, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay. Over the four-day event, attendees will take part in a series of targeted technical sessions covering high-priority topics: enhancing the accuracy and completeness of road safety data, advancing robust statistical analysis methods, improving institutional interoperability across different national agencies, and supporting the development of road safety policies rooted in solid empirical evidence.

    INTRANT Executive Director Milton Morrison emphasized that access to consistent, reliable road safety data forms the non-negotiable foundation for designing policies that actually reduce road fatalities and keep vulnerable road users safe. Beyond knowledge sharing, organizers expect the meeting to deliver tangible outcomes: deepened long-term regional cooperation on road safety, the launch of new cross-national initiatives to upgrade national road safety information systems, and expanded coordinated support for safer, more sustainable mobility across every corner of Ibero-America.

  • Researchers say conch, lobster and grouper stocks overfished

    Researchers say conch, lobster and grouper stocks overfished

    A landmark 73-year analysis led by Sea Around Us researchers has delivered a stark warning for The Bahamas’ marine ecosystems: 11 out of 12 of the nation’s most culturally and commercially vital seafood species are now categorized as overfished, with most being harvested far faster than natural populations can replenish. Published in the peer-reviewed journal *Frontiers in Marine Science*, the findings validate long-held anecdotal concerns from local Bahamian fishers, who have reported declining catches of iconic species for decades.

    To build their dataset, researchers reconstructed total catch records stretching from 1950 through 2022, offering one of the most comprehensive long-term assessments of Caribbean fisheries ever conducted. The 12 species evaluated represent the backbone of The Bahamas’ seafood economy and cultural identity. Among the at-risk populations, Nassau grouper and yellowfin grouper were ranked as “grossly overfished”; queen conch, Caribbean spiny lobster, hogfish, black grouper, rock hind and wahoo fell into the “overfished” category; and lane snapper, mutton snapper and gray snapper were listed as “slightly overfished.” Only one species — dolphinfish, more commonly known as mahi mahi — was found to have a stable, healthy population.

    The results carry profound implications for The Bahamas, a nation where seafood is central to both domestic food security and a tourism-driven economy. Across the 73-year study period, researchers estimated that a total of 1.3 million tonnes of seafood were harvested from Bahamian waters, averaging 17,500 tonnes per year. Just two species — Caribbean spiny lobster and queen conch — made up more than half of that total catch: lobster accounted for 33% (around 425,000 tonnes) and conch for 21%. Both are now officially overfished, with lobster populations at just 61% of the biomass required to support long-term maximum sustainable yield, and queen conch at 59%. Maximum sustainable yield is the scientific benchmark for the largest catch that can be maintained indefinitely under stable environmental conditions.

    Reef-dwelling groupers and snappers showed the most alarming population declines of all species assessed. Yellowfin grouper, the most imperiled species in the study, was found to have only 40% of the biomass needed for sustainable harvesting. Nassau grouper, which has been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature since 2015, was measured at just 49% of the required sustainable biomass. Data shows Nassau grouper catches exceeded maximum sustainable yield for nearly 40 years before populations collapsed from their mid-1990s peak, and the species has yet to show any signs of recovery in the decades since.

    Breaking down catch contributions across the fishing sector, the study found that recreational fishing — including tourism-focused charter boats, sportfishing operations, and visiting angling groups — accounted for 46% of total historical catch, the largest share of any segment. Industrial fishing, centered primarily on export-focused spiny lobster operations, made up 26% of total catch, while small-scale artisanal fishing for local markets contributed 23%, and small-scale subsistence fishing accounted for the remaining 5%.

    The study’s clear findings intensify pressure on Bahamian fisheries regulators, who have long struggled to manage iconic seafood industries hampered by incomplete population data, inconsistent enforcement of fishing rules, and persistent high public demand for local catch. Dr. Krista Sherman, study co-author and researcher at the Perry Institute for Marine Science, emphasized that the overfished status of key species creates direct risks for domestic food access. “These species are the backbone of The Bahamas’ domestic seafood supply, supporting commercial and subsistence fishers across the islands and anchoring local food security,” Sherman explained. “Their overfished status means fewer fish in local markets and on local plates unless targeted management action is taken. These assessments not only improve our understanding of the status of key fisheries but also provide a critical foundation for the sustainable management of these valuable resources moving forward.”

