Carib Scope

博客

  • Peaceful protest fine, roadblocks no

    Peaceful protest fine, roadblocks no

    In the tense community of Granville, St James, Jamaica, a standoff has emerged between local law enforcement and residents following a string of controversial fatal shootings involving security forces. Senior Superintendent Eron Samuels, the commanding officer for the St James Police Constabulary, has drawn a hard line: while peaceful demonstrations, including a planned march this Sunday, remain permitted, no community event approvals will be issued until residents end their widespread road blockades.

    Unrest has roiled Granville for weeks, sparked by back-to-back fatal police shootings that have left the community reeling. The most recent death came on May 17, 2026, when Latoya “Buju” Bulgin was shot and killed by a police officer while she was transporting people protesting an earlier killing. Seven days prior, 17-year-old Tjey Edwards—Bulgin’s cousin’s son—was shot dead by an officer during the wrap-up of a police operation in the area. These deaths come on top of three other fatal police shootings on New Year’s Day, which claimed the life of four-year-old Romaine Bowman and two adult men, leaving cumulative grief and anger simmering across the neighborhood.

    In response to the killings, residents have erected repeated blockades on key access roads leading into and out of Granville. Last Monday’s demonstration was the most intense to date, forcing police and firefighters to spend days clearing barricades and extinguishing burning debris left by protesters. Speaking at a community meeting held Thursday evening at Granville Primary School, Samuels made his position clear to assembled residents: roadblocks are a non-negotiable red line that puts all event permits on hold.

    “Blocking roads benefits no one, and that’s why I can’t approve any event permits right now,” Samuels told the crowd. He explained that ongoing blockades create a public safety hazard that makes hosting and attending community events unacceptably risky. “If roads are blocked anywhere in the area, all planned events get canceled immediately. The tension that comes with blockades means the space isn’t safe for organizers or attendees.”

    Since blockades began, Samuels confirmed he has already been forced to reject permit applications for four upcoming community events. He stressed that residents cannot simultaneously maintain road blockades and expect approval for public gatherings: “You can’t have it both ways. Our priority is safety and security. Right now, our patrol resources are tied up responding to roadblocks instead of patrolling the neighborhood, monitoring public events, and keeping residents safe as they go about their daily lives. If we’re stuck playing cat-and-mouse with blockaders, we can’t do the work that supports the community.”

    When pressed by residents about the string of recent fatal shootings, Samuels noted that all cases are currently active under investigation, and he is barred from commenting on ongoing probes. Still, he acknowledged the pain the community is feeling: “Any loss of life hurts everyone, on both sides. No one wants to see unnecessary death. We believe everyone should live out their full lives.”

    Samuels also warned that blockades put ordinary residents at disproportionate risk, pointing to the community’s population of between 13,000 and 15,000 people. “If even one person needs emergency police or medical help and can’t get it because the road is blocked, that person could die,” he said. “A woman in labor might not get to the hospital in time, people can’t get to their jobs to earn a living. More harm comes from this action—it only makes a bad situation worse.”

    The senior superintendent stressed that he is ready and willing to approve the planned Sunday peaceful march and upcoming funeral events honoring Bulgin, as long as residents commit to ending road blockades permanently. During the meeting, residents voiced sharp criticism of security forces’ conduct in the shootings. Bulgin’s own son spoke up to condemn police for failing to reach out to his family in the wake of her death, saying: “Everyone knows where Buju lives if they wanted to talk to us.”

    For Samuels, a key priority right now is protecting the hard-won progress Granville has made over the past several years to reduce violence and stabilize the once-volatile neighborhood. “What we need to do now is rebuild the trust and relationship we had between police and this community,” he said. The Thursday meeting was also attended by prominent community activist O Dave Allen and Dwight Crawford, Deputy Mayor of Montego Bay.

  • ‘Buju’ blowback

    ‘Buju’ blowback

    A controversial police-involved killing that sparked widespread public anger across Jamaica has prompted Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness to call for urgent systemic changes to how the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) handles injured and deceased individuals at crime scenes. The incident, which took place on Sunday, May 17, saw 36-year-old Latoya ‘Buju’ Bulgin shot dead by a JCF officer in Granville, St James, with graphic closed-circuit television footage of her body being roughly loaded into the bed of a police pickup truck fueling national outrage.

