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  • Dominica held goalless by Cayman Islands in Nations League Opener

    Dominica held goalless by Cayman Islands in Nations League Opener

    In a match that carried historic significance for the Concacaf Nations League, Dominica kicked off its 2026/27 tournament campaign with a frustrating goalless draw against the Cayman Islands at home ground Windsor Park on Thursday evening.

    Thursday’s contest was no ordinary league fixture: it marked the 500th match in the history of the Concacaf Nations League, a milestone that added extra weight to the occasion for Dominica’s national side, nicknamed the Bouyon Boyz. Across the 90 minutes of play, Dominica dominated large stretches of possession, carved out multiple clear scoring chances, and looked poised to claim all three competition points. But when it mattered most in front of goal, the team could not find the clinical finishing required to break the deadlock, leaving the contest tied at nil-nil when the final whistle blew.

    Following the final result, Dominica head coach Kurt Herd made his disappointment clear, pointing to the volume of high-quality chances his squad created as the core of his frustration. “I think we had enough chances there to win the game and that’s the painful point,” Herd told reporters after the match, emphasizing that wasted opportunities were the single biggest reason the side failed to secure an opening win.

    Herd doubled down on his assessment of the team’s shortcomings in the attacking final third, noting that the tactical adjustments he made throughout the match did successfully generate new scoring openings. Despite that progress, he said, players failed to convert when presented with goal-scoring chances, and need greater clinicality and creativity in these high-stakes moments. “Again, just creativity in the final third. We changed it a few times, and each time we changed it, we were creating chances. The chances were there,” Herd explained. “Ultimately the players have to be better in those moments, and the players failed in front of goal today.”

    Dominica will have barely 72 hours to regroup and reflect on the opening draw, with a second group stage fixture already looming on Sunday, September 27. The side will remain at Windsor Park to face Puerto Rico, with kickoff scheduled for 8:00 PM local time.

    Herd warned that Puerto Rico will present a far different test than the Cayman Islands, and stressed that fixing the team’s finishing problems will be critical if they want to pick up their first three points of the campaign. Dominica, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, and Guyana are all grouped in League B’s Group A for the 2026/27 edition of the tournament, with every result set to impact the side’s hopes of promotion or retention in the division.

  • Jamaican-American wins first Dennery segment award

    Jamaican-American wins first Dennery segment award

    After three editions hosted thousands of miles away in New York, the Caribbean Music Awards reached a landmark milestone over the weekend when it held its fourth annual ceremony for the first time on Caribbean soil, in the twin-island nation of Trinidad & Tobago. This year’s event expanded its recognition of the region’s rich, diverse musical tapestry by adding several new categories – most notably, an award slate dedicated to Dennery Segment, the high-energy, Saint Lucian-born genre that has grown rapidly in popularity across the Caribbean and global diaspora in recent years.

    In a competitive field of standout nominees, Jamaican-American artist Klassik claimed the coveted trophy for Dennery Segment Song of the Year for his chart-topping hit *Dansa*. He beat out heavy local and regional competitors, including Blackboy’s *Clap*, Hollywood HP and Ricky T’s collaborative track *Freak Out*, and Dezral & Jardel’s *The Car*, to take the inaugural honor in the category. The night’s other major Dennery Segment award, Artiste of the Year, went to Umpa, who outperformed fellow nominees Blackboy, DJ ASAP, Mighty, Nerdy, and the duo Dezral & Jardel to secure the title.

    Beyond celebrating the rising genre, the 2026 awards ceremony shines a spotlight on the full spectrum of Caribbean sonic traditions, recognizing standout work across established beloved genres that form the backbone of the region’s cultural identity. These include soca in its multiple forms – from traditional soca to bouyon soca and chutney soca – as well as dancehall, reggae, konpa, Latin Caribbean fusion, and the up-and-coming genre zess.

    The move from Brooklyn, New York, where all previous iterations of the awards were held, to the Caribbean itself marks more than a change of venue: it represents a pivotal step in centering the region’s own artists and cultural ecosystems on the global stage. For the 2026 edition, organizers adjusted eligibility to honor music released across 2024 and 2025, framing the in-region debut as a reset and a foundational moment for the awards’ future as the leading celebration of Caribbean musical talent worldwide.

