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  • SpaceX Among Major Sponsors of Commonwealth Business Forum in A&B

    SpaceX Among Major Sponsors of Commonwealth Business Forum in A&B

    The upcoming Commonwealth Business Forum, scheduled to take place in Antigua and Barbuda (A&B), has secured Elon Musk’s aerospace and space transportation company SpaceX as one of its headline sponsors, organizers confirmed in an official announcement this week.

    The high-profile gathering, which brings together business leaders, government policymakers, and innovation stakeholders from across the 56-nation Commonwealth bloc, is focusing this year on expanding global connectivity, advancing technological innovation, and unlocking infrastructure investment across developing small island states. Organizers say SpaceX’s participation as a major sponsor aligns perfectly with the forum’s core priorities, particularly the company’s work in developing satellite internet constellations that aim to bridge the digital divide in remote and underserved regions.

    Commonwealth Business Council officials noted that the inclusion of a leading technology and aerospace firm like SpaceX reflects the shifting focus of global business cooperation toward next-generation industries that can drive inclusive economic growth. Small island developing states such as Antigua and Barbuda have repeatedly identified improved digital connectivity as a critical catalyst for boosting tourism, expanding remote work opportunities, and strengthening climate resilience — all key agenda items for this year’s forum.

    Industry analysts point out that the sponsorship also opens new doors for SpaceX to deepen its partnerships with Commonwealth nations, potentially expanding the adoption of its Starlink satellite internet service across multiple small island economies that have long struggled with limited terrestrial connectivity infrastructure. The forum, expected to host more than 1,000 delegates from around the world, will run alongside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which is also being held in Antigua and Barbuda this year. Additional major sponsors include multinational banking groups, renewable energy firms, and global technology consultancies, but SpaceX’s backing has drawn particular attention due to the company’s high profile and its disruptive work in both space exploration and global digital infrastructure.

  • $1.06M at centre of new charges in Creators Alliance case

    $1.06M at centre of new charges in Creators Alliance case

    More than 18 months have passed since the high-profile investment platform Creators Alliance abruptly collapsed, leaving thousands of regional investors facing devastating financial losses. Now, the ongoing investigation into the fraudulent scheme has reached a new milestone, with Saint Lucia’s Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) bringing seven fresh money laundering charges against Electra Fernand, a resident of Massade, Gros Islet.

    The newly filed charges center on approximately $1.062 million in illicit funds allegedly tied to the now-defunct Creators Alliance project, and represent a separate line of inquiry from prior charges leveled against Fernand in connection with the scheme.

    Fernand made her first court appearance on the new charges Wednesday at Saint Lucia’s First District Court, where she was granted bail ahead of upcoming legal proceedings. This is not Fernand’s first encounter with regulators over the Creators Alliance case: back in May 2025, she was among six people charged with operating an unlicensed virtual asset business, a violation of the island nation’s Virtual Asset Business Act.

    Of that original group of six defendants, court records show one individual entered a guilty plea in May 2026. The remaining five defendants, including Fernand, remain out on bail as they await trial on the 2025 unlicensed business charges. While those proceedings move forward, FIA investigators have continued to unpack the full scope of alleged financial misconduct linked to Creators Alliance, work that ultimately yielded the seven new money laundering counts against Fernand.

    To understand the context of the charges, it is necessary to revisit the origins of the scheme. Creators Alliance first began soliciting investors across Saint Lucia and the broader Caribbean region starting in June 2024. It marketed itself as a revolutionary digital content platform, where investors could purchase access packages and earn guaranteed returns by creating and uploading short-form videos. Early participants in the scheme did receive small payouts, a common tactic used by fraudulent investment operations to build trust and draw in more capital.

    That narrative quickly unraveled by early 2025. Investor payments stalled abruptly, and within months, the Creators Alliance platform shut down entirely. When the closure came, countless investors were left with no way to recoup the funds they had poured into the project.

    FIA investigators have concluded that Creators Alliance was structured as a pyramid-style scam, a fraudulent model that relies on constant inflows of new investor money to pay returns to early participants, rather than generating legitimate profits. When new investments stopped flowing in, the scheme inevitably collapsed, leaving thousands of people across Saint Lucia and the Caribbean with major financial losses.