    According to local reports, Bulgin had been transporting passengers to a protest against the recent fatal police shooting of 17-year-old Tjey Edwards in the same area when she was stopped by officers in the community’s central square. CCTV footage shows the officer opened fire on Bulgin while she remained seated behind the steering wheel of her Toyota Voxy. A post-shooting police statement claims Bulgin had threatened to drive over the officer who fired the fatal shots. What ignited the strongest public backlash, however, was footage showing the injured woman dragged from her vehicle legs-first, left on the ground, then unceremoniously hauled into the back of a police pickup by two officers, who struggled to close the vehicle’s tailgate after loading her.

    By the following day, furious residents of Granville responded by blocking key intersections with fallen trees, discarded appliances and other debris, and setting open fires in public areas to protest the treatment of Bulgin. As public condemnation of the incident grew across the island, the JCF high command acted swiftly to place the involved officer on administrative interdiction, with independent probes launched by both the Independent Commission of Investigations and the Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau. It was against this heated backdrop that Holness announced his directive for reform during an address to graduating recruits of the JCF’s 91st Staff & Junior Command Courses at the National Police College of Jamaica in Twickenham Park, St Catherine on Friday.

    Opening his remarks, Holness extended formal condolences to Bulgin’s family, friends, and community, acknowledging the profound pain, anger, and concern the incident has sparked across the nation. He praised the JCF high command for its quick action to suspend the involved officer pending investigation, while emphasizing that the core issue at hand centers on basic human dignity. Addressing the call for procedural change, Holness noted that while Jamaica’s limited immediate access to emergency medical services creates operational complexities, the gaps in current protocols demand urgent, careful review. The prime minister confirmed that the proposed reforms would be brought before the National Security Council for formal discussion, with the goal of establishing clear, mandatory government policy for handling injured people and deceased remains at crime scenes.

    Holness framed the reform push as a critical component of the JCF’s ongoing organizational transformation, arguing that a society’s treatment of its most vulnerable members and the deceased reflects the values of its civilization. ‘We are trying to build an economy and a society, but more importantly we are building a civilisation,’ Holness told the graduating officers. ‘How we treat our injured, most vulnerable, weakest amongst us, how we treat the remains of the deceased, tells us a lot about the kind of civilisation we are. And so, if the JCF is transforming, then that must be part of the transformation.’

    The prime minister acknowledged that modern policing in Jamaica often requires split-second decision-making in high-stress, dangerous environments, noting that hyper-vigilance can be a critical survival tool for officers on patrol. But he stressed that this reality does not excuse misconduct, unlawful action, or lack of discipline, and that the difficult operating environment makes strong training, clear oversight, institutional accountability, and sound command culture even more necessary. Holness also reminded officers that their core statutory mandate above all else is the preservation and protection of human life.

    In his address, Holness highlighted significant progress the JCF has made in reducing violent crime across the island, noting that as of May 19 this year, the national murder count stood at 204, down 24 percent from 268 recorded over the same period in 2024. He credited this reduction in large part to the growing trust and cooperation between local communities and law enforcement, and warned that any violation of public trust could jeopardize these hard-won gains. ‘As we become more effective in dispatching criminals, we must always remember that our actions require the support of the public,’ Holness said. ‘It is the dignity and the integrity, the compassion that you exercise your duty that distinguishes you and gives value to the uniform that you wear.’

  • ‘We have staked our mission as a gov’t’ on reviving SVG agriculture

    ‘We have staked our mission as a gov’t’ on reviving SVG agriculture

    Against a backdrop of cascading challenges ranging from climate-driven natural disasters to global economic volatility, Prime Minister Godwin Friday has made reviving St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG)’s agricultural sector a core priority of his administration, launching a transformative three-year initiative to train the next generation of young farmers.

    Speaking at the official launch of the Agricultural Productivity Recovery and Young Farmers Training Project hosted at the Orange Hill Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Friday emphasized that agriculture remains the foundational backbone of SVG’s national identity and long-term economic stability. “Anybody who thinks of St. Vincent and the Grenadines without agriculture, without a thriving agricultural backbone, doesn’t quite understand who we are as a people,” he told the assembled audience of trainee participants, established farmers, government officials and local hospitality industry representatives.

