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  • Antigua And Barbuda Tourism Authority Hosts U.S. Travel Advisory Board

    Antigua And Barbuda Tourism Authority Hosts U.S. Travel Advisory Board

    The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA) recently concluded a strategic on-island retreat for its U.S. Travel Advisory Board, bringing together prominent travel advisors from key American markets. The immersive program combined destination experiences with high-level strategic discussions aimed at strengthening trade relationships and enhancing the islands’ tourism appeal.

    Led by Dean Fenton, U.S. Director for ABTA, the retreat served as the final on-island meeting for the current Advisory Board before new appointments in March. The carefully orchestrated agenda featured comprehensive site inspections at premier resorts including Blue Waters Resort & Spa and Hodges Bay Resort & Spa, where board members evaluated accommodation standards and held strategic planning sessions with ABTA leadership.

    The experiential component showcased Antigua and Barbuda’s diverse tourism offerings through curated culinary experiences at renowned establishments including The Palm, The Cove, and White Sands Restaurant. Participants enjoyed a sailing excursion aboard the Excellence Catamaran, explored St. John’s shopping district, visited Prickly Pear Island, and experienced beachfront dining at The Hut. The program concluded with a dinner at Mamma Mia, highlighting the islands’ vibrant culinary scene.

    Beyond commercial activities, the retreat incorporated community engagement initiatives including a beach clean-up at Jabberwock Beach and a donation of supplies to the Denis Bowers Rehabilitation Centre. Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment, The Honourable Charles Fernandez, personally met with the group, expressing appreciation for their support and participation in these responsible tourism efforts.

    The current Advisory Board comprises senior travel specialists representing luxury travel, destination weddings, honeymoons, and experiential travel, including representatives from Travel Smart with Paula, Bayside Travel, Romantics Travel, and several other prominent agencies. This initiative forms part of ABTA’s ongoing strategy to deepen industry partnerships and drive increased visitor bookings to the dual-island nation.

  • Venezuelan crude oil offloads at Caribbean hubs

    Venezuelan crude oil offloads at Caribbean hubs

    A significant realignment in global oil shipping is underway as tankers commence open discharge of Venezuelan crude at Caribbean hubs, signaling a dramatic shift in trade patterns following Washington’s intervention in Caracas’ petroleum industry. Over the weekend, approximately 2.5 million barrels of Merey heavy crude were delivered to storage facilities on Saint Lucia and Curaçao, transforming these islands into strategic staging posts for expanded global distribution.

    The market disruption is immediately evident in freight rates, which have surged on certain routes as previously obscured vessels—including members of the so-called ‘dark fleet’—now activate transponders during offloading operations. This transparency marks a departure from previous covert shipping practices.

    Detailed shipping movements confirm this new paradigm: The VLCC Kelly arrived at Castries, Saint Lucia on January 18 carrying 1.9 million barrels—the first Venezuelan crude shipment to the island since December 2018. Simultaneously, the Aframax tanker Volans discharged approximately 600,000 barrels at Curaçao’s Bullen Bay terminal on January 17, transporting cargo for commodities giant Vitol. Further confirming the trend, the VLCC Marbella reached South Riding Point in the Bahamas on January 19 with another 1.9 million-barrel Vitol consignment.

    The Biden administration has strategically engaged trading powerhouses Trafigura Group and Vitol Group to market Venezuelan barrels while encouraging US energy majors to invest in revitalizing the country’s distressed oil infrastructure. Buckeye Partners LP, operator of the Saint Lucia storage facility, confirmed its role in this recalibrated supply chain, emphasizing its commitment to ‘leveraging operational expertise and strategically positioned infrastructure to bring Venezuelan crude to market safely, responsibly, and in compliance with all applicable laws.’

    This geopolitical maneuver has fundamentally redirected Venezuela’s oil flow from predominantly China-bound shipments via shadowy tanker networks to diversified destinations including Indian refiners and US Gulf Coast facilities, establishing a new architecture for global heavy crude distribution.

  • Denzel Phillips setting new standards for Saint Lucian throws

    Denzel Phillips setting new standards for Saint Lucian throws

    Jamaica-based Saint Lucian athlete Denzel Phillips is revolutionizing perceptions of track and field excellence through his extraordinary throwing capabilities. The 19-year-old prodigy, who transitions from sprinting to becoming one of Saint Lucia’s most promising field athletes, has embarked on a record-breaking spree targeting both the CARIFTA Games and global junior competitions.

    In a remarkable demonstration of skill, Phillips shattered a 32-year-old national discus record last December during the Tyser-Mills Classics in Spanish Town, Jamaica. On Saint Lucia’s National Day (December 13), he launched the 2kg discus to an impressive 48.79 meters, demolishing Ricky Deligny’s 1992 benchmark of 45.20m set at Barbados’ National Stadium. Astonishingly, this achievement marked Phillips’ inaugural attempt with the heavier implement typically reserved for senior competitions.