    Under Saint Lucia’s current Money Laundering (Prevention) Act, each money laundering charge against Fernand carries a severe maximum penalty: convicted offenders can face fines of up to $1 million, and up to 15 years of imprisonment, or both.

    In the wake of the new charges, FIA has issued a renewed public warning about the risks of unregulated investment offerings. Regulators are urging all members of the public to exercise extreme caution before committing funds to any investment opportunity that is not properly authorized or registered. The agency also advises investors to always seek independent professional financial advice, and to verify the licensing and legitimacy of any investment entity before transferring any money.

  • One Communications’ internet services being restored, repairs to continue tonight

    One Communications’ internet services being restored, repairs to continue tonight

    On Wednesday, 23 September 2026, a widespread outage of fibre and mobile internet services across Guyana was triggered by a routine construction accident, after an excavator operator severed a critical fibre-optic cable tied to the country’s subsea internet infrastructure. The disruption occurred when a contracting agent working on drainage development at a recently transferred plot of land – stretching between Thomas Road and Carifesta Avenue, former site of the Central Radio Service – accidentally sliced through the key cable, according to officials from One Communications, the internet service provider previously known as GTT.

    By Wednesday evening, technical teams had begun the process of restoring connectivity, though the network was still operating at significantly reduced capacity hours after the incident. A company spokesperson confirmed to Demerara Waves Online News that while basic service had been brought back online for all affected users, constrained bandwidth meant many subscribers continued to face frustrating side effects including sluggish connection speeds and constant video buffering.

    Technicians projected that full, pre-outage network capacity would be fully restored by 9:00 PM local time the same day. The outage also impacted secondary digital services, including MMG platforms and mobile top-up services at multiple retail and service locations across the country. One Communications issued a public apology for the unplanned service disruption, thanking customers for their patience during the repair process.

  • Farmer dies in Bexon shooting

    Farmer dies in Bexon shooting

    A quiet agricultural community in Bexon was rocked by violence on Wednesday afternoon, when a midday shooting left a local farmer dead. The victim has been publicly identified by his family members as Cleus Soolal, a grower who cultivated potato crops on the small-scale farm where the incident unfolded.

    A witness who spoke on condition of anonymity to local publication St Lucia Times described the chaotic moments immediately after the attack. According to the eyewitness account, multiple gunshots rang out across the property, with at least one of the volleys matching the distinct sound of automatic machine gun fire. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the observer spotted two masked male suspects fleeing the scene on foot, moving in the direction of a nearby river.

    Local law enforcement responded rapidly to the emergency call. Officers arrived at the farm within a short window after the shooting was reported, and official investigators have formally opened a full probe into the killing to identify the perpetrators and uncover the motive behind the attack. As of the latest update, no suspects have been taken into custody, and police have not yet released additional details about potential lines of inquiry.

  • Man Found dead in Warehouse

    Man Found dead in Warehouse

    A tragic workplace incident has shaken the staff of Chase Supermarket in Antigua, after a Hispanic employee was found unresponsive inside the store’s warehouse, days after he first reported feeling unwell to his colleagues.

    Local outlet Antigua Newsroom received preliminary details of the incident, which indicate that the worker notified teammates that he was experiencing discomfort before taking an over-the-counter pill and returning to his regular duties. For much of the day after that interaction, coworkers were unable to track him down, and growing concern eventually prompted a search of the facility.

    That search led to the discovery of the employee unresponsive in the warehouse section of the supermarket. As of the initial reporting, critical details surrounding the event remain undisclosed: authorities and store management have not released the man’s identity, nor have they shared any confirmed information about the exact cause or circumstances of his death.

    The sudden passing has left the supermarket’s close-knit staff reeling, with colleagues describing feelings of profound shock and deep sadness over the loss of their coworker. Additional updates are expected to be released to the public as more official details become available.