    Jointly implemented by SVG’s Ministry of Agriculture and the Taiwan Technical Mission, the program targets multiple pressing crises facing the island nation’s farming sector. After widespread devastation from Hurricane Beryl and a string of other climate shocks, the initiative aims to boost overall agricultural output by 10% through modernized production techniques and intensive skills training for 75 young new farmers.

    Friday framed the launch as a turning point after a prolonged period of struggle for SVG’s agricultural communities. “We continue to recover from the effects of repeated natural disasters, most recently Hurricane Beryl… The farmers of this country have been through hell, and they are still struggling to survive.” Beyond domestic climate impacts, the island nation also grapples with cascading external pressures stemming from geopolitical conflicts in the Gulf region and Ukraine, which have sent global prices for food, fuel and fertilizer soaring, disrupted critical supply chains, and amplified uncertainty across the global economy. “As a small island developing state, we are particularly vulnerable to these shocks,” Friday noted, adding that “boosting our agricultural sector, diversifying our agricultural production are so important for us at this time.”

    One of the most urgent challenges the initiative aims to address is the rapidly ageing farming workforce, a trend that threatens the long-term viability of SVG’s agriculture. “Those who currently work in this sector are getting older, and no matter how passionate they are about it, we know that we cannot sustain a vibrant agricultural sector if we have an ageing farming population,” the prime minister explained.

    By centering the program on youth engagement, digital and biotechnological innovation, and modern business skills, the project directly solves two key problems at once: it addresses the systemic gaps threatening the sector while creating new economic opportunities for young people. Friday added that the initiative reverses decades of job loss in agriculture, noting that a growing number of veteran farmers have abandoned their lands to take low-wage security positions in Kingstown, even when they would prefer to continue farming.

    “This initiative encourages our people to return to the land by offering a positive outlook for farmers, and especially because it creates meaningful opportunities for you, young people,” he said. Friday pointed out that young people make rational choices about their careers, and will choose to stay in agriculture if the sector offers them sustainable, competitive incomes: “That is reasonable. That is rational. It is for us to help them to realise that objective.”

    The prime minister stressed that the modern agriculture his administration is promoting is not a return to outdated, traditional farming practices. “This is not our father’s farming. This is not our grandparents’ farming. This is a new way of doing it to make it more productive,” he said. Investments in skills training, smart agricultural technologies, and new demonstration hubs in Orange Hill and Dumbarton are designed to drive this industry-wide shift.

    “We must combine farming with new technology and modern business practices. This will ensure that our agriculture remains sustainable, that our farmers become highly productive, and that farming will be attractive to young people, thereby creating the next generation of farmers,” Friday explained. He also drew a key distinction between expanding total production volume and improving productivity, arguing that efficiency is the key to competing with imported agricultural goods. “We talk about increasing production — that means you increase the quantum, the amount of stuff that we do — but the critical thing is improving productivity, that is to say, how efficiently we produce what we produce,” he said. For example, improving the quality and efficiency of local tomato production can convince local hotels to source locally instead of purchasing cheaper, lower-quality imported produce.

    Friday concluded by emphasizing that modern farmers must adopt an entrepreneurial mindset, just like any other business leader. “It comes from an approach by the farmer, in the same way that a business person will do… always looking for the next best thing to be able to increase the efficiency at what you do, and your competitiveness against other producers, whether they be from here or abroad.”

  • Trump Administration Announces US$8 Million Initiative Benefiting Antigua and Other Caribbean Nations

    Trump Administration Announces US$8 Million Initiative Benefiting Antigua and Other Caribbean Nations

    Against a growing backdrop of transnational synthetic drug trafficking threatening Caribbean regional security, the United States has announced an $8 million investment to boost forensic capabilities across the region, unveiled during the second Caribbean Regional Forensic Leadership Summit held in Saint Lucia from May 20 to 22.

    Hosted jointly by the Saint Lucia Forensic Science Laboratory and the U.S. Department of State under the long-running Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), the summit brought together forensic experts, prosecution officials and security leaders from 14 Caribbean nations, including delegations from Antigua and Barbuda’s Forensic Services and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The gathering also included representatives from the Caribbean Regional Security System and CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), aligning regional stakeholders around a shared goal of countering cross-border criminal networks.