  • Watson, Rahming and former NBA player Fox named to Senate

    Watson, Rahming and former NBA player Fox named to Senate

    Fresh off the Progressive Liberal Party’s commanding landslide win in last week’s general election, the Bahamas’ new parliamentary framework began to take shape on Wednesday, with a slate of Senate appointments that drew widespread public attention, including several high-profile figures from media, sports and public relations. The PLP secured a dominant majority in the May 12 poll, taking 32 of the 41 available House of Assembly seats and leaving the incumbent Free National Movement with just 8 seats, forcing the opposition to launch a new rebuilding effort following its second consecutive electoral defeat.

    The official swearing-in ceremony for government-aligned senators was held at Government House, where PLP Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis formally introduced his slate of appointees to the upper legislative chamber. Alongside returning former Senate President Lashelle Adderley, Davis’ picks included D’Asante Small, Deputy Director of Communications for the Public Hospitals Authority; former electoral candidates Robyn Lynes (Killarney) and Keno Wong (St Anne’s); PLP legal team representative Keenan Johnson; and sitting public sector leaders JaAnn Major and Kevin Simmons. Two appointees stood out for their particularly high public profiles: Clint Watson, General Manager of the state-owned ZNS broadcasting network, and Latrae Rahming, the PLP’s veteran communications director.

    Speaking after the ceremony, Prime Minister Davis emphasized his confidence in the new cohort of senators, noting that many of the appointees had already proven their capabilities through both public service and personal scrutiny. “Each of these individuals has been tested, either by my own experience working alongside them or in the unforgiving court of public opinion,” Davis said. “I am proud to welcome them to the Senate as we begin the work Bahamians elected us to do.”

    For Rahming, who previously led the PLP’s public relations response during the party’s last term in government, his move to the upper chamber carries a core mission: reigniting young people’s faith in the country’s democratic process and encouraging greater civic participation. Pointing to the lackluster voter turnout recorded in last week’s election, Rahming noted that many young Bahamians have grown disengaged from exercising their democratic rights, and he aims to change that narrative through his work in the Senate.

    Watson, a former journalist, brings a policy priority focused on reforming the Bahamas’ media landscape and advancing long-delayed transparency legislation. Citing his decades of experience in the news industry, Watson highlighted that public demand for a national Freedom of Information Act remains strong, and he will push to codify that law to build a more open, progressive modern Bahamas.

    On the opposition side, the Free National Movement also confirmed its own Senate appointees, led by one of the Bahamas’ most recognizable public figures: former NBA champion Rick Fox. Fox’s appointment comes as the FNM works to rebuild its public profile and regroup following its heavy electoral defeat, and the party also named three other senators: attorneys Elsworth Johnson and Arinthia Komolafe, and Dr Trevor Johnson.

    Outgoing Opposition Leader Michael Pintard acknowledged that the FNM had hoped for a far better electoral result, but the party accepted the mandate given to it by Bahamian voters and will fulfill its role as the official opposition in Parliament. “The people have spoken, and we respect their decision,” Pintard said. “Our job now is to hold the government accountable while we work to rebuild our party and earn the trust of voters moving forward.”

  • Japan donates equipment to help Dominican Republic combat sargassum

    Japan donates equipment to help Dominican Republic combat sargassum

    A new chapter of environmental cooperation between Japan and the Dominican Republic has officially begun, as Tokyo handed over a fleet of heavy machinery to help the Caribbean nation address the worsening sargassum crisis that has plagued its coastlines and critical tourism industry.

    The official handover ceremony took place at the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Tourism, with top local government officials leading the event. Attendees included José Ignacio Paliza, Minister of the Presidency, and Carlos Peguero, Vice Minister of International Cooperation, who formally accepted the donation on behalf of the Dominican government.

    This support comes through Japan’s well-established Non-Reimbursable Financial Cooperation Program, an initiative that provides grant-based assistance to partner countries facing pressing social and environmental challenges. The donation package comprises 17 pieces of purpose-built heavy equipment: six heavy-duty dump trucks for transporting collected seaweed, five mechanical street sweepers to clear sargassum from coastal access areas and promenades, and five tractors to assist with large-scale containment and collection operations along the Dominican Republic’s extensive coastline.

