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  • Businessman shot dead San Fernando: Woman in custody

    Businessman shot dead San Fernando: Woman in custody

    A well-known local businessman in San Fernando has been killed in a shooting at his private residence early Wednesday, in an incident law enforcement officials have linked to a confrontation with an unidentified woman. The victim, identified as Steve Ghany Jr., played an active role in his family’s multi-faceted construction business, and had built a strong public reputation as a leading member of the regional jet ski enthusiast community.

    Preliminary law enforcement briefings confirm that the fatal shooting unfolded around 10 a.m., amid a domestic dispute between Ghany Jr. and the woman at his home. Emergency responders pronounced Ghany Jr. dead at the scene shortly after the shooting, once his injuries proved immediately fatal.

    In the hours following the incident, authorities took a woman suspected of ties to the killing into custody. She is currently cooperating with investigative teams as they work to unpack the full sequence of events that led to the shooting. Detectives have not yet released a confirmed motive for the attack, and are still working through statements and evidence to piece together exactly what transpired.

    Notably, Wednesday’s killing is not the first violent attack to strike the Ghany family in recent months. Back in December 2024, Ghany Jr.’s stepmother Monica Ghany was killed in a targeted shooting that also injured his 20-year-old brother Matthew. That attack unfolded as the pair was driving along a major access road into San Fernando, a route commonly used by commuters leaving the city’s Ferry Terminal after traveling via water taxi. Investigators say the two had just left the San Fernando General Hospital minutes before the shooting, and were en route to their family home on Alexander Road when a second vehicle carrying gunmen approached from the opposite direction along the wharf road.

    Gunmen inside that vehicle fired multiple rounds directly into the driver’s side windshield of the Ghany vehicle. Multiple bullets struck Monica Ghany in the upper body, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Matthew suffered a gunshot wound to his right hand but survived the attack. The shooters fled the area at high speed immediately after the attack, and that case remains unsolved as of today.

    Multiple law enforcement units have been assigned to investigate Wednesday’s fatal shooting, including detectives from the Region Three Homicide Bureau of Investigations, the Southern Division Task Force, and the San Fernando Criminal Investigations Division.

  • WACTH: ABLP Leader Urges Voters to Renew ID Cards Ahead of April 30 Poll

    WACTH: ABLP Leader Urges Voters to Renew ID Cards Ahead of April 30 Poll

    ST. JOHN’S, Antigua — As the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda gears up for its upcoming general election, the head of the country’s long-standing major political party has issued an urgent public call for eligible voters to prioritize updating their voting documentation before polling day.

    Gaston Browne, leader of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP), delivered the appeal to hundreds of gathered supporters during the official kickoff of his party’s election campaign, held at the local campaign hub People’s Place. The prominent politician focused heavily on voter preparedness, stressing that every eligible citizen’s ballot holds the power to shape the nation’s trajectory for the coming years.

    “Those of you who have not renewed your cards… do so immediately,” Browne stated during his address, doubling down on the critical need for voters to complete this administrative step as soon as possible.

    He went on to warn that putting off ID renewal can lead to unintended disenfranchisement, noting that voters who show up at polling stations with outdated identification will be barred from casting their ballots. With the election just weeks away, Browne urged citizens not to leave this requirement to the last minute. “Do not run any possibility of being disenfranchised inadvertently,” he added.

    Beyond pushing for ID updates, Browne also encouraged registered voters to plan to arrive at polling locations early on April 30, to avoid long lines or last-minute disruptions that could prevent them from participating.

    Browne’s call comes as election-related activities ramp up across the country, ahead of Nomination Day scheduled for April 13. Both independent electoral authorities and all competing political parties have aligned in urging eligible voters to complete all necessary registration and documentation steps well in advance to guarantee their right to vote. The country’s general election is officially set to take place across Antigua and Barbuda on April 30.

  • Miami woman killed in hit targeting Trinidadian businessman

    Miami woman killed in hit targeting Trinidadian businessman

    The idyllic Caribbean vacation destination of Sint Maarten has been rocked by a brutal premeditated double shooting that left a 29-year-old American tourist dead alongside a local businessman authorities believe was the intended target of the attack.

    Denisha Delancy, a Miami native who had traveled to the island to celebrate her birthday with her sister and a group of friends, became an unintended casualty of the targeted plot on March 2. The young woman had spent her trip relaxing on Sint Maarten’s famous beaches and exploring the island’s vibrant nightlife before the violent tragedy unfolded, just after she and 44-year-old Trinidadian businessman Quincy Damon Sylvester left a popular local nightclub.