    The new U.S. funding will be directed toward three key priorities: delivering cutting-edge synthetic drug detection equipment, providing specialized technical training for local forensic staff, and deepening collaborative ties with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The primary objectives of the investment are to enhance regional capacity to detect fentanyl and other dangerous synthetic opioids, cut through persistent backlogs in regional forensic laboratories, and strengthen the credibility of forensic evidence to meet court admissibility standards for prosecuting transnational organized crime cases.

    A landmark outcome of this year’s summit was the official launch of the Caribbean Forensic Scientific Working Group, the first region-wide coordinated platform designed to connect Caribbean forensic practitioners directly with U.S. subject-matter experts. The new body will work to standardize forensic protocols, improve reporting practices across national jurisdictions, and streamline cross-border cooperation on criminal investigations. Additionally, the summit marked a key milestone for the DEA’s Global Uniformity for Analytical Reporting and Drug Seizures (GUARDS) program, with Saint Lucia and Guyana becoming the first Caribbean nations to adopt the framework for standardized analysis and reporting of drug-related evidence.
    “This ongoing partnership between the United States and Caribbean nations reflects our shared commitment to dismantling transnational criminal networks and addressing the rapidly evolving threat of synthetic drugs across the region,” said U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Sarah Nelson during the summit.

    The CBSI has served as the foundation for U.S.-Caribbean security cooperation for more than a decade. Since the initiative launched in 2010, Antigua and Barbuda and dozens of other Caribbean states have collaborated with the U.S. to shore up regional security infrastructure, crack down on drug trafficking routes, and dismantle transnational criminal organizations operating in the region, with this new forensic investment marking a major expansion of that shared work.

  • KPMG Global head of healthcare highlights digital opportunities for Barbados

    KPMG Global head of healthcare highlights digital opportunities for Barbados

    Barbados is emerging as a potential regional trailblazer in integrated digital healthcare, following a high-level visit last week from KPMG’s global healthcare leadership that brought together cross-sector stakeholders to map a collaborative path forward for the sector. Beccy Fenton, KPMG’s Global Head of Healthcare, traveled to Bridgetown to hold targeted discussions with policymakers, academic researchers, and public and private healthcare leaders, centered on unlocking the full potential of digital health innovations across Caribbean island nations.

    Fenton’s visit was hosted by KPMG Barbados and the firm’s specialized Global Centre of Excellence for Island Healthcare, a unique hub led by Dr. Edward Fitzgerald, Head of KPMG Islands Group Healthcare and Life Sciences. The center was designed to aggregate global insights and best practices from island healthcare systems around the world, creating space for cross-stakeholder networking and knowledge exchange — a core priority that framed all activities during Fenton’s trip.

    A central public engagement of the visit was Fenton’s keynote address at the University of the West Indies Digital Health Symposium, which carried the theme “From Innovation to Impact: Advancing Digital Health in the Caribbean.” In her remarks, Fenton challenged attendees to move beyond the fragmented, isolated digital health projects that currently characterize much of the region’s progress. Instead, she pushed for the development of fully governed, interoperable, data-centric systems that can turn existing investment into tangible gains in care access, cross-provider coordination, and patient health outcomes.

    “Barbados has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a more connected, resilient, and patient-first health system through intentional digital transformation,” Fenton told attendees. “The urgent priority right now is to move past the basic digitization of paper records that is the current status quo, and build integrated, interoperable systems that work across the entire continuum of care. These systems will expand access to care, reduce burdens on frontline clinicians, and deliver better results for patients. With strong cross-sector collaboration, clear governance frameworks, and a sustained focus on building public trust, Barbados is perfectly positioned to set a regional example for digital health adoption.”

    Alongside the symposium, KPMG’s island healthcare team led a hands-on workshop focused on one of the region’s most persistent operational challenges: reducing the rate of missed outpatient appointments. Using a fictional but contextually realistic case study, participants mapped existing clinic appointment workflows, identified targeted digital interventions that could cut no-show rates, and prioritized solutions that are both financially realistic and scalable across small island health systems.

    Workshop attendees represented a broad cross-section of the digital health ecosystem, including frontline clinicians, health system managers, digital health practitioners, policymakers, and implementation partners. Their collaborative problem-solving during the event underscored the core principle that multidisciplinary cooperation is non-negotiable for solving common systemic health challenges.