    Dominican authorities have emphasized that the new equipment will fill critical gaps in the country’s current sargassum response capacity. For years, massive influxes of free-floating sargassum have washed up on Dominican beaches, decaying on shore and damaging fragile coastal habitats, driving away tourists, and cutting into revenue from the tourism sector – the single largest engine of economic growth and employment in the country.

    Tsuda Fumiyo, Japan’s Chargé d’Affaires in the Dominican Republic, used the occasion to underscore the strategic value of the collaboration. She noted that the partnership goes beyond just addressing an immediate environmental problem; it advances shared goals of long-term environmental sustainability and strengthens the institutional capacity of Dominican agencies tasked with coastal management. The handover marks another milestone in the deepening bilateral relationship between the two nations, centered on mutual support for sustainable development and economic resilience.

  • IDAC opens applications for Aerodrome Controller training program

    IDAC opens applications for Aerodrome Controller training program

    SANTO DOMINGO — The Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC) has opened a new career pathway for young Dominican residents through the launch of its competitive Aerodrome Controller training initiative, designed to cultivate next-generation professionals critical to global air navigation and national aviation safety. This full training program fills a growing demand for skilled air traffic management personnel in the Dominican Republic’s expanding aviation sector, giving motivated young people a rare chance to enter a stable, high-demand field without requiring prior industry experience.

    To qualify for the program, candidates must meet a clear set of eligibility requirements. All applicants must hold Dominican citizenship, be between the ages of 18 and 30, possess a valid national identification card, and have completed a full high school education. A core requirement for admission is proof of English language proficiency meeting or exceeding the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) operational Level 5, a standard set to ensure clear communication in high-stakes aviation environments. While no prior professional experience in aviation is required to apply, candidates currently receiving any form of government pension are excluded from participating.

    Application submissions will be accepted exclusively through the online CONCURSA government portal, with the application window running from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time between May 21 and May 27, 2026. In a formal statement on the initiative, IDAC Director General Igor Rodríguez Durán emphasized that the entire candidate selection process will uphold the strict ethical and professional standards mandated by the Dominican Ministry of Public Administration, with full transparency maintained at every stage from application submission to final admission decisions.

  • Dominican Senate advances bill to promote local and foreign investment

    Dominican Senate advances bill to promote local and foreign investment

    SANTO DOMINGO — Lawmakers in the Dominican Republic’s upper legislative chamber have moved a transformative investment-focused bill one step closer to enactment, greenlighting the proposal in an initial vote during a recent plenary session that also advanced a slate of community-focused infrastructure projects and cross-border policy adjustments.

    Sponsored by Senator Alexis Victoria Yeb, the new legislation seeks to lay a comprehensive, equal footing for both domestic and international investors by establishing a clear national legal framework that enshrines identical rights and responsibilities for all capital participants, regardless of origin. Core objectives of the bill center on stimulating higher levels of capital inflow into the country, reinforcing long-term legal certainty for business operations, and laying stronger foundations for inclusive economic expansion and broad-based national development.

    A key sustainability-focused provision embedded in the legislation mandates that any investor seeking to access tax and policy incentives under the new law must meet strict national environmental protection standards and adhere to principles of responsible natural resource stewardship. This dual-purpose structure is designed to position the Dominican Republic as a more competitive and appealing destination for global and local investment, while simultaneously ensuring that all new economic activity aligns with long-term sustainable development goals, preventing the overexploitation of natural assets and environmental harm.

    Beyond the high-profile investment legislation, the Senate’s session delivered progress on a range of local public infrastructure priorities. Lawmakers approved a series of resolutions authorizing upgrades to existing sports facilities in two municipalities, Villa Vásquez and Salcedo. Additional resolutions greenlit the development of a new public blood bank in Hermanas Mirabal Province, as well as the construction of new police station facilities in Sabaneta and Villa Tapia, projects expected to improve public safety and healthcare access for local communities.