    As the pair pulled away in their vehicle on Arlet Peters Road, unidentified attackers ambushed them, opening fire on the car. Both Delancy and Sylvester were killed instantly, and first responders pronounced both dead at the scene shortly after arriving.

    Investigators from Sint Maarten’s Major Crimes Team have since pieced together key details of the attack, drawing on surveillance footage captured from the nightclub. The video clearly shows multiple unknown individuals monitoring Sylvester’s movements in the hours leading up to the shooting, confirming the assault was carefully pre-planned. Law enforcement officials confirmed Delancy had no known connections to criminal activity, leading them to conclude she was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, caught in the crossfire of an attack meant solely for Sylvester. Public records identify Sylvester as the owner of a local PVC pipe business.

    Two days after the shooting, on March 4, authorities took one suspect into custody: a Trinidadian national identified only by the initials A.H. But the investigation remains far from closed, as the primary perpetrator and other co-conspirators believed to be involved in the plot are still at large. The case also underwent an official reclassification by the Major Crimes Team, which initially misidentified the incident as a traffic collision before upgrading it to a double homicide as evidence emerged.

    Investigators are now urging any members of the public who visited the area on the night of the attack, or who have any information related to the suspects or the planning of the shooting, to contact law enforcement immediately to help move the case forward.

  • Saint Lucia Reparations Committee slams Farage over proposed visa ban

    Saint Lucia Reparations Committee slams Farage over proposed visa ban

    A sharp diplomatic and political dispute has erupted after Nigel Farage, leader of the UK’s Reform Party, announced a controversial policy proposal that would bar entry to the United Kingdom for citizens of nations demanding reparations for the historical atrocities of transatlantic slavery and indigenous genocide — a list that explicitly includes the Caribbean nation of Saint Lucia. The policy, released in an official party statement and amplified by Farage across his social media channels, has drawn fierce condemnation from Saint Lucia’s National Reparations Committee (NRC), which has labeled the stance short-sighted and rooted in historical hypocrisy. In a blistering official response, the NRC pointed out that countless current and former British political leaders, including Farage himself and other members of the UK’s ruling elite, have direct ancestral links to the transatlantic slave trade, a system that the United Nations has formally recognized as the worst crime against humanity in modern history. The committee also argued that Farage’s latest proposal is just one more addition to a decades-long political career built around stoking anti-immigrant sentiment and racial division, a pattern that stretches back to his time leading the UK Independence Party (UKIP), the key political force behind the successful Brexit campaign. Farage has long rejected the global push for slavery reparations, claiming that contemporary British citizens bear no financial or moral responsibility for atrocities committed centuries before their births. The NRC, however, framed Farage’s hostile visa proposal not as a reason to abandon the reparations fight, but as a catalyst to double down on global advocacy. The committee issued a call to action for people of African descent across the Caribbean and Commonwealth nations, urging them to strengthen the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)’s ongoing campaign to compel the UK to pay what activists term the “Black Debt” — reparatory justice for former British West Indian colonies. Committee leaders emphasized that reparations for centuries of slavery and indigenous genocide are drastically overdue, and the global community can no longer delay holding former colonial powers accountable. During a pre-cabinet press briefing held earlier this week, Saint Lucian Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre offered a measured response to the controversy, noting that aggressive rhetoric targeting former colonies is a common feature of far-right UK political platforms. Still, Pierre stressed that the nation would not back down from its demands for justice, stating: “We can’t lie down and die. We have to fight it.” The prime minister added that he remained hopeful the proposed policy would never be implemented, acknowledging that it would represent a deeply unfortunate escalation of tensions if the threat were carried out.

  • EY Suriname ondersteunt geboortezorg Sint Vincentius Ziekenhuis

    EY Suriname ondersteunt geboortezorg Sint Vincentius Ziekenhuis

    A leading global professional services firm, EY Suriname, has announced a targeted donation to Sint Vincentius Hospital to upgrade the institution’s Gynecology and Obstetrics Department. The financial contribution, which is earmarked to improve maternal care environments, forms a key part of the hospital’s ongoing Adopt A Room community improvement program.

    Launched in February 2024, the Adopt A Room initiative outlines a phased plan to fully renovate patient rooms used by expectant and new mothers before, during, and after childbirth. EY’s donation will directly fund critical upgrades to these high-use spaces, advancing the program’s core goal of building a safe, dignified care environment within a department that serves as a foundational hub for maternal and newborn health across the region.

    Representatives from EY Suriname noted that the donation aligns with the organization’s long-term corporate commitment to delivering measurable, sustainable social impact. This investment also intentionally advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3, the global framework target focused on ensuring universal good health and well-being for all populations.