  • UWI Global Campus Antigua Guild Introduces 2026/2027 Executive Team

    UWI Global Campus Antigua Guild Introduces 2026/2027 Executive Team

    The Antigua Chapter of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Global Campus Guild of Students has officially announced its new executive leadership team for the 2026/2027 academic year, marking a fresh chapter of student-centered advocacy and support for the island nation’s distance learning community.

    As the UWI system’s dedicated online learning arm, the UWI Global Campus fills a critical gap in Caribbean higher education. Designed to remove barriers to academic advancement for working adults, the campus serves a diverse student population spread across 16 Caribbean countries, enabling learners to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate degrees while remaining rooted in their jobs, families and local communities. For this non-traditional student body that balances multiple life responsibilities alongside their studies, the Guild of Students plays an indispensable role: amplifying student voices, addressing unmet needs, and building a supportive community for distance learners. The newly seated Antigua Chapter executive team has made supporting this unique student demographic its core mission.

    Profiles of the 2026/2027 Executive Team
    The new leadership slate brings together a diverse group of student leaders committed to serving Antigua’s UWI Global Campus community:
    – Makiba Ward, Chapter Chair: Tasked with steering the chapter’s overall strategic direction, coordinating cross-team work across the executive committee, and serving as the official representative for Antigua’s students at both the institutional and regional levels. Ward additionally takes on an expanded regional role, serving as Vice President for Administration, Sites and Services on the UWI Global Campus Regional Guild of Students. This dual appointment gives students from Antigua and Barbuda direct, elevated input into regional-level decision making for the campus.
    – Samantha Wallace, Vice Chapter Chair: Supports the Chair in all core responsibilities and takes ownership of overseeing daily chapter operations and ensuring long-term organizational continuity amid leadership transitions.
    – Liane Daniel, Secretary: Responsible for maintaining all official chapter records, managing internal and external communications for the organization, and ensuring transparency around the chapter’s activities.
    – Kimberly Thomas-Lawrence, Treasurer: Oversees all of the chapter’s financial activities, including budgeting, expenditure tracking, and formal financial reporting to ensure full accountability for all student funds.
    – Kellonda Burke-Lawrence, Academic Student Representative: Serves as the key liaison between Antigua students and campus and guild leadership, elevating academic concerns and driving forward initiatives designed to boost student academic success.
    – Gabrielle Dryden, Postgraduate Representative: Focuses exclusively on advocating for the unique interests and needs of postgraduate students within the Antigua chapter.
    – Anizia Vigo, Committee Liaison Officer: Acts as a bridge between the executive committee and sub-committees, streamlining information sharing and ensuring all planned student activities are executed smoothly.

    The Antigua Chapter maintains a close collaborative partnership with Coleen Letlow, Head of Site for UWI Global Campus Antigua and Barbuda. Leadership notes that Letlow’s ongoing support has been foundational to delivering a positive, accessible student experience at the local site.

    Looking ahead to the 2026/2027 academic year, the chapter’s first major public event is scheduled for November 15, 2026: a combined Honour Roll Ceremony and Executive Induction. The dual-purpose event will recognize high-achieving students who earned top marks across the first and second semesters of the 2025/2026 academic year, celebrating the hard work of learners who excel academically while balancing work, family and community commitments. Following the honoree recognitions, the ceremony will formally swear in the 2026/2027 executive team, kicking off their term of service. Under the leadership of this new team, the chapter reaffirms its commitment to lifting up student voices and delivering tangible support: “Together We Can Make It Happen.”

  • CARACOL : 13.4 MW, Haiti’s largest solar power plant, to be operational next month.

    CARACOL : 13.4 MW, Haiti’s largest solar power plant, to be operational next month.

    As Haiti pushes forward with its clean energy transition, the country’s largest utility-scale solar power facility is on track to begin operations next month, bringing new hope for improved electricity access across the northern region.

    The milestone project, located in Caracol, Haiti’s far northern corridor, received a progress assessment in late September 2026 from Haiti’s Minister of Public Works Joseph Almathe Pierre Louis during an official site visit. This large-scale solar development is a core component of the Haitian government’s broader strategy to expand domestic power generation and speed up the shift away from fossil fuels toward sustainable, renewable energy sources.