    Later in the week, Dr. Fitzgerald hosted an evening reception attended by senior Barbados Ministry of Health officials, academic leaders, public and private health provider representatives, and delegates from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). In remarks at the reception, Fitzgerald emphasized that any successful effort to scale digital health strategies must be rooted in three core foundations: digital inclusion, widespread health literacy, and public trust. These must be paired with strong privacy protections, transparent governance, and clear patient consent frameworks, he noted, to ensure communities feel confident that their personal health data remains secure.

    “By learning from the experiences of other island jurisdictions, we can adopt strategies that have already proven successful, and avoid costly missteps and fragmented system development that holds back progress,” Fitzgerald explained. “With the right foundational frameworks in place, Barbados can quickly build secure, integrated systems that eliminate redundant care, cut administrative burdens for providers and patients, and improve overall patient outcomes. The potential gains for the country are enormous: beyond addressing the growing burden of chronic disease, robust digital health can help build a healthier, happier, and more productive population for generations.”

    Closing out the week of engagements, Christopher Brome, Office Managing Partner for KPMG in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, emphasized the tangible quality-of-life benefits that well-implemented digital health strategies can deliver to ordinary Barbadians. “Thoughtfully rolled out digital healthcare can bring care closer to home for so many people in our country,” Brome said. “The ability to consult a clinician remotely, cut down on time spent traveling and waiting for appointments, and access continuous support through tools like remote patient monitoring can have a transformative positive impact on the lives of people across our community. We are excited to continue the important conversations we started last week as we work toward this shared goal.”

  • Update on Scotland District Road Rehabilitation Project

    Update on Scotland District Road Rehabilitation Project

    Following 14 months of intensive construction and rehabilitation work, a key rural roadway at Airy Hill Bottom in St Joseph has officially reopened to vehicle and pedestrian traffic, marking a major milestone in a government-led infrastructure upgrade initiative across the region. The completed project forms part of the Ministry of Transport and Works’ (MTW) $230 million Scotland District Road Rehabilitation Programme (SDRRP), delivered in a partnership between main contractor China National Complete Plant Import and Export Corporation (COMPLANT) and local sub-contractor Infra Construction Inc.

    Major upgrade works targeting improved road safety and long-term infrastructure resilience on Airy Hill kicked off in early 2023. At the project launch, George Holder, MTW’s official project representative for the SDRRP, outlined the full scope of work for the site, which included full realignment of the road’s path and complete replacement of an aging, failing culvert. Holder explained that the original road layout featured a notoriously dangerous curve that had long been a safety hazard for motorists, while the existing culvert had degraded beyond repair.

    “The old culvert could no longer handle peak water flow during heavy rain events, so we are increasing its overall capacity to prevent flooding and future structural damage,” Holder noted of the upgrade.

    Beyond the completed Airy Hill Bottom project, Holder provided an updated progress report on other active infrastructure projects across the Scotland District, confirming that three critical bridge structures are currently under active construction: Melvin Hill Bridge in St Joseph, and Dark Hole Bridge and Brucevale Bridge in St Andrew. Both Melvin Hill Bridge and Dark Hole Bridge were forced to close last year after suffering sudden structural failure, making their replacement a top priority for the ministry.

    Holder added that the project team initially faced significant access challenges when trying to reach the Dark Hole Bridge site, but those barriers have now been resolved. Construction is proceeding on schedule, with a full completion target set for August 2024.

    At the Brucevale Bridge site, the project team is on track to finish all foundation work by the end of June 2024. Once foundations are finalized, crews will move forward to construct the bridge’s superstructure and side abutments, followed by installation of the finished bridge deck. The full Brucevale Bridge replacement project is projected to wrap up in late August to early September 2024, at which point the connecting roadway will reopen to public traffic.

    Progress is also advancing on upgrade works along the Ermie Bourne Highway, where multiple aging culverts and structural components are being replaced after decades of wear and erosion. In the Cattlewash section of the highway, paving has already been completed, and construction crews have now moved north to continue upgrades along the stretch leading into Barclays Park.

    This report was provided via public notice from the Ministry of Transport and Works.