    The bespectacled thrower maintained composed professionalism about his feat, revealing to St. Lucia Times: “I did expect the record. In training, I constantly throw way past that. I was actually a little disappointed I only came out with 48m.”

    Phillips’ momentum continued into the new year with another record-breaking performance on January 17 at Kingston’s Ashenheim Stadium. During the World Class Development Meet, he surpassed his previous junior national best in the Under-20 shot put, hurling the 6kg metal ball 16.33m to claim top honors.

    The athlete’s ascent began in 2023 when as an Under-17 competitor, he secured dual silver medals in throwing events at the CARIFTA Games in The Bahamas, becoming Saint Lucia’s first discus medalist. His excellence continued at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago, where he earned twin bronze medals—the first Saint Lucian to achieve multiple medals at the competition.

    Despite finishing fourth in both events during the 2025 season, Phillips has refined his mentality for his final junior year. With the World Under-20 Championships scheduled for August 5-9 in Oregon, United States, his training intensity has reached new heights. “I want to make sure I get it perfect,” Phillips emphasized, “and make sure every training session counts.”

    Currently preparing for the upcoming regional season, Phillips has set ambitious targets of 58 meters in discus and 18 meters in shot put for the CARIFTA Games in Grenada this April. His performances have begun attracting university recruitment attention, though the athlete prefers to keep his collegiate decisions private for now.

    As Phillips continues to elevate Saint Lucia’s presence in field events, his journey represents both personal ambition and national pride, potentially inspiring a new generation of Caribbean throwers to pursue international excellence.

  • Animal welfare advocates demand answers from Royalton Antigua over missing dogs

    Animal welfare advocates demand answers from Royalton Antigua over missing dogs

    A growing controversy surrounds Royalton Antigua Resort as animal welfare organizations intensify pressure regarding the unexplained disappearance of a canine mother and her litter allegedly born on the property. The advocacy group Dogs and Cats of Antigua has mobilized supporters to stage a noon demonstration at the resort’s entrance, featuring visible signage to amplify their concerns about animal welfare transparency.

    The organized protest aims to engage both local residents and international tourists, urging broader public awareness and corporate accountability. Activists emphasize that hospitality establishments operating in ecologically sensitive regions bear heightened responsibility for protecting vulnerable wildlife on their premises. The campaign has gained traction through social media channels, with advocates encouraging potential visitors to reconsider their patronage until the resort addresses these animal welfare allegations.

    Despite multiple attempts by journalists and animal rights organizations to obtain clarification, Royalton Antigua’s management has maintained complete silence regarding the allegations. This absence of official communication has further fueled concerns about the resort’s animal welfare policies and commitment to ethical environmental stewardship. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between commercial tourism development and animal protection efforts in Caribbean destinations, particularly regarding the treatment of stray animal populations in resort areas.

  • OECS debuts digital dashboard to manage partnerships

    OECS debuts digital dashboard to manage partnerships

    In a significant advancement for regional governance, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission unveiled its groundbreaking Partnership Dashboard on January 8, 2026. This innovative digital platform represents a transformative approach to managing international collaborations across member states, developed through strategic cooperation with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

    The newly launched dashboard addresses critical governance challenges by centralizing previously fragmented partnership data into an accessible, transparent system. The platform enables real-time monitoring of initiatives, projects, and collaborative engagements, providing unprecedented visibility into the organization’s multilateral operations. This technological solution allows OECS leadership to instantly identify partnership networks, geographical distribution, and strategic objectives across the Eastern Caribbean region.

    OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules emphasized the platform’s fundamental purpose during the launch ceremony: “This initiative transcends mere digitalization—it represents our commitment to operational clarity in an increasingly complex international landscape. By consolidating dispersed information streams, we transition from theoretical cooperation to demonstrable, measurable impact throughout our member states.”

    The development process involved extensive consultation workshops and rigorous technical discussions to ensure the platform meets practical operational needs. Dr. Manuel Otero, outgoing IICA Director General, highlighted the dashboard’s adaptive design philosophy: “We engineered this system with scalability as a core principle, creating a dynamic tool that will evolve alongside the OECS’s expanding requirements. This partnership exemplifies how international cooperation can yield practical solutions for regional development.”

    The launch event also served as a recognition ceremony for Dr. Otero’s contributions to regional cooperation. Both organizations acknowledged the project’s significance in overcoming traditional barriers to collaboration. Senior officials including Ms. Beverly Best (IICA Director of External Relations) and Ms. Nadege Jn Baptiste (OECS Head of Development Cooperation) emphasized how the dashboard demonstrates strategic partnerships’ ability to transcend linguistic, geographical, and institutional divides.