    During the inspection, on-site technical teams shared detailed updates on remaining construction work and walked the minister through the facility’s technical specifications. Backed by $57 million in financing from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Caracol solar plant is distributed across two adjacent construction sites, which host a combined total of 21,276 photovoltaic panels. Just over two-thirds of these panels, 14,622 in total, are installed at the project’s second site.

    The plant’s power infrastructure includes two interconnected substations, with a combined total generation capacity of 13.4 MW. The first substation alone is engineered to deliver 9.5 MW of power. To address common challenges of renewable energy intermittency and maintain consistent stability for Haiti’s national grid, the project also integrates four utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS), each with a 3.7 MW capacity to store excess power generated during peak sunlight hours for use when sunlight is unavailable.

    Once the facility enters full commercial operations in October 2026, it will deliver approximately 5 MW of consistent power to Haiti’s national grid, directly strengthening electricity access for thousands of residential households and commercial operations across northern Haiti. Following his site visit, Minister Pierre Louis confirmed he was pleased with the construction team’s progress and reaffirmed the project’s on-schedule completion timeline.

  • PM Browne Congratulates Former Gang Members on ABICE Graduation

    PM Browne Congratulates Former Gang Members on ABICE Graduation

    In a landmark milestone for intervention and second-chance education in Antigua and Barbuda, a cohort of formerly school-disconnected young men with past ties to gang activity have crossed the graduation stage at the Antigua and Barbuda Institute of Continuing Education (ABICE), capping off a two-year rehabilitation and skills-building programme designed to redirect at-risk youth.

    Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne made the formal announcement of the graduation this past Thursday, extending heartfelt congratulations to the graduates while framing their successful completion of the programme as tangible proof that young people entrenched in gang life can be guided toward positive, productive paths through intentional education and consistent, targeted support.

    The programme itself grew out of urgent action to address rising community violence across the nation. After Prime Minister Browne held direct talks with active young gang members amid growing public concern over surging violence, the administration rolled out a targeted plan to reconnect out-of-school youth with learning opportunities. That plan centered on enrolling interested participants in vocational and continuing education tracks at ABICE, also widely known as the Harrison Centre.

    Unlike traditional academic secondary institutions, ABICE specializes in hands-on technical and vocational training that prepares graduates for immediate entry into skilled workforces. The institute offers accredited programming across a range of high-demand trades, including automotive repair, carpentry, electrical wiring and installation, plumbing, welding, and refrigeration and air conditioning maintenance. These skills provide graduates with a tangible foundation for stable employment and economic independence, key factors in supporting long-term desistance from gang activity.

    Speaking at the announcement, Prime Minister Browne emphasized that the successful graduation of this first cohort proves rehabilitation is achievable when communities invest in at-risk youth. He went on to call for expanded cross-sector collaboration, urging private sector businesses, faith institutions including churches, and broader civil society organizations to deepen their engagement with youth intervention programmes. Browne noted that more coordinated, multi-stakeholder action is necessary to address the underlying social and economic conditions that push vulnerable young people toward gang involvement, crime, and violence in the first place, framing the graduates’ success as a proof of concept for what scaled investment can achieve.

  • Castle Bruce Health Centre explores expanded neonatal and pediatric care

    Castle Bruce Health Centre explores expanded neonatal and pediatric care

    The government of Dominica remains steadfast in its commitment to elevating healthcare outcomes for the island nation’s most vulnerable population: newborns and young children. Officials from the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services have recently reaffirmed that investing in early-life care is non-negotiable when building a healthier, more resilient population for years to come.

    As a key milestone in this ongoing work, the Castle Bruce Health Centre welcomed a visiting delegation from the international non-profit World Pediatric Project last month. The international team was joined on-site by Dr. Seannel David, Dominica’s national neonatologist, to conduct a thorough review of the facility after its recent SMART infrastructure upgrade.