    The legislative agenda also included ceremonial and diplomatic action: senators voted to approve formal recognitions for distinguished figures who have made outstanding contributions to the Dominican Republic in the fields of education, literature, medicine, and the arts. They also signed off on a targeted amendment to the bilateral air transport agreement between the Dominican Republic and neighboring Cuba, updating the terms of the existing accord to reflect current travel and aviation needs between the two Caribbean nations.

  • Amnesty International urges Dominican Republic to separate healthcare access from immigration enforcement

    Amnesty International urges Dominican Republic to separate healthcare access from immigration enforcement

    Leading global human rights group Amnesty International has publicly called on the Dominican government to end its policy of integrating immigration enforcement into routine healthcare services, taking aim at a controversial official protocol that allows authorities to deport undocumented Haitian migrants after they have completed necessary medical treatment.

    In a formal statement released by the organization, Amnesty emphasized that the current government policy stands in direct contradiction to the Dominican Republic’s new role as the sitting president of the World Health Assembly, a position that carries a fundamental commitment to upholding global health equity. The human rights watchdog stressed that the Dominican Republic is obligated to ensure all people within its borders can access life-saving healthcare without discrimination based on race or migration status.

    Amnesty also issued a stark warning about the dangerous public health and human impacts of the protocol: the policy has already created widespread fear among Haitian communities and Dominican citizens of Haitian descent, who are increasingly avoiding seeking needed medical care out of anxiety that they will be detained and deported even when they seek urgent treatment.

    The protocol in question was first implemented in April 2025, and it mandates that all foreign patients accessing healthcare in the country produce valid official identification, documentation of legal residence, proof of employment, and advance payment for medical services. Under the rules, migrants who cannot meet these strict requirements are allowed to receive acute treatment, but are placed in immigration custody and scheduled for deportation once they have recovered enough to travel.

    Official immigration data from the Dominican government underscores the scale of the country’s deportation push: in 2025 alone, authorities expelled more than 370,000 Haitian nationals from its territory, representing a 37.4 percent jump in the number of deportations compared to 2024 figures.

  • WHO evaluates vaccines, treatments for Ebola outbreak

    WHO evaluates vaccines, treatments for Ebola outbreak

    GENEVA, Switzerland – The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Tuesday it is actively evaluating all available experimental vaccines and treatment candidates to counter a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which officials warn could stretch on for months or longer. The UN health agency has already formally designated the surge of the highly contagious viral haemorrhagic fever as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, after the virus was linked to 131 suspected deaths and more than 500 confirmed and suspected infections across the affected region.

    Anne Ancia, WHO’s representative to the DRC, told reporters in a briefing connecting from Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, that the global body is working urgently to map out all available candidate medical countermeasures and determine their suitability for deployment in the ongoing response. “At the international level, we are looking at what candidate vaccines or treatment are available and if any could be of use in this outbreak,” Ancia stated.

    WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reinforced the severity of the situation Tuesday, saying he was “deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic” and confirming that he would convene a high-level emergency meeting of the agency’s independent crisis committee later the same day to coordinate the global response.

    A key complication facing response teams is that the current outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a viral variant for which no pre-approved, widely deployable vaccine or targeted therapeutic treatment currently exists. Over the past 50 years, Ebola outbreaks across Africa have claimed more than 15,000 lives total. The only licensed Ebola vaccines available to date are formulated to target the Zaire strain, which was first identified in 1976. Currently, international public health experts agree that these prequalified Zaire strain vaccines are not approved for use against the current Bundibugyo outbreak, though Ancia noted that further research is ongoing to explore all potential options.

    The WHO’s technical advisory group for outbreak response met Tuesday to outline priority guidelines for evaluating candidate vaccines, to determine which experimental candidates should move forward for accelerated testing and deployment. Among the candidates under review is Ervebo, one of the most advanced existing Ebola vaccine candidates that is being assessed for its ability to deliver additional preventive protection for at-risk communities in the DRC. Even if Ervebo is cleared for use, however, Ancia warned that it would take a minimum of two months to deliver the vaccine to affected areas. This timeline still aligns with the expected trajectory of the outbreak, she noted: “I don’t think that in two months we will be done with this outbreak,” she said, referencing a previous large-scale Ebola outbreak in the region that took two full years to fully contain.