    This innovation has already strengthened OECS’s internal capabilities while promoting bilingual engagement and knowledge-sharing protocols. The platform stands as a testament to how targeted technical cooperation can produce tangible improvements in governance transparency, accountability mechanisms, and ultimately, more effective development outcomes across the Eastern Caribbean region.

  • 198 arrests in cross-border illegal gold mining operation in Guyana, other South American countries- INTERPOL

    198 arrests in cross-border illegal gold mining operation in Guyana, other South American countries- INTERPOL

    In a landmark multinational law enforcement operation, police and prosecutors from Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname have conducted their first coordinated transnational strike against illegal gold mining networks. The operation, dubbed ‘Guyana Shield’ and executed in December 2025, resulted in 198 arrests and significant seizures of contraband across the region.

    Coordinated through INTERPOL with support from the European Union’s EL PACCTO 2.0 program and the Dutch Police’s High Impact Environmental Crime team, the operation deployed over 24,500 checks on vehicles and individuals across remote border areas. Among the most significant apprehensions were three men detained in Guyana on suspicion of gold smuggling and money laundering. The suspects, allegedly connected to a major organized crime group with possible ties to a prominent Guyanese gold exporting firm, were intercepted carrying unprocessed gold and USD 590,000 in cash.

    The operation yielded substantial environmental enforcement breakthroughs, particularly with the seizure of mercury cylinders valued at over USD 60,000 in Guyana and Suriname. The toxic substance, commonly used in illegal mining operations to separate gold from other metals, was discovered concealed within solar panels during transport by bus. Mercury contamination represents a severe ecological and public health threat in the environmentally fragile region.

    Innovative ‘mirror operations’ saw officers from neighboring countries conducting simultaneous checks on opposite banks of border rivers Oyapock and Maroni. These coordinated efforts targeted small riverside stores known to supply mining equipment and facilitate gold smuggling operations. Inspections resulted in the confiscation of counterfeit medicines, alcohol, and cigarettes worth over USD 40,000, marking the first transnational police deployment of its kind in the area.

    Additional seizures included mining equipment such as pumps and gold-trapping mats, firearms, communications devices, and the interception of a bus carrying undocumented migrants. Several minors aboard were suspected victims of child labor or sexual exploitation networks.

    INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza highlighted the global context: ‘The surge in international gold prices in recent years has made illegal gold mining the fastest-growing revenue stream for organized crime groups, including in Latin America. At INTERPOL, we are committed to working with our partners to disrupt those networks and prevent more damage to this remote and environmentally fragile region.’

  • Man dead at Fitts Village, St James

    Man dead at Fitts Village, St James

    Authorities in St James are investigating a fatal incident that occurred in the Fitts Village area, resulting in the death of an adult male. Preliminary reports from law enforcement indicate the victim was working as a public transportation conductor at the time of the incident.

    Barbados Police Service personnel have secured the scene and initiated a comprehensive investigation to determine the circumstances leading to the tragedy. While specific details regarding the nature of the incident remain undisclosed, officials have confirmed the presence of law enforcement at the location conducting inquiries.

    The investigation remains in its early stages as detectives work to establish a complete timeline of events and gather forensic evidence. Police authorities have indicated that additional information will be released to the public as the investigation progresses and more facts are established.

    This incident marks another concerning development in the region’s public safety landscape, with transportation workers particularly vulnerable to occupational hazards. The community awaits further clarification from official sources regarding the precise cause and circumstances surrounding this unfortunate event.

  • Bangladesh: Campagne gestart voor eerste verkiezingen na afzetting Hasina

    Bangladesh: Campagne gestart voor eerste verkiezingen na afzetting Hasina

    Bangladesh stands at a critical democratic crossroads as it prepares for its first national elections since the 2024 uprising that ousted long-serving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Scheduled for February 12, these elections represent the most significant electoral process in the nation’s history, with profound implications for its political future.

    Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate known as “banker to the poor” for his groundbreaking work with Grameen Bank, has committed to overseeing free and fair elections. Returning from exile in August 2024 amid popular demand, Yunus leads a transitional government that has championed comprehensive political reforms through the National Charter of July 2025.

    The reform charter proposes substantial constitutional changes including enhanced presidential powers, term limits for parliament members, and robust anti-corruption measures. While 25 of 52 registered parties have endorsed the charter, its implementation requires a national referendum to achieve constitutional status.

    Notably absent from the electoral landscape is Hasina’s Awami League, barred from participation since May following the suspension of its registration. The 78-year-old former leader, convicted in absentia for crimes against humanity during violent crackdowns on protesters, currently resides in India under political asylum.