    Beyond upgrading physical facilities, the project is designed to deliver dual benefits: it will improve daily working conditions for clinical and care staff at the department, while also elevating overall comfort and positive care experiences for new mothers and their family members throughout the childbirth journey.

  • Burst water main floods homes in Beetham Gardens

    Burst water main floods homes in Beetham Gardens

    A catastrophic 36-inch water main rupture that struck on Sunday night has left multiple households in Beetham Gardens displaced, facing extensive property damage, and pleading for urgent assistance from local authorities and aid organizations. When local publication *Express* visited the flood-stricken neighborhood on Monday, residents recounted the sudden disaster that upended their quiet lives, describing the event as an unforeseen catastrophe that has turned their homes into uninhabitable spaces. One anonymous resident, speaking on condition of privacy, called the incident “chaotic and frightening”, recalling that the pipe split apart with surprising force, sending a continuous gush of water cascading into residential properties for more than 24 straight hours. At least 10 households have been directly impacted by the flooding, with nearly all properties in the immediate area suffering damage. “When the pipe burst, it was like a massive fountain pouring out water,” the resident explained. “We couldn’t even leave our homes safely, so we had to evacuate immediately. We tried to get our children out to stay with friends or family because the water was rising so quickly. All the homes here are small wooden structures, so there was nowhere to escape the flood. Water just kept flowing non-stop for over a day.” The resident added that the experience has left many families traumatized, as they watched their personal belongings destroyed by the rising floodwater. “You expect to feel safe and comfortable in your own home, with your kids,” the resident said. “But that all changed in an instant. Water came pouring in, every surface got soaked, everything we own is wet. There’s no way to feel at home here right now.” Multiple families have been forced to abandon their damaged properties entirely, as standing water and structural damage make staying impossible. Now, residents are publicly calling for targeted support to replace water-damaged belongings and repair structural damage to their homes. “We need help replacing furniture, building materials like plywood, anything people can give us,” the resident said. “We have kids here, and we’re desperate for any support right now. Many of our homes already have paint peeling off the walls from water damage, and there are so many other issues we’re dealing with. Any help at all makes a difference.” While the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) dispatched teams to address the leak, affected residents say they have received almost no direct outreach or support from agency representatives. “WASA showed up to fix the pipe, but no official representative has come to talk to us, to check on our families or see what damage we’re dealing with,” the resident said. “It would mean a lot just to know that someone cares about what we’re going through right now.” In an official statement released on Monday, WASA confirmed that the rupture occurred on the air valve welding of the transmission main, an issue that disrupted operations at the nearby El Socorro Booster Station. The service outage impacted water access for dozens of communities across the region, including Knaggs Hill, Picton II Reservoir, Black River, Barataria, Laventille, Port of Spain, Morvant, East Dry River, St Barbs, Gonzales, Long Circular, Dundonald Hill, Dibe, Woodbrook, St James, Cocorite, Belmont, Cascade and St Ann’s. WASA officials confirmed that emergency response protocols were immediately activated after the leak was reported. “In the interest of public safety and protecting broader infrastructure integrity, WASA teams immediately initiated emergency response protocols,” the statement read. “Crews are currently accessing and operating valves to dewater the affected 36-inch Booster Line in order to safely carry out full repairs.” According to the agency’s timeline, the El Socorro Booster Station was projected to resume operations at 50 percent capacity on Monday, with full 100 percent production restored by 8 p.m. Monday evening. For the displaced families of Beetham Gardens, however, the restoration of regional water service does little to address the damage to their homes and personal property, leaving them in limbo as they wait for support to rebuild.

  • DCP Martin vows police surge: dad killed, pregnant wife injured in ambush

    DCP Martin vows police surge: dad killed, pregnant wife injured in ambush

    A brazen early-morning shooting in the quiet Trinidadian community of Wallerfield has left one man dead, his pregnant wife wounded, and reignited public debate over the effectiveness of the country’s ongoing state of emergency (SoE) aimed at curbing violent crime.

    The incident unfolded at approximately 2 a.m. on Thursday at the home of Anthony Francis, 47, also known by the alias “Smalls”, who was asleep alongside his pregnant partner, her one-year-old son from a prior relationship, and another man identified only as “Lijah”. According to Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) investigators, the unidentified gunman positioned himself outside the residence off Moonan Road, inserted a firearm through an open bedroom window, and opened fire on the sleeping occupants.