    The current outbreak, formally declared last Friday, marks the 17th recorded Ebola outbreak ever to hit the DRC. Public health officials have repeatedly warned that the outbreak carries a high risk of regional spread, and the 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak in the DRC remains the deadliest in the country’s history, claiming nearly 2,300 lives. To ramp up the on-the-ground response, the WHO has already deployed more than 40 international experts to join Congolese national response teams working in affected areas. The agency has also shipped 12 tonnes of critical emergency supplies, including personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline health workers, from the Congolese capital Kinshasa and Nairobi, Kenya. The WHO is also partnering with global medical and humanitarian organizations, including the medical charity Doctors Without Borders, to construct dedicated Ebola treatment centres and expand local laboratory testing capacity to speed up case detection and isolation.

  • WHO worried about ‘scale and speed’ of deadly Ebola outbreak

    WHO worried about ‘scale and speed’ of deadly Ebola outbreak

    KINSHASA, DR Congo – A fast-expanding Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has triggered global alarm, with the World Health Organization (WHO) upgrading the crisis to an international public health emergency amid rising fatalities, limited treatment options, and persistent conflict blocking response efforts. As of Tuesday, Congolese health officials report approximately 131 deaths and 513 total suspected cases, marking a sharp jump from last week’s count of 91 deaths and 350 suspected cases.

    The outbreak, centered in the conflict-battered gold-mining region of northeastern Ituri province bordering Uganda and South Sudan, is driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola – a variant for which no approved vaccines or targeted therapies currently exist. Unlike the more common Zaire strain, which has been responsible for the DRC’s deadliest past outbreaks and has authorized vaccines, the Bundibugyo strain previously caused smaller outbreaks in Uganda (2007) and the DRC (2012), with a recorded mortality rate between 30% and 50%.

    Compound the crisis is the fact that the epicenter of the outbreak is a remote region roiled by decades of inter-militia clashes, making it extremely difficult for responders to reach affected communities. Only 30 cases have so far been confirmed through laboratory testing, with the vast majority of counts based on suspected symptomatic cases. The virus has already spread beyond Ituri, with suspected cases detected in North Kivu province’s commercial hub of Butembo – more than 120 miles from the outbreak’s origin – and one confirmed case in Goma, the province’s capital, which is currently controlled by Rwanda-backed M23 rebel forces. Cross-border spread has also been confirmed: Uganda has reported two confirmed cases in its capital Kampala linked to travel from the DRC, including one fatality.

    Local misinformation has also delayed response efforts. Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba told national television that many residents initially mistook Ebola symptoms for a mystical illness, delaying care-seeking and allowing the virus to spread unchecked. “The deaths we are reporting are all the deaths we have identified in the community, without necessarily saying that they are all linked to Ebola,” Kamba clarified.

    WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the agency’s annual governing body meeting in Geneva on Tuesday that the decision to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) – the second-highest global alert level under international health regulations – was not made casually. “I’m deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic,” he said. The WHO is currently evaluating all candidate vaccines and treatments to identify options that could be deployed to curb the surge of the new strain.

    The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has already designated the outbreak a continental public health emergency, reflecting fears of wider spread across the African continent. Humanitarian groups warn that ongoing conflict between Congolese government forces and armed groups in the region remains one of the biggest barriers to an effective response. “Humanitarian access and coordination between the various stakeholders, particularly the parties to the conflict, could be one of the challenges for the response,” said Francois Moreillon, DR Congo representative for the International Committee of the Red Cross, earlier this week. Moreillon called on all warring parties to guarantee safe, unimpeded access for response teams and aid workers.

    Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has urged the public to remain calm while adhering to precautionary measures, and has ordered the national government to scale up its response to the crisis. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak the DRC has faced since the virus was first identified in the country in 1976. The Central African nation of more than 100 million people has a long history of Ebola outbreaks, with the deadliest between 2018 and 2020 claiming nearly 2,300 lives from 3,500 confirmed cases.