    Political dynamics feature Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, emerging as a frontrunner. His campaign launch in Sylhet attracted massive crowds, signaling strong popular support. Simultaneously, a ten-party coalition led by Jamaat-e-Islami seeks to expand its influence, potentially marking a dramatic resurgence for the group that faced severe suppression during Hasina’s administration.

    The electoral process occurs amid concerning challenges including disinformation campaigns that Yunus attributes to both foreign media and domestic sources. These developments coincide with deteriorating relations with neighboring India following Hasina’s flight to the country during the palace storming by protesters.

    With 170 million citizens electing 350 parliamentary representatives, European Union observers have designated this event “the largest democratic process of 2026,” underscoring its global significance and potential to reshape South Asian politics.

  • Knock off Round of Inter-Secondary Schools Debating Competition kicks off today

    Knock off Round of Inter-Secondary Schools Debating Competition kicks off today

    The 2026 Inter-Secondary Schools Debating Competition launched its preliminary round on Thursday, January 22nd, initiating the annual intellectual contest that showcases Dominica’s brightest secondary students. Organized by Trudy Christian, the event commenced at the Dominica State College Upper Campus with six institutions debating critical societal issues.

    The opening session featured Orion Academy, Isaiah Thomas Secondary School, Wesley High School, St. Mary’s Academy, Convent High School, and Arthur Waldron Seventh-Day Adventist Academy engaging with the motion: “Local communities should have veto power over projects that significantly affect their environment.” This environmentally-focused debate addressed community rights and environmental governance.

    Friday’s schedule will see Castle Bruce Secondary School, St. Martin Secondary School, and Portsmouth Secondary School debating the proposition: “The legal driving age in Dominica should be lowered to increase youth independence and national productivity.” This discussion will examine transportation policy, youth empowerment, and economic development considerations.

    Competition format mandates that only seven of the nine participating schools will advance to Round Two, where they will challenge defending champions Dominica Grammar School. The selection process prioritizes top-scoring institutions based on argumentation quality, research depth, and presentation skills.

    Event organizer Trudy Christian expressed enthusiasm for both live attendance and digital viewership, noting: “We encourage spectators to join us at the Dominica State College or watch via live stream on Dominica News Online and Emo News.” The afternoon sessions begin at 2:00 PM, offering multiple access points for public engagement.

    Christian extended particular appreciation to primary sponsor Josephine Gabriel & Co. Ltd., emphasizing that their sustained support “is vital in fostering youth involvement and promoting meaningful national dialogue.” This sponsorship enables the continuation of a tradition that develops critical thinking and public speaking skills among Dominican youth.

  • ABEC’s officials participate in Global Democracy Conference in India

    ABEC’s officials participate in Global Democracy Conference in India

    Ambassador Arthur G. B. Thomas, Chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC), alongside Supervisor of Elections Mr. Ian S Hughes, is currently representing the nation at the India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026 in New Delhi. The high-level gathering, convened by the Election Commission of India through its India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) and in partnership with International IDEA, commenced on January 21st and will conclude on January 23rd at the Bharat Mandapam convention center.

    This significant international forum has assembled a distinguished cohort of participants, including over 40 Election Management Bodies and delegates from more than 30 countries. The attendee list features diplomats, senior electoral officials, academic experts, and seasoned practitioners, all converging under the conference’s central theme: ‘Democracy for an Inclusive, Peaceful, Resilient and Sustainable World.’ This theme underscores the global imperative to reinforce democratic institutions, ensure electoral integrity, and bolster public trust amid rapidly changing political and technological landscapes.

    Chairman Thomas is scheduled to play a prominent role in the conference’s official program, particularly during the thematic session titled ‘Regulating Media Campaigns’ (Best Practices and Innovation – BP 20) on Friday, January 23rd. His address will confront the mounting challenges presented by the modern information ecosystem, including the proliferation of rapid-fire misinformation, unverified claims, opaque political advertising, and sophisticated manipulation tactics across both traditional and digital media platforms.

    In his presentation, Chairman Thomas will draw upon comparative international experiences and Antigua and Barbuda’s own regulatory framework to articulate fundamental principles for balanced media regulation. These principles encompass ensuring equitable media access, enforcing transparency in political advertising, mandating sponsor disclosure, guaranteeing balanced coverage, and implementing robust safeguards against hate speech and incitement. His discourse will also tackle emerging threats such as artificial intelligence-driven amplification and political microtargeting, while proposing practical, context-sensitive strategies for election management bodies to uphold electoral fairness, foster informed citizen participation, and maintain public confidence.

    The active participation of Antigua and Barbuda in this global dialogue highlights the nation’s steadfast dedication to independent, professional election management and its commitment to democratic governance through international cooperation. This engagement provides a valuable platform to contribute distinctive Caribbean perspectives to the global conversation while absorbing and evaluating worldwide best practices in election administration and democratic innovation.