  • Pierre to speak at the UN, meet Saint Lucians in New York

    Pierre to speak at the UN, meet Saint Lucians in New York

    As world leaders prepare to converge in New York for one of the United Nations’ most high-profile annual gatherings, the head of government of the Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia is gearing up to deliver his country’s official address to the global body. Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre is scheduled to take the podium at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) during the High-Level Week of the 81st Session this Friday, with an initial speaking slot set for 2:30 p.m. Officials note that this timing remains subject to adjustment based on the flow of ongoing deliberations throughout the session.

    Pierre is in Manhattan to participate in the UNGA General Debate, a core five-day gathering running from September 22 to 26, with an additional plenary session scheduled for September 28. This year’s General Debate centers on the unifying overarching theme: “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All.” The theme sets the agenda for participating heads of state and government, who will convene to debate a range of pressing transnational challenges, from global peace and security to accelerating climate action, advancing inclusive sustainable development, and unlocking critical financing for developing nations.

    Beyond delivering Saint Lucia’s national statement to the assembly, the Prime Minister has a packed schedule of diplomatic engagements during his New York trip, according to a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister. Pierre will hold bilateral meetings with fellow world leaders to advance discussions on policy priorities that are of core national interest to Saint Lucia.

    Away from formal United Nations proceedings, Pierre will also carve out time to connect with Saint Lucia’s global diaspora. The Saint Lucian Consulate General in New York has organized a public engagement event titled “Engaging the Diaspora: An Audience with Prime Minister the Hon. Philip J. Pierre and the Hon. Alva R. Baptiste, Minister of External Affairs,” which is open to members of the local Saint Lucian community and diaspora members from across the region. The gathering is set to take place on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 4 p.m. at the Friends of Crown Heights community facility in Brooklyn. Following the conclusion of all his scheduled engagements, Pierre is expected to depart New York and return to his home country of Saint Lucia on Sunday afternoon.

  • Triathlon pair competing at Junior World Championships in Spain

    Triathlon pair competing at Junior World Championships in Spain

    Two of Barbados’ brightest young triathlon talents, Alexis Lashley and Luke McIntyre, are set to compete this Thursday at the 202X Junior World Triathlon Championships hosted in Pontevedra, Spain. For supporters back home, Lashley’s swim leg will get underway at 4:15 a.m. Barbados time, with McIntyre starting his race an hour and 30 minutes later at 5:45 a.m. local Barbados time.

    In an exclusive interview with Barbados TODAY from the Spanish host city, Dr. Garth McIntyre, President of the Barbados Federation of Island Triathletes, shared that the build-up to this elite global competition has gone according to plan for both athletes.

    “Both athletes earned their spots at the championships through a rigorous qualification process at the Americas Triathlon Championship held in Chile earlier this July,” Dr. McIntyre explained. “They have stuck to consistent training schedules through the summer months, completed a solid pre-competition training block, and have not faced any injuries or setbacks that would disrupt their preparation.”

    Since arriving in Pontevedra, the pair have already completed on-site training sessions for both the open water swim and running segments, and are currently out completing a practice bike ride as they finalize their race preparations, Dr. McIntyre added.

    According to the federation president, the race conditions in Pontevedra are expected to be a good fit for the Barbadian duo, though there are some key environmental factors the team is monitoring. The most notable difference from their home training conditions is the wide daily temperature swing in northwestern Spain, where temperatures currently range from a cool 16 degrees Celsius overnight to a warm 32 degrees Celsius during the daytime. Water temperatures currently sit right at the threshold that would allow athletes to wear wetsuits, a rule that permits wetsuit use only below a set water temperature mark.

    “Wetsuits offer competitors a measurable advantage in the water by increasing buoyancy and reducing drag, so nearly all athletes will opt to wear them if the conditions allow. We will just have to wait and see what the official ruling is on race morning,” Dr. McIntyre noted.

    The Junior World Triathlon Championships draws the top under-20 triathletes from across the globe, meaning competition will be among the steepest that Lashley and McIntyre have ever faced. With that context, Dr. McIntyre said the federation holds realistic expectations for the young pair.

    “It might sound like we are downplaying our chances, but our main focus right now is on solid race execution and making the most of every opportunity that comes up during the event,” he explained. “Our core priority for this appearance is athlete development, because both athletes will be eligible to compete again at this same event next year.”