    Francis was struck multiple times in the chest and neck, and was pronounced dead on arrival at Sangre Grande Hospital. His pregnant wife sustained non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, while “Lijah” in an adjacent room was also hit. The one-year-old child was unharmed in the attack. Responding officers recovered two spent shell casings near Francis’ sleeping position. Police later confirmed Francis had recently been released from custody after questioning over a recent case of vandalism targeting multiple vehicles in the Wallerfield area, where he had initially been listed as a suspect before being released without charge.

    This shooting comes just one week after an almost identical attack in St James that claimed the lives of 25-year-old Joseph Sutton and his 11-month-old son Jayden, who was just four days short of his first birthday. In that unrelated incident, the attacker also fired through a bedroom window at the sleeping targets, leaving the same deadly pattern of violence that has shaken public confidence.

    In an official statement shared via WhatsApp following the Wallerfield killing, TTPS Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) Suzette Martin framed the brazen murder as a desperate reaction to the heavy pressure law enforcement has placed on criminal networks since the implementation of the SoE.

    “What you are seeing is a direct response from criminals who are under sustained pressure,” Martin explained. “The TTPS has increased operations, disrupted networks, and removed weapons from the streets, and that pressure is forcing desperate reactions.”

    Martin rejected any suggestion that the attack signals a failure of the ongoing state of emergency, emphasizing that the SoE has already delivered meaningful results that are not always visible to the general public. “The state of emergency is working. It is disrupting criminal activity, restricting movement, and allowing us to act with greater speed and authority,” she said. “The public may not see every success, but the results are there: arrests, firearm seizures, and the dismantling of criminal operations.”

    Far from softening their approach, Martin confirmed that law enforcement will double down on anti-crime efforts in the wake of the killing. “We are not backing down. In fact, these incidents strengthen our resolve. Our operations will continue, and they will intensify,” she said. An immediate surge in uniformed and plainclothes police presence will be rolled out across Wallerfield, with a focus on targeted, intelligence-led interventions to catch the perpetrators. Martin added that investigators are already pursuing strong leads in the case.

    She issued a stark warning to criminal elements operating across the country: “Let me also send a clear message. There is no safe space for criminals, whether in public or in private homes. TTPS will find you and we will not allow criminal elements to dictate the narrative or undermine the work being done under the SoE.”

    Martin pushed back against criticism that frames isolated high-profile murders as a measure of the TTPS’ success, noting that law enforcement judges progress on the sustained reduction of criminal activity and long-term public safety gains, not individual attacks. “We are focused, we are relentless, and we will continue to take the fight to those who threaten public safety,” she added.

    Requests for comment from local Member of Parliament Phillip Watts, who represents the La Horquetta/Talparo constituency that includes Wallerfield, went unanswered as of Thursday evening. As of Thursday night, the national murder toll for the current year stood at 96, marking a 10% reduction from the same period last year, when the toll had reached 106.

  • Dominica government and UNLIREC host senior-level inter-agency roundtable to strengthen firearms regulation and public safety

    Dominica government and UNLIREC host senior-level inter-agency roundtable to strengthen firearms regulation and public safety

    Against a backdrop of growing regional concern over illicit weapons trafficking and violent crime, the Commonwealth of Dominica is set to convene a landmark three-day inter-agency roundtable from April 8 to 10, 2026, focused on cracking down on illegal firearms and the armed violence they fuel. The event, organized by Dominica’s Ministry of National Security and Legal Affairs in partnership with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) and the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), brings together a cross-sector coalition of senior stakeholders to align national action with regional safety goals.

    According to an official press statement from the security ministry, the roundtable forms a core part of Dominica’s sustained commitment to advancing the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, a coordinated regional framework that targets illicit weapons flows, cuts rates of violent crime, and uplifts public safety standards across all Caribbean nations. Unlike isolated policy efforts, this gathering is designed to break down bureaucratic silos, bringing high-level representatives from sectors as diverse as national policing, justice administration, foreign affairs, gender equity, and performance monitoring and evaluation to the same table.

    Over the course of the three-day program, attendees will engage in a structured schedule of cross-national policy exchanges, technical deep dives, and collaborative working sessions. The agenda is tailored to three core outcomes: strengthening institutional coordination across domestic agencies, shoring up national firearms control regulatory frameworks, and accelerating implementation of Dominica’s National Action Plan, which was developed under the umbrella of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap.

    Key discussion topics will span the full lifecycle of illicit weapons in the region: tracing the routes of cross-border firearms trafficking, updating national legislative measures to close regulatory gaps, enhancing systems for weapons marking and traceability, improving secure storage and management of authorized firearms and ammunition, preventing legal weapons from being diverted to black markets, and leveraging data-driven insights to guide more effective policy decision-making.