    During the visit, stakeholders held targeted discussions about two major priorities for expanding local pediatric care. First, the group explored the feasibility of creating a dedicated neonatal and pediatric care corner at the health centre, a change that would bring specialized, accessible care for young patients directly to the Castle Bruce community, eliminating the need for many families to travel longer distances for basic specialized services. Second, participants emphasized the critical role of continuous professional development for frontline healthcare workers, particularly highlighting the value of regular refresher training in the evidence-based Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) protocol. This global training initiative equips clinicians with the theoretical knowledge and hands-on practical skills to respond rapidly and effectively to newborns experiencing life-threatening breathing difficulties at birth.

    Dominica’s health ministry notes that this collaborative initiative aligns perfectly with the official theme of this year’s Caribbean Wellness Month: “Engage. Empower. Elevate.” By engaging with both local healthcare teams and global partner organizations like the World Pediatric Project, the ministry can empower frontline workers with the updated training, resources, and support they need to deliver high-quality care to every young patient. At the same time, targeted upgrades to community health facilities and service offerings help elevate the entire national healthcare system, expanding access to critical care across the island.

    Beyond immediate improvements to care, the ministry stressed that strategic investments in pediatric and neonatal health lay the critical groundwork for long-term population health. True public health wellness, officials explained, is not limited to addressing immediate medical needs—it requires intentional action to build strong, lifelong foundations of health for current and future generations of Dominicans.

  • BREAKING: VIDEO | XPZ Supermarket Catches Fire Again Nearly Two Years After Reopening

    BREAKING: VIDEO | XPZ Supermarket Catches Fire Again Nearly Two Years After Reopening

    On a Friday morning, emergency fire crews were dispatched to XPZ Supermarket, located along Sir Sydney Walling Highway, after reports of an electrical fire originating in the store’s commercial kitchen triggered a building-wide smoke emergency. As of initial public updates, first responders have not yet released details on the total scope of property damage from the incident, nor have they confirmed any reports of civilian or first responder injuries.

    This latest emergency comes at a particularly difficult moment for the supermarket, which only recently resumed operations at the same location following a catastrophic 2021 blaze that erased the original structure. That earlier fire, which caused an estimated EC$10 million in total economic damage, put dozens of out of work and left the popular local retailer without a home for nearly three years. A former XPZ employee, Tianzhao “Alex” Feng, ultimately pleaded guilty to arson for setting the 2021 fire.

    The rebuilt XPZ Supermarket held its grand reopening on October 18, 2024, marking a major milestone for the business and its returning staff. Investigators have stated that there is currently no evidence linking Friday’s accidental electrical fire to the deliberate 2021 arson attack.

  • Robert De Niro’s Nobu Beach Inn in Barbuda Targets Late 2026 Construction Completion

    Robert De Niro’s Nobu Beach Inn in Barbuda Targets Late 2026 Construction Completion

    Luxury hospitality brand Nobu Hospitality is advancing a high-end beach resort development on the Caribbean island of Barbuda, with construction of the Nobu Beach Inn projected to wrap up by the end of 2026. While an official guest opening date has not been confirmed to the public, the brand has opened pre-registration for customers interested in receiving project updates. This new resort is a collaborative venture between Nobu, Hollywood actor Robert De Niro, Australian investor James Packer, and seasoned hotelier Daniel Shamoon, marking a major expansion of the brand’s footprint in the region.

    The property is sited along Barbuda’s undeveloped southwest coast, spanning a sprawling 400 acres of land with two full miles of pristine beachfront access. In terms of accommodation, the resort will feature 36 guest bedrooms housed across 17 exclusive private villas, alongside 25 premium beachfront residences that are currently being offered for private sale. Starting prices for these luxury residences are set at $12 million, and buyers will gain full access to all of the resort’s shared amenities and services. Residence owners also have the option to enroll their properties in the resort’s rental program, allowing them to generate rental income when they are not using their units.

    To meet the expectations of high-end leisure travelers, the development includes a comprehensive range of recreational and hospitality facilities. Planned amenities include multiple signature Nobu restaurants, a private beach club, an ocean-facing infinity pool, a full-service spa, a dedicated fitness pavilion, a children’s activity club, and an open-air outdoor cinema. The resort will also feature hard court facilities for both tennis and padel, plus a fully equipped water sports center that will offer popular activities including sailing and water skiing.