    Dr. McIntyre emphasized that this level of global competition is far more challenging than any event the pair has competed in previously, so no matter what final positions they earn, there will be no disappointment from the Barbadian triathlon community. His main message to the athletes is to embrace the experience, enjoy the race and expand their international competition experience.

    “For both athletes, this championship is essentially a preparatory experience for next year’s event. It gives them a chance to see where they stand against the world’s best and identify what areas they need to improve on going forward,” Dr. McIntyre explained. “Of course, if they exceed expectations and turn in a great performance, we will be absolutely thrilled. But we all know this is a tough field, and a top finish is going to be hard to pull off this time around.”

  • Clery remembered as a man with a big heart

    Clery remembered as a man with a big heart

    The tight-knit creative and tourism community of Saint Lucia is mourning the unexpected passing of one of its most cherished members, Pontinus Clery, who died on Sunday. Widely remembered by loved ones and colleagues as a vibrant, warm-hearted individual whose presence filled every room he entered, Clery leaves behind a decades-long legacy deeply woven into the island nation’s cultural and tourism sectors.

    Clery spent the majority of his professional career at Saint Lucia Distillers, where he rose to the position of Assistant Marketing Manager. Beyond his official job title, he served as a key public representative for the company’s most iconic brands, including Bounty Rum and Chairman’s Reserve. His commitment to Saint Lucia’s national cultural life extended far beyond the workplace, as he played active roles in the island’s biggest signature events: the annual Lucian Carnival, the internationally renowned Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival, and Jounen Kweyol, the island’s celebration of Creole culture.

    For Lucian Carnival specifically, Clery was far more than a supporting organizer. He participated in the celebration both as a joyful reveller and as a road marshal, contributing to the event’s smooth operation and festive spirit from multiple angles.

    In the days following his death, tributes have poured in from across the island’s leading industry groups, public figures, and cultural organizations. The Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association (SLHTA), which worked closely with Clery for years, released a public statement expressing profound sadness at his passing. SLHTA noted that Saint Lucia Distillers, a long-standing valued member of the association, has backed countless industry initiatives over the years, and Clery was the central liaison for that partnership.

    “Clery played an integral role in the company’s work and was the main point of contact for the Association, with whom we worked closely on these engagements. He was a people person who valued relationships, welcomed new ideas and was always willing to help create opportunities for others,” the association wrote in a public Facebook post.

    Saint Lucia Distillers also shared a heartfelt tribute to their late colleague on Instagram, highlighting the intangible magic he brought to the company every day. “In his time as assistant marketing manager, among his numerous other roles, he contributed not only his time and talent but also something far more difficult to put into words – his spirit,” the company wrote.

    The official Lucian Carnival Facebook page echoed that sentiment, remembering Clery as “a beloved pillar of our Carnival family.”

    Ernest Hilaire, Saint Lucia’s Minister for Tourism and Creative Industries, acknowledged the deep shock rippling through the carnival community, which is mourning two losses over the same weekend: Clery and Jahnn Sifflet of Xuvo Carnival. “Each of these gentlemen, little or big, had a profound impact on the sector,” Hilaire said.

    As family, friends, and colleagues continue to offer their condolences to Clery’s loved ones, his legacy of warm collaboration, enthusiastic support for local culture, and dedication lifting up other members of the industry will leave a lasting mark on Saint Lucia’s cultural and tourism sectors.

  • Dominica calls for climate funding before disaster strikes

    Dominica calls for climate funding before disaster strikes

    When small island developing states grapple with escalating climate-driven extreme weather, the president of Dominica has delivered a clear, urgent call to the global community: shift the current reactive approach to climate crisis response and invest in climate resilience before catastrophic events strike. Speaking from the podium of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Sylvanie Burton highlighted that the existing model leaves highly vulnerable nations like hers saddled with new debt to rebuild critical infrastructure that could have been protected through proactive investment.

    Burton pointed to the 2017 Hurricane Maria, a storm that leveled much of Dominica’s critical infrastructure, as a stark lesson for global climate action. The widespread destruction caused by that hurricane, she emphasized, proved that building adaptive capacity must happen long before a storm makes landfall. This means engineering more robust roads, constructing climate-resilient buildings, upgrading reliable water systems, reinforcing health facilities, and strengthening public institutions to withstand extreme weather events. “The best time to build resilience is before disaster. The best time to finance transformation is before crisis,” Burton told assembled global leaders during her address.