    Beyond advancing domestic policy, the roundtable also functions as a strategic platform to deepen partnership between national Dominican authorities, regional bodies like UNLIREC and CARICOM IMPACS, and broader international partners. Organizers have emphasized the need for a unified, whole-of-government approach to tackle the transnational challenge of illicit firearms, a problem that cannot be resolved by any single agency or nation acting alone.

    Funding for the initiative has been provided by the Government of the United States of America, enabling the convening of cross-sector stakeholders and the delivery of technical programming for the event. Opening remarks will be delivered by Dominica’s Minister for National Security and Legal Affairs, Honourable Rayburn Blackmoore, alongside senior officials from the Dominican government and leadership representatives from both CARICOM IMPACS and UNLIREC.

    By the close of the three-day roundtable, participants are expected to reach consensus on priority national action items, define clear roles for local civil society organizations in supporting firearms control efforts, and map out opportunities for long-term technical assistance. The overarching end goal of all discussions is to advance safer communities and support inclusive, sustainable development across Dominica.

  • Urgent blood appeal for cop shot in abdomen

    Urgent blood appeal for cop shot in abdomen

    A 29-year-old Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) officer remains fighting for his life in intensive care after being gunned down during a armed response operation in southern Trinidad late Friday, prompting an urgent public appeal for O-positive blood donations to support his emergency treatment.

    Acting Police Constable Alex Koon Koon, a five-year veteran assigned to the Mon Repos Police Station, was injured during a confrontation with an armed suspect in the La Romaine community on 4 April. Koon Koon was part of a team of Southern Division officers dispatched to La Plaisance Road following a credible public tip that a man was openly carrying a firearm while seated on the outdoor gallery of a local residence.

    The team arrived at the scene at approximately 10:50 p.m. As Koon Koon stepped out of the marked police vehicle, multiple gunshots erupted from the direction of the gallery. The officer was struck in the left abdomen, and the suspect immediately fled the property before law enforcement could detain him.

    First responders rushed Koon Koon to San Fernando General Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery to address life-threatening internal damage. Senior law enforcement officials confirmed the officer suffered severe trauma to his spleen and one lung, and he has remained in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit in critical condition in the days following the shooting.

    While the initial attempt to apprehend the suspect at the scene failed, investigative teams have made early progress in the case. As of the latest updates, three people—two men and one woman—have been taken into police custody and are assisting officers with their ongoing inquiry.

    Top TTPS leadership has publicly reaffirmed the service’s commitment to bringing all responsible parties to justice, and expressed solidarity with the injured officer and his family. Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro visited Koon Koon at the hospital, met with his relatives, and extended official prayers and well wishes on behalf of the entire police service for a full and speedy recovery.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) Suzette Martin, who is overseeing the investigation, framed the attack not just as an assault on law enforcement, but on public safety and the rule of law. “When a police officer is shot in the line of duty, it strikes at the very heart of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and the rule of law we are sworn to uphold. This is not just an attack on the TTPS, but on the safety and security of every law-abiding citizen,” Martin said in the official media statement.

    Martin emphasized that the violent incident would not weaken the service’s resolve to protect communities. “Let me be clear—this incident will not deter us. The TTPS is actively pursuing a thorough and comprehensive investigation, and we will intensify our operations, follow every lead, and bring those responsible to justice,” she said. “We remain resolute, unwavering, and relentless in our mission to protect and serve, and we will not allow those bent on disrupting our society to succeed.”

    Members of the public have stepped in to support Koon Koon’s recovery via a widespread social media campaign calling for voluntary blood donations. Appeals direct potential donors to the blood bank at San Fernando General Hospital, with a specific request for donors with O-positive blood, the type most urgently needed for the officer’s ongoing treatment.

    Social media posts shared across local platforms highlight the critical difference every donation can make. “Help PC Koon Koon in his fight for his recovery,” one widely shared appeal reads. “Please give blood to help save his life,” it adds, noting that every contribution directly supports the officer as he fights to pull through.

  • Autopsy on Central woman found under bed

    Autopsy on Central woman found under bed

    Nearly three months after the remains of 74-year-old Doodhani Vishvati Sooknanan were discovered beneath a bed at her family residence on Torenia Drive in the Edinburgh 500 housing development in Chaguanas, official autopsy results have formally confirmed that no suspicious or criminal activity contributed to her passing. Local law enforcement announced Wednesday that the official cause of death was a myocardial infarction, more commonly known as a heart attack.