    This new project builds on Nobu Hospitality’s existing established presence on Barbuda. The brand first opened a Nobu Barbuda restaurant and beach lounge on the island’s Princess Diana Beach back in 2020, and partner Robert De Niro has a decades-long personal connection to the area. De Niro shared that he first visited Barbuda more than 30 years ago, and from the project’s earliest planning stages, the team has prioritized designing the resort to complement, rather than overshadow, Barbuda’s unspoiled natural landscape and coastal ecosystem.

    A recent hotel industry report published earlier this week incorrectly stated that the resort would open to guests in late 2026. In response to the report, Nobu Hospitality clarified its current timeline on its official project page, confirming that only construction completion is targeted for the end of 2026, with a launch date for guest operations still to be determined.

  • Indian Seafarer Killed in Attack on Antigua and Barbuda-Flagged Ship Near Strait of Hormuz

    Indian Seafarer Killed in Attack on Antigua and Barbuda-Flagged Ship Near Strait of Hormuz

    A fatal assault on a Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk cargo vessel transiting the Arabian Sea off the coast of Oman has left one Indian maritime worker dead and triggered an urgent international investigation into the nature and perpetrators of the attack. The incident, which unfolded on Wednesday, September 23, targeted the MV Cape Dao, a bulk carrier en route from the United Arab Emirates to India, according to official updates from Oman’s Maritime Security Centre.

    Following the strike, the vessel suffered significant damage that ignited a blaze in its engine room, leaving the ship dead in the water. Quick response teams from the Omani navy deployed immediately to the scene of the emergency, successfully evacuating all 27 surviving crew members from the burning vessel and bringing them to safety.

    In subsequent identifications released by Indian news outlets, the deceased seafarer was named as Suraj Yadav, a native of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Of the full 28-person complement on board the MV Cape Dao at the time of the attack, 20 were citizens of India, marking the heavy Indian representation in the commercial vessel’s crew.

    To date, key details about the attack remain unconfirmed, with conflicting accounts emerging from initial intelligence and on-scene reports. Some sources have documented the strike as coming from two torpedoes, while early assessments from maritime security agencies categorized the weapon involved as an unknown projectile. No group or nation has yet claimed responsibility for the assault, and official investigations are still working to pinpoint both the perpetrators and the underlying motive for the attack on the commercial vessel.

  • Antigua and Barbuda Youth Parliament Delegation Visits St. Kitts and Nevis

    Antigua and Barbuda Youth Parliament Delegation Visits St. Kitts and Nevis

    A high-level delegation from the National Youth Parliament Association of Antigua and Barbuda (NYPAAB) arrived in St. Kitts and Nevis on September 23, kicking off a new round of regional diplomatic engagement centered on expanding youth parliamentary collaboration across the Eastern Caribbean.

    Led by NYPAAB President Ezekiel Francois, the visiting delegation includes key organizational leaders: Vice President Rainer Santos Mercado, External Affairs Officer Esther McKenzie, and Celine Edwards, who serves as the Youth Member of Parliament for All Saints East & St. Luke.

    This trip coincides with a major milestone for the regional youth parliamentary network: the partner organization in St. Kitts and Nevis is celebrating 25 years of its founding, a testament to the long-running work of youth civic engagement across the bloc. Over the past four years, the partnership between NYPAAB and regional youth parliamentary bodies has already delivered tangible results, with a packed schedule of collaborative activities. These include the 2022 and 2023 regional youth parliamentary sittings, the 2023 Eastern Caribbean Youth Parliamentary Network (ECYPN) gathering, and joint initiatives with the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) that bring parliamentary representatives together to share governance insights, exchange on-the-ground experiences, and deepen cross-border collective action.

    As NYPAAB joins its regional counterparts to honor this 25-year milestone, the organization has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to nurturing substantive, mutually beneficial relationships with youth parliamentary groups across the Eastern Caribbean. Beyond collaboration on existing initiatives, the association’s core mission focuses on cultivating a new generation of skilled, informed parliamentary leaders who can shape the future of regional governance and address shared challenges facing young people across the subregion.