    The outbreak has already prompted precautionary measures around the globe. Germany announced Tuesday it is preparing to receive and treat a U.S. citizen who contracted the virus while working in the region. The American patient is a doctor with Christian aid organization Serge, which confirmed he was exposed through his work treating infected patients; two other doctors who assisted with care remain asymptomatic. The United States has already implemented entry screenings for air travelers arriving from Ebola-affected regions and temporarily suspended routine visa services in the DRC.

    Ebola, a highly contagious viral hemorrhagic fever first discovered in 1976 and thought to originate in bat populations, spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids. The disease can progress rapidly to severe internal bleeding, organ failure, and death in a large share of cases.

  • Portmore United call for VAR after controversial loss to Mount Pleasant

    Portmore United call for VAR after controversial loss to Mount Pleasant

    A contentious goal reversal in the opening leg of the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League semi-finals has reignited calls for the introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology for the competition’s playoff stage, after Portmore United fell 1-0 to Mount Pleasant Football Academy at Kingston’s National Stadium on Sunday.

    The match remained deadlocked until the 82nd minute, when veteran striker Warner Brown slotted home the game’s only goal, handing Mount Pleasant a crucial advantage as the side chases a fourth consecutive appearance in the league final. But the defining moment of the contest came 12 minutes earlier, when Portmore thought they had broken the deadlock through national team striker Cory Burke.

    Burke’s powerful effort bounced off the crossbar’s underside, off Mount Pleasant goalkeeper Shaquan Davis, and was eventually cleared away by defender Kimoni Bailey. Initial referee Okeito Nicholson ruled the goal good, judging the entire ball had crossed the goal line, triggering wild celebrations from the Portmore squad. But Mount Pleasant’s players immediately surrounded officials to protest the call, prompting Nicholson to confer with his assistant referee, who had positioned along the goal line for the play.

    After several minutes of deliberation, Nicholson overturned his original decision and disallowed the goal, a call that left Portmore’s players, coaching staff and fans furious. Supporters gathered in the grandstand’s west section erupted in protest, with many exiting the venue early before the final whistle blew.

    While Portmore assistant coach Ricardo Smith admitted he could not confirm from the dugout whether the ball had fully crossed the line, he stressed that the referee’s decision to reverse his original call was incorrect. “I was just hoping he would have stuck to the first call he made, pointing to the spot. But obviously, the linesman told him that the ball didn’t cross the line. I was just there waiting to see if we got the goal and everything, but we just didn’t,” Smith told reporters post-match.

    Smith argued that VAR, which has already been deployed at the same National Stadium venue for major regional and international competitions, should have been in place for the high-stakes semi-final to resolve the controversy. “We could have won the game tonight, we didn’t but I’m saying, in a big game like this, I’ve seen where VAR has been used here before. Why couldn’t the Federation or whoever set that up for these big games and so forth. That’s what I was questioning. Why isn’t VAR system set up for these games?”

    To date, VAR has been used for multiple top-tier Concacaf competitions hosted in Kingston, including FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the Concacaf Nations League and the Caribbean Cup. Back in November 2024, the Jamaica Observer reported that Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL), the league’s governing body, was in active negotiations to bring the system to the 2025 playoffs, but those plans never came to fruition. The process was further complicated after the exit of previous broadcast partner Sportsmax.

    Though his side ultimately benefited from the decision, Mount Pleasant head coach Theodore Whitmore declined to take a firm stance on the call, while noting he believed officials failed to follow established protocol. “I’m not a referee. I’m not a VAR,” Whitmore said. “There’s a procedure you have to follow and I don’t think the referee followed the procedure. I’m dealing with coaching — I’m not a referee or assessor or nothing — that’s their part to deal with.”

    Despite the disappointment of the opening leg loss, Smith said his side remains focused on turning the tie around in the decisive second leg, scheduled for this Wednesday at the National Stadium with a 6:00 pm kickoff. “We have to move forward, we don’t have enough time — two days in-between the next game,” Smith said. “We have to just keep the mentality that we came in the game with that we can win. We know we can win the game and we just have to come and turn it around.”

    In the day’s other semi-final second-leg fixture, kicking off at 9:00 pm on the same night, defending league champions Cavalier FC will also aim to reverse a one-goal deficit against Montego Bay United.