    To make this proactive shift possible, Burton laid out three core demands for the international financial system. First, she pushed for far broader access to low-interest concessional loans and outright grants earmarked specifically for climate adaptation projects in vulnerable nations. Second, she called for mandatory, strong disaster relief clauses to be embedded in all sovereign debt agreements, allowing countries to pause debt repayments in the aftermath of climate catastrophes. Third, she advocated for pre-positioned climate financing that can be disbursed rapidly immediately after a disaster strikes, cutting down on critical response time.

    Burton also threw her support behind a longstanding push from small island states to incorporate multidimensional vulnerability metrics into global development finance decision-making. Traditional criteria for accessing favorable financing, she argued, routinely fail to account for the disproportionate climate risks that small island developing states face, locking many out of the support they need to build resilience.

    Rejecting the framing of vulnerable states as passive victims, Burton made clear that Dominica is not seeking pity at the United Nations. Instead, the country is positioning itself as an active partner in global climate transformation. “Dominica does not come to the United Nations asking to be treated as a victim of vulnerability. We come asking to be recognised as a partner in transformation,” she said.

    The Dominican president stressed that proactive measures to prevent the destruction of core public assets—from schools and hospitals to drinking water systems—should be classified and treated as productive investments in long-term development, rather than discretionary climate spending. To back up her call for a new approach, Burton confirmed that Dominica stands ready to serve as a proof of concept, demonstrating the tangible results that a resilience-centered climate financing model can deliver for vulnerable nations.

  • Belize’s Wellness Week 2026 Focuses on Healthier Choices

    Belize’s Wellness Week 2026 Focuses on Healthier Choices

    As the small Central American nation of Belize continues to grapple with a growing public health crisis driven by noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), national health authorities have launched Wellness Week 2026, a four-day initiative aimed at fostering healthier lifestyles and creating supportive environments for long-term well-being. Running from September 22 to 25 under the official theme “Promoting Health, Transforming Environments,” this year’s campaign frames public health as a collective responsibility rather than solely an individual choice.

    The Ministry of Health and Wellness, which organized the event, emphasizes that population health outcomes are determined not just by personal decisions, but by the conditions in which people go about their daily lives — from their homes and workplaces to schools and community spaces. Kathleen Azueta Cho, a health education technical advisor with the ministry, explained that the core goal of this year’s Wellness Week is to build systems and environments that make healthy decisions accessible and straightforward for all Belizeans.

    “What that message is saying is that it’s not simply about individuals — healthy habits extend far beyond personal choices,” Cho noted in a press briefing. “It also entails creating the environments that support the choices and the decisions that we make around our well-being.”

    For years, NCDs including cardiovascular disease and diabetes have ranked as the leading causes of illness, long-term disability, and premature death across Belize. Public health officials have identified four key preventable risk factors driving this trend: unhealthy dietary patterns, sedentary lifestyles, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption. Wellness Week 2026 forms part of a broader national strategy that includes ongoing initiatives like BELIZE MOVES, which works to reduce the population-level impact of NCDs through sustained public engagement.

    A full slate of community and public events has been organized across the country to mark the week, including interactive nutrition education workshops, hands-on healthy cooking demonstrations, group physical activity sessions through the BELIZE MOVES program, guided yoga and mindfulness sessions, workplace wellness training seminars, and free confidential health screenings. Cho stressed that preventive screenings are a critical pillar of the initiative, noting that early detection of underlying health conditions allows for earlier intervention and helps patients avoid life-altering complications down the line. “Know your numbers because screenings are an important part of wellness,” she said.

    This year’s Wellness Week also aligns with a regional public health observance, coming as Belize holds the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Central American Integration System (SICA), a regional body that coordinates cooperation on social and public health issues across Central America. As the country takes on this leadership role, the initiative serves as a demonstration of Belize’s commitment to addressing shared regional public health challenges through targeted action and collaborative policy.