  • Mas’ wire craft push aims to revive ‘dying art’, create jobs

    Mas’ wire craft push aims to revive ‘dying art’, create jobs

    A transformative regional project aimed at breathing new life into the fading traditional craft of masquerade wire bending kicked off Thursday in Barbados, with organizers laying out a clear plan to turn this centuries-old cultural skill into accredited, income-generating livelihoods for creators across the Caribbean’s booming festival sector. The initiative was formally introduced during the Spirit Bond gathering in Bridgetown, with the launch of the Wire Sculpting for Masquerade Workshop, a collaborative effort between the Pinelands Creative Workshop (PCW), the National Cultural Foundation, Caribbean Yard Campus, and the Maria Holder Trust.

    Speaking at the launch, PCW Chief Executive Sophia Greaves emphasized that the programme extends far beyond a standard technical training course, framing it as a deliberate multi-pronged effort to protect at-risk cultural heritage, empower local creative communities, and drive intentional growth across the Caribbean’s creative economy. “Today marks a profound milestone as we officially opened this wire bending workshop,” Greaves said. “I don’t see tools and wire and workspaces. I see the living heartbeat of our heritage, the sparks of economic opportunity, and the incredible power of a shared regional vision.”

    Greaves explained that the programme is structured to convert existing informal cultural knowledge into long-term, sustainable professional careers, opening multiple pathways for participants. Graduates will be able to launch their own small creative businesses, pursue full-time roles in the regional creative industry, or take on commercial design contracts tied to the Caribbean’s world-famous carnival and festival circuit. “This workshop is about building economic agency,” Greaves said. “We are investing in your talent so that you can turn heritage into sustainable livelihoods.”

    A core component of the initiative is the push to formalize the craft through international-standard professional accreditation. Greaves revealed that PCW is already in active discussions with Caribbean Yard Campus to develop official Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) pathways for all participants, a move that will formalize skills that have long been passed down informally through community networks. “We are actively moving towards cementing these traditional skills into formal qualifications,” she said. “This will ensure that the skills you hone in community spaces are recognised globally, giving you formal accredited certification as professional artisans and cultural practitioners.”

    Val Jerry, the lead workshop facilitator, noted that as carnival costume design evolves to incorporate new synthetic materials and align with modern trends, preserving the foundational techniques of traditional wire bending has become increasingly urgent. He described the craft as a “dying art,” pushing back against the idea that newer materials can fully replace the structural benefits wire frameworks bring to large, elaborate masquerade costumes. “We know carnival is changing. It has always changed from the beginning and it will keep changing,” Jerry said. “But you have to draw the line somewhere. There’s no excuse for vulgarity.”

    He went on to highlight the unique structural advantages of hand-bent wire, noting that the material can hold rigid angles that modern alternatives like fiberglass cannot replicate. “Wire is probably the only material that could give you a 45-degree angle and not move. You can’t do that with fiberglass,” he explained. “So we look to see the strong points and we incorporate this into costume building.” Jerry added that the workshop is not focused on freezing the craft in the past, but rather on adapting traditional wire bending techniques to fit the evolving needs of modern Caribbean carnival design, balancing heritage preservation with contemporary creative demands.

  • Former All Saints Secondary Teacher Donates Exam Packages to Students Needing Extra Support

    Former All Saints Secondary Teacher Donates Exam Packages to Students Needing Extra Support

    A former educator from All Saints Secondary School is turning her personal experience and professional passion into tangible support for students who need extra academic help, launching a new community-focused outreach initiative to lift up underserved learners at her former workplace.

    Andrecia Lewis, the founder of local tutoring service A.G.L Tutoring, rolled out the first iteration of her give-back program on Friday, rolling out tailored resources and encouragement to students in two cohorts — Classes 1A1 and 2A1 — which are primarily made up of learners requiring additional academic assistance beyond standard classroom instruction.

    For Lewis, the initiative is far more than a community project: it is a deeply personal mission rooted in both her years of teaching at the school and her own identity as a neurodivergent person living with Sensory Processing Disorder. She has long centered her work on elevating students who are often sidelined in traditional education systems, saying that connection to the school community makes this effort particularly meaningful.

    “As a former teacher at the institution, this initiative was especially meaningful to me, as I remain passionate about supporting students who are often overlooked and reminding them that they are capable of succeeding,” Lewis shared in a statement about the launch.

    Her personal experience with neurodivergence shapes her core belief: learners with varied abilities deserve targeted extra support and accessible resources to build their confidence, boost their academic motivation, and create a more inclusive, positive educational experience that meets their unique needs.

