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  • Residents Reject APUA’s Explanation for Higher Electricity Bills

    Residents Reject APUA’s Explanation for Higher Electricity Bills

    A recent informal online poll of Antiguan residents has laid bare deep public anger over unexplained soaring electricity bills, with an overwhelming majority of respondents rejecting official explanations from the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) for the unexpected cost hikes.

    The poll, which invited locals to share whether they accepted APUA’s reasoning for rising energy charges, captured widespread discontent: dozens of participants pushed back against the authority’s key arguments, while many others said they had never received a clear, coherent explanation for their increased bills in the first place.

    APUA officials have pinned higher bills on a combination of factors: unseasonably hot weather driving increased air conditioner use, spiking global fuel costs that are passed to consumers via variable fuel charges, extended billing cycles from delayed meter readings, and widespread faulty metering infrastructure. But many residents say their personal household circumstances directly contradict the authority’s core claim that higher AC use is to blame.

    Erica Williams, for example, reported paying over $500 for monthly power despite owning neither an air conditioning unit nor a washing machine. Treci Tonge added that she was away from her home for an extended period, with only a refrigerator and home security system running, and still no AC — yet her bill still jumped dramatically. Etsu Jeffers Patterson echoed that frustration, noting all working-age members of her household are out of the home during the day, and the property has no AC at all, yet her bill remains far higher than expected. Francis Dinard also pushed back on the consumption narrative, pointing out that most working Antiguans are out of their homes during daylight hours when energy use would theoretically be highest.

    Beyond disputing the causes of higher bills, many respondents questioned the basic math behind their statements. Some noted their bills were far higher than those of neighboring households with similar energy use, while others warned that the sustained price hikes are pushing low-income families to a breaking point. “Soon from now we go haffu [have to] choose between food and keeping the lights on,” local resident Albert Benjamin wrote.

    Confusion over the official explanation was another common theme: multiple respondents said they had never received a consistent, clear reason for the hikes, with some joking that APUA has offered a different new reason every day of the year. “Which of the explanations are you referring to?” Vanroy Carr asked. “They’ve given at least one for every day of the year.”

    In response to the growing public outcry, APUA has acknowledged widespread concern over billing issues, and noted that customers who believe their charges are incorrect can request a formal investigation into their accounts. Officials confirmed that between 10% and 15% of the authority’s existing electricity meters are faulty, meaning bills for affected customers are currently estimated based on past consumption patterns rather than actual use. The authority added that delayed readings from inaccessible properties, manual billing entries, and broken meters all contribute to systemic billing errors.

    To address long-standing infrastructure issues, APUA is moving forward with a $25 million plan to roll out an automated metering system that will transmit real-time usage data directly to the authority. The new system will allow customers to track their energy use hour by hour, while enabling APUA to detect outages, tampering, and faulty meters remotely without requiring on-site readings.

    While the online consultation is not a representative scientific survey of all APUA customers, it captures the deep, widespread frustration among participants, with nearly all respondents either rejecting the authority’s explanations outright or demanding far greater transparency around how bills are calculated.

  • Police Say Youth Violence Has Declined but Warn Problem Has Not Disappeared

    Police Say Youth Violence Has Declined but Warn Problem Has Not Disappeared

    A marked decline in youth violence has been documented across Antigua and Barbuda in recent years, but law enforcement leaders are sounding the alarm over troubling early indicators that suggest the crisis could be reemerging, according to national police officials.

    Assistant Commissioner Lisbon Michael, who leads the country’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID), credits targeted intervention initiatives, expanded engagement from caregivers, and widespread community backing for the measurable progress that has been achieved. Michael shared his assessment during a recent interview with ABS’ *Antigua Barbuda Today*, where he detailed the force’s ongoing strategy to address youth-connected crime and aggression.

    “When it comes to youth violence, we have seen a really significant reduction,” Michael confirmed in the discussion. He highlighted the work of the specialized Youth Intervention Department, a unit operating under CID that focuses on children and adolescents between 5 and 18 years old. The program prioritizes young people already showing problematic behavioral traits, as well as those growing up in households marked by domestic conflict and instability.

    Through 2024, roughly 50 young participants completed the full intervention program, with a comparable cohort wrapping up their participation in 2025. A third graduation cohort is already scheduled to take place in the coming months. Michael noted that some enrollees entered the program already showing documented links to criminal activity, but close monitoring has revealed dramatic positive shifts for many participants.

    “I’ve seen firsthand transformational changes within these young people, because I have personally tracked their progress,” Michael said. He added that a number of program graduates have gone on to pursue careers in social work and contribute directly to local community development projects. Beyond the impact of the formal intervention program, Michael emphasized that stepped-up engagement from parents and local community members has also been a core driver of falling violence rates.

    Despite these notable gains, law enforcement does not consider the issue resolved. During the interview, officials outlined growing concerns over renewed outbreaks of conflict involving even very young age groups, raising the possibility that youth violence could rebound to the elevated levels recorded half a decade ago.

    As part of the force’s ongoing Operation Restore Confidence, a key priority is dismantling gang-related activity that drives violence in local communities. Police are actively targeting individuals affiliated with groups that law enforcement identifies as key contributors to youth offending.

    “We have to act decisively to support our youths,” Michael stressed. He issued a stark warning that without sustained investment in intervention and outreach efforts, “we are going to lose an entire generation” of young Antiguans and Barbudans.

  • Understanding CTEC Modular Assessment: Standards, Grading and Certification

    Understanding CTEC Modular Assessment: Standards, Grading and Certification

    In recent weeks, public discourse across the Caribbean has centered on the Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC), with widespread questions emerging about academic rigor, grading protocols, and the role of CTEC modular assessments in the award of the final Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) qualification. In a detailed explanatory piece, Wayne Wesley, PhD, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), addresses these concerns head-on to clarify how the new modular framework operates and reinforce the integrity of regional education qualifications.

    Wesley opens with a core assertion that has been a point of contention in public debate: CTEC does not lower established Caribbean academic standards. The modular assessment model only alters the structure of how learning is measured and credited, not the core knowledge, skills, and competencies that students are required to master to earn a CSEC qualification.

    One of the most persistent misconceptions about CTEC, Wesley notes, is that modular assessments are inherently easier than the traditional single-sitting CSEC examinations. This claim is unfounded, he explains. All CTEC modular assessments are drawn from the same official syllabuses, aligned to the identical learning outcomes, and developed following the exact same assessment specifications that underpin the long-standing traditional CSEC exams. Module questions are identical to those that appear in full traditional CSEC assessments, meaning students must demonstrate the exact same level of knowledge and skill as their peers testing through the traditional pathway. Furthermore, all modular assessments are graded using the same rigorous quality assurance infrastructure, including examiner moderation, standardized psychometric analysis, and consistent grading procedures that have preserved the credibility of CXC qualifications for decades. The level of rigor, objectivity, and fairness remains entirely unchanged. The only meaningful difference is that CTEC allows students to demonstrate their proficiency in incremental, manageable stages, rather than relying on a single high-stakes examination sitting that can create unnecessary stress and barriers for learners.

    When it comes to grading, the CTEC framework relies on a system already familiar to all regional education stakeholders, from students and parents to employers and tertiary institutions. Caribbean education systems have long used modular performance reporting for CAPE subjects, and CSEC has for decades reported results in two formats: overall subject grades (I to VI) and profile grades (A to F). CTEC adapts this widely recognized A-F scale to report performance on individual modules, making it simple for stakeholders to track student progress through the qualification pathway. Under CTEC rules, grades A, B, C, and D are considered acceptable passing marks for a module, while grades E and F indicate that a student needs additional learning support before meeting the expected module standard. Each grade has a clear public descriptor: A denotes excellent mastery of module content, B indicates good grasp, C is fairly good grasp, D is moderate mastery, E reflects limited understanding, and F marks very limited mastery of required concepts and skills. These detailed descriptors provide actionable feedback for both students and teachers, highlighting specific areas for growth and enabling targeted instructional interventions to improve outcomes.

    A key point of public confusion has been the relationship between individual module grades and the final CSEC certification. Wesley clarifies that individual module grades are not standalone full qualifications. Instead, they function as micro-credentials that document a student’s achievement in specific segments of a subject, and all required module grades are aggregated to calculate the final overall CSEC subject grade. A passing grade in a single module does not equate to completion of the full subject; students must successfully complete all required modules for a subject before a final CSEC grade can be awarded. The traditional, widely recognized overall CSEC grade remains the official final certification for the subject, with the modular CTEC pathway simply providing a structured, incremental route for students to accumulate demonstrated achievement toward that end goal.

    To preserve the integrity of the top CSEC grades, CXC has put in place clear rules that emphasize the importance of consistent performance across all modules. Because the final grade is built from all module results, a student who earns even a D in any required module cannot be awarded a top overall Grade I in the final CSEC qualification. This policy reinforces the core principle that overall excellence in a subject requires strong performance across all its components, and ensures that a Grade I continues to represent truly outstanding achievement — maintaining the confidence of employers, tertiary institutions, and other stakeholders in the value of CXC qualifications.

    Unlike the traditional single-sitting model, CTEC also brings important flexibility that supports student success. Students who are unsatisfied with their grade on a specific module can retake that module alone, following CXC standard registration procedures, before their final CSEC grade is calculated. This allows learners to target gaps in their knowledge, strengthen their skills in specific areas, and improve their overall final result without having to retake the entire subject. This flexibility expands opportunity for students without compromising the rigorous academic standards that CXC is known for.

    Wesley concludes that the introduction of CTEC modular assessment reflects CXC’s long-standing commitment to addressing a key regional education challenge: expanding access to certification for more Caribbean students while upholding the rigorous standards that have earned CXC regional and international respect. The modular model does not make qualifications easier, reduce required learning outcomes, or lower academic expectations. Instead, it offers a more flexible pathway that allows students to demonstrate mastery of the same syllabus objectives, meet the same performance standards, and earn the same globally recognized CSEC qualification. In short, the core standards that underpin CXC credentials remain fully intact; only the process through which students demonstrate their achievement has evolved. CTEC thus strikes a intentional balance between educational innovation and qualification integrity, preserving the rigor and credibility of Caribbean secondary education qualifications while opening new pathways to support greater student success and expanded educational attainment across the region.

  • Illegale activiteiten in binnenland jarenlang gedoogd

    Illegale activiteiten in binnenland jarenlang gedoogd

    Decades of minimal government presence in Suriname’s remote interior have allowed widespread illegal activity to persist with tacit tolerance, creating an urgent security challenge for the country’s national police force, the Korps Politie Suriname (KPS), which lacks the infrastructure and permanent posts needed to maintain public safety in hard-to-reach regions. KPS leadership outlined these systemic challenges during a Wednesday press conference, where officials announced the force is turning to public-private partnerships with large mining firms and other concession holders to deploy officers to underserved interior areas.

    During the briefing, KPS Operations Director Rishi Akkal laid out the stark disparities in security delivery between Suriname’s coastal plains and its sparsely populated interior. While police retain the same legal duties and authority across the entire country, working conditions in the backcountry could not be more different: vast regions are cut off from basic transport routes, logistics support is severely limited, and permanent police stations are absent from most populated interior zones. Compounding these practical barriers is a long-standing historical policy of de facto tolerance for unregulated activity, Akkal explained.

    This historic tolerance has explicitly encompassed violations of the country’s mining law, unapproved use of toxic chemicals in the prolific gold mining sector, and a range of other illicit activities that have become entrenched in gold mining regions over decades. Beyond the direct harms of illegal activity, Akkal noted that government underpresence extends across all public services, not just policing, even as population and economic activity in the interior continue to grow.

    More and more migrants are arriving in gold mining regions to build livelihoods, and both legitimate local communities and law-abiding business owners now face rising rates of robbery and other public safety threats. For the Surinamese state, this growing crisis does not come with exceptions: “The government has a duty to guarantee security across every inch of Suriname’s territory,” Akkal emphasized, adding that this obligation applies regardless of whether residents live in a region legally or without formal authorization. While KPS already deploys temporary detachments from the country’s Central and Eastern regional commands to the interior, demand for permanent security presence continues to outpace the force’s capacity.

    In a notable policy shift, KPS is actively pursuing partnerships with major mining operators including Newmont Suriname and Zijin, alongside other concession holders that have formally requested police support in their operating areas. The arrangement addresses a practical dilemma facing police leadership: the national government cannot consistently provide the logistics needed to transport and sustain officers in remote territories, even as KPS remains legally responsible for maintaining public order and safety across the entire country.

    Akkal stressed that all officers deployed through these public-private partnerships will only carry out their statutory police duties, with no additional mandates or private instructions. Responding to questions about whether private companies should rely on their own security firms rather than state police, Akkal acknowledged that businesses should bear full responsibility for protecting their own operations and assets. However, private security guards have significantly restricted legal powers, and overall public safety remains a core responsibility of the state, he explained. Even when a mining company operates its own in-house security service, that does not relieve the government of its obligation to guarantee public safety for all people in the region.

    Beyond the immediate challenge of curbing rampant illegal activity in gold mining zones, KPS’s briefing exposed a broader structural mismatch: economic activity and population in the interior are expanding rapidly, but the permanent government presence and logistics capacity required to serve these growing communities have failed to keep pace. While temporary detachments and public-private partnerships can help close gaps in the short term, police leadership acknowledged that decades of tolerated illegal activity have left deep-rooted problems, and long-term solutions will require permanent, sustained government presence across the remote interior.

  • ‘I have seen things, I’m amazed’

    ‘I have seen things, I’m amazed’

    A simmering internal power struggle within Trinidad and Tobago’s ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) has erupted into public view, centered around a 2019 $187,000 U.S. dollar luxury condominium purchase in Broward County, Florida, that has ties to San Fernando East Member of Parliament Brian Manning. The undeclared property is one of several American real estate holdings at the heart of a bitter fallout between Manning and former members of the PNM’s San Fernando East constituency executive, a conflict that has already led to the full resignation of the local party board.

    The explosive details came to light after Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Homeland Security, Roger Alexander, dropped hints about damning documents in his possession during a press interaction on Tuesday at the opening of the Princes Town Fire Station. Speaking to reporters, Alexander stopped short of releasing the full contents of the paperwork or naming its source, but confirmed the documents detail what he called shocking allegations of corruption linked to misused public funds. Local broadcaster TV6 News has since confirmed it has obtained independent copies of the ownership records confirming the Florida purchase, which was tied to the constituency conflict.

    Alexander, who has clarified he did not receive the documents directly from Manning, told reporters that any credible allegation of public sector corruption deserves a full law enforcement probe. “Any place where corruption raises its ugly head should be investigated because it’s public funds,” Alexander stressed, adding that the content of the documents left him stunned. “I have some documents in my possession that I have seen. It is amazing that someone can move from the outhouse to the White House. That is all I can say.” When pressed for additional details by reporters, he only reiterated, “I have seen things. I am amazed.” Sources close to the matter have confirmed the documents were passed to Alexander by an anonymous whistleblower in recent weeks, and the minister noted that police can launch an investigation if the allegations gain enough traction, either via an official complaint or through public attention.

    The internal conflict that led to this revelation began last week, when Manning publicly raised governance concerns about constituency executive chairperson Patricia Alexis in a post on his Facebook page. The confrontation quickly escalated, resulting in the entire 20-plus member San Fernando East constituency executive submitting their resignations, which took effect at 4 p.m. on Monday. The mass exit clears the way for national PNM leadership to restructure the constituency amid growing internal tensions.

    In a joint statement released on behalf of the departing executive, Alexis explained the decision came after a Sunday meeting with top PNM national leaders, which was held to address ongoing local disputes and review findings from an investigation commissioned by the PNM General Council. The statement confirmed Manning was invited to participate in the meeting but declined to attend, leaving him out of the final negotiations that led to the resignations.

    The outgoing executive framed its mass departure as a move made in the best interest of the national party, noting that it would allow PNM leadership to put in place interim governing arrangements, oversee internal party group elections, and facilitate the selection of a fully new constituency executive. Outgoing members have also pledged to fully cooperate with the transition process and a independent verification exercise stemming from the earlier investigation’s recommendations, including turning over all required financial and administrative documents.

    The escalating public conflict has drawn a sharp rebuke from national PNM chairman Marvin Gonzales, who used a Monday press conference to publicly warn Manning that airing internal party disputes in public is a reckless move. “He is going down a very dangerous path,” Gonzales stated, marking a rare public split between national party leadership and a sitting party MP.

  • Public Service Announcement: Department of Cultural Heritage

    Public Service Announcement: Department of Cultural Heritage

    The Department of Cultural Heritage has issued a public invitation to island residents and visitors to join a poignant commemorative gathering titled *Ancestral Echoes: Remembering the Blood, Honouring the Resilience*, scheduled to take place this Friday, August 28, starting at 6:00 PM at Challengers Football Field.

    This thoughtfully curated event is designed to create a space for solemn remembrance of two defining, often overlooked moments in St. Kitts’ shared history: the 1626 massacre and forced expulsion of the Indigenous Kalinago people from the island, and the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans to St. Kitts’ shores. Far from a purely somber occasion, the gathering centers on celebrating the enduring cultural resilience that has shaped the island’s modern community across centuries of struggle.

    Event organizers have outlined a clear request for attendees: all guests are asked to dress in what is described as “elegantly cultural” attire, encouraging participants to honor their heritage through their clothing choices. To remove barriers to attendance for groups that may face transportation challenges, the department is offering complimentary bus service for elderly citizens, as well as students and teachers in school uniform.

    Free shuttle services have pre-scheduled departures from Dieppe Bay, leaving promptly at 4:45 PM. Two routes will serve attendees: the westbound route traveling through Sandy Point will be operated by buses GT275 and H5725, while the eastbound route passing through Tabernacle will use buses HA11 and H311, operated by local provider Up 2 De Time.

    Organizers have extended an open call to all members of the community to join the collective remembrance and celebration, emphasizing that this event is a moment for all residents to connect to their shared roots and honor the collective strength of St. Kitts’ people, closing their invitation with the rallying call: “All roads lead to Challengers this Friday evening!”

  • Drop in service across T&T due to TSTT fibre breaks

    Drop in service across T&T due to TSTT fibre breaks

    On a recent weekday morning, thousands of consumers and enterprises across Trinidad and Tobago were thrown into digital disarray when widespread outages struck Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) and its consumer brand bmobile. The disruption was traced back to intentional breaks to the company’s core fibre optic infrastructure at three separate sites along the country’s busy East-West Corridor, triggering immediate investigations into potential vandalism.

    Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath confirmed the incident in an interview with local outlet Express, noting that he had been briefed directly by TSTT Chairman Kern Dass and Acting Chief Executive Officer Reza Hosein soon after the breaks were discovered at 6 a.m. Speaking by 11 a.m. the same day, Padarath said certified technical teams had already deployed to all three damage sites to map the scope of destruction and evaluate the total impact on regional and national networks. At that time, investigators had not yet ruled out vandalism as a cause, and Padarath noted the suspicious timing of the incident: it came just three days after law enforcement made a major breakthrough in a high-profile case involving large-scale theft of copper cable owned by both TSTB and rival telecom provider Amplia.

    “This possibly could be another situation of that, or any other type of activity, to disrupt the services of TSTT,” Padarath stated, though he cautioned against premature conclusions while the probe remained ongoing. “We do not want to speculate on the motive behind the incident while the investigation is ongoing,” he added.

    The outage rippled across multiple sectors beyond residential mobile and internet service, disrupting critical government functions and private sector operations alike. The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation announced early yesterday that public access to Licensing Division services would be slowed or unavailable as a result of the third-party fibre disruption, noting that ministry staff were working around the clock with TSTT to resolve the connectivity gap. The Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago was forced to take its primary emergency hotlines — 996 and 800-2014 — offline, prompting the agency to issue urgent public guidance for alternative reporting channels, including a secondary phone line, dedicated email address, and web-based reporting portal.

    Major private sector entities also faced disruptions: leading local bank First Citizens reported its main 62-FIRST customer contact centre was inaccessible, redirecting clients to a secondary contact number. Caribbean Airlines’ logistics arm Jetpak issued a public notice warning of intermittent connectivity outages across its national network, noting that while the company’s website and mobile application remained operational, customers may face brief service interruptions as connectivity stabilized. Payment processing at pickup locations and with delivery drivers was also temporarily affected, leading to minor delays for parcel transactions, the company confirmed.

    By the end of the day yesterday, TSTT confirmed full service restoration for all affected customers and support channels in an official public statement. “We are pleased to advise that the services and customer support channels affected earlier yesterday have been restored,” the company said. “Given the extent of the damage to our fibre infrastructure, our teams continue to carry out repairs while closely monitoring service performance. We regret the inconvenience caused and thank our customers for their patience and understanding.”

    This most recent outage comes less than two weeks after a similar nationwide disruption hit Digicel Trinidad and Tobago, the country’s other major telecommunications provider. On August 13, Digicel customers reported widespread outages affecting mobile voice, mobile data, ICT, and fibre services; the company confirmed full service restoration by 4 p.m. that same day.

    When contacted for comment on yesterday’s TSTT outage, Joanne Ogeer, secretary general of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) which represents TSTT employees, declined to provide any statement on the incident.

  • Silent fireworks for Savannah

    Silent fireworks for Savannah

    Trinidad and Tobago is preparing for its 2026 Independence Day celebrations on August 31, with a notable new adjustment to the traditional festivities at Port of Spain’s iconic Queen’s Park Savannah: the introduction of silent fireworks, designed to minimize noise disruption for nearby residents.

    Details of the full day of national celebrations were outlined at a recent press conference held at Temple Court on Abercromby Street, Port of Spain, by key stakeholders from the cultural ministry and security agencies. Jerome Lewis, communications strategist for the Ministry of Culture and Community Development, laid out the full schedule of events, which will kick off with a formal military parade and cultural procession before transitioning to an evening cultural showcase starting at 5 p.m.

    The cultural procession, which precedes the main evening showcase, will begin at the Queen’s Hall car park, travel to St Ann’s Roundabout, and join the official parade route under the direction of the parade commander. The procession features two music trucks, a full steel orchestra, traditional Carnival characters, musicians, rhythm performers, and dancers. A dedicated children’s zone will also be set up, offering recreational activities and appearances by classic Carnival characters to engage young attendees. The evening showcase will highlight the nation’s diverse cultural heritage, with performances spanning pan, calypso, soca, chutney, tassa, folk music, and other indigenous artistic forms. At approximately 8 p.m., the program will move to its grand finale: a synchronized drone display, followed by choreographed pyrotechnics capped by the new silent fireworks display. Lewis confirmed that the shift to silent fireworks was a deliberate choice to cut down on the loud explosive noise that has historically impacted communities adjacent to the Queen’s Park Savannah. Lewis added that the core mission of the entire cultural showcase is to honor generations of local artists and cultural caretakers who have safeguarded the nation’s traditions across decades. “The idea behind the cultural showcase is really set to honour the generations of artistes and cultural practitioners who have preserved our traditions,” he stated. At the time of the briefing, Lewis noted that details on the total cost of the drone and fireworks displays, as well as information on contracted vendors, were not yet available, and a full public notice with complete event details is expected to be released by the following day.

    To ensure the safety of thousands of expected attendees, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has launched coordinated security preparations under Operation Patriot Shield 2026, with Deputy Commissioner of Police Suzette Martin serving as Gold Commander for the 2026 operation. The initiative operates under the motto “Protecting our heritage, securing our future”, with security operations starting before the first event kicks off at the Savannah and continuing throughout the full day of celebrations. Martin emphasized that the effort brings together multiple agencies under a unified public safety framework, with her role focused on strategic oversight to align all resources, officers, and partner organizations. “An operation of this magnitude cannot be successfully managed by the TTPS alone,” Martin noted, explaining that the operational approach centers on “one celebration; multiple agencies; one coordinated security and public safety response”. While the public will see visible police deployments for traffic management, crowd control, and patrols, Martin added that extensive intelligence-led operations will also run behind the scenes to mitigate potential risks. While Martin declined to share specific intelligence assessments or sensitive operational details for security reasons, she assured the public that all necessary preparations have been completed. “What I can assure the public is this, we are prepared,” she said. She urged attendees to plan ahead, arrive early, remain patient, and follow all instructions from police and security personnel. She also advised the public to stay aware of their surroundings, report any suspicious activity immediately, avoid leaving personal belongings unattended, and refrain from sharing unverified voice notes or social media posts that could spark unnecessary public alarm. “Security planning is not about creating fear. It’s about being prepared. We want citizens to come out and enjoy Independence Day while remaining aware of their surroundings,” Martin added.

    Chief of Defence Staff Don Polo shared details of the military parade, which will mark its return to the northern section of Queen’s Park Savannah, directly opposite President’s House – a change from recent years. The parade will include 11 armed attachments from the Defence Force, TTPS, and Cadet Force, alongside unarmed attachments from various public and protective services. The armed contingents are made up of two units from the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment, two from the Coast Guard, two from the Air Guard, one from the Reserves, two from the TTPS, and two from the Cadet Force. Unarmed groups include representatives from the Prison Service, Fire Service, municipal police, traffic wardens, Scouts, Police Youth Club, Pathfinders, St John Ambulance Brigade, and the Red Cross. The parade will also feature a mounted branch, canine units, a mechanized drive-past, and a ceremonial fly-past. Martin noted that the military parade remains a centerpiece of the national celebrations, embodying core national values of “discipline, service, sacrifice, and national pride”, with participating police officers representing all members of the force serving communities across the country.

    This year’s celebrations are held under the overarching theme “Our Independence Story. One Service; One People, One Story”, which frames national independence as a shared legacy belonging to every citizen of Trinidad and Tobago.

  • Premier Brantley Urges Men to Prioritise Prostate Health

    Premier Brantley Urges Men to Prioritise Prostate Health

    As Nevis prepares to mark September as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, the island’s top leader is amplifying a urgent call to action for local men to prioritize routine prostate health screenings, emphasizing that early detection is the most critical tool for reducing mortality from