    Looking ahead, Lewis plans to expand this work through A.G.L Tutoring, with a long-term goal of driving sustained positive change for local education and student development across the broader community, while also advocating for wider public understanding and more robust institutional support for neurodivergent learners at all grade levels.

  • South Castries, VF South move on in Blackheart U20

    South Castries, VF South move on in Blackheart U20

    Two more teams have locked in their places in the last eight of the Blackheart/Saint Lucia Football Association Under-20 Boys’ Knockout Tournament, following decisive Round of 16 fixtures hosted Wednesday night at the Philip Marcellin Grounds in Vieux Fort. South Castries and Vieux Fort South now join previously qualified Gros Islet and Dennery in the tournament’s quarterfinal lineup.

    The first match of the night delivered a hotly contested Castries derby, where South Castries dominated their local rivals Central Castries to claim a clean 2-0 win. South Castries got off to a fast start, with Tyler St Rose opening the scoring just 12 minutes into the game. The side held onto their 1-0 lead through halftime, before Armani Lesmond extended their advantage in the 49th minute to seal the victory.

    In the second Round of 16 clash, hosts Vieux Fort South came out swinging against Mon Repos, who had earned their spot in this round with a narrow 3-2 win over Desruisseaux just one week prior. Vieux Fort South stunned their opponents with an explosive early start, netting two goals in the opening 15 minutes to jump to a 2-0 lead. The first goal came from Jeremie Toussaint, followed by an own goal from Mon Repos defender Seth Reneau. 17 minutes into the second half, Tristan Alphonse put Vieux Fort South up 3-0, seemingly putting the game out of reach.

    But Mon Repos mounted a late, brave fightback that prevented a lopsided scoreline. In the final minute of regulation time, Andreas Charlery scored two quick goals to cut the deficit to one, ending the match at 3-2 in favor of Vieux Fort South. Despite the late rally, Mon Repos was eliminated from the knockout competition, while Vieux Fort South advanced to the quarterfinals.

    The tournament’s next round fixtures will kick off in Soufriere on May 29. Two quarterfinal matches are scheduled for that date: Choiseul will face off against Mabouya Valley, and Canaries will take on Eastern Zone champions Roseau Valley, who advanced to this stage after winning their qualifying match. On May 31, top-seeded La Clery will make their quarterfinal debut against Micoud, and Southern Zone champions Soufriere will play Anse La Raye.

  • DPSU general-secretary urges more proactive approach by union members

    DPSU general-secretary urges more proactive approach by union members

    In a stirring address to union delegates gathered at the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU) headquarters in Roseau this week, General Secretary Thomas Letang has issued a urgent call to rank-and-file members: shift from passive reaction to proactive participation to protect hard-won worker protections. His remarks headlined the 13th iteration of the union’s biennial delegates convention, a landmark gathering that brings together grassroots members, union leadership, and cross-sector representatives to map the organization’s strategic course for the next two years. This year’s convening, which drew nearly 100 delegates, centered its discussions around the unifying theme: “Investing In Ourselves, Organising For Workers’ Rights And Benefits.”

    Beyond setting strategic priorities, the convention serves multiple critical purposes for the DPSU: it allows delegates to review past progress, hash out new initiatives focused on advancing worker rights and benefits, explore paths for organizational growth and member self-development, and strengthen the union’s collective voice in advocating for public service employees across Dominica.

    In his keynote address, Letang pushed back against a culture of dependency that he says has weakened the union’s impact. He argued that the idea that successful advocacy relies solely on the work of the union’s executive committee is a dangerous misconception that must be rooted out entirely. “It is only after ridding oneself of mental slavery that a worker will be able to yield to the call to be organized so that collectively we can strive to preserve hard, thoughtful workers’ rights and benefits,” Letang told delegates.

    The DPSU leader emphasized that broad, collective participation is non-negotiable for the union to deliver meaningful gains for its members. He called out what he described as a growing culture of passivity among many current members, and criticized non-members who benefit from the union’s work without contributing to its efforts, labeling these free-riders “parasites.”

    “There are just too many passive, inactive, and non-members, the latter, which I refer to, or I would prefer to refer to as parasites, who are not contributing as they should in ensuring that there are positive outcomes emanating from the union’s effort,” Letang said. “Let us, for a change, be more active than reactive. Let us face the many challenges confronting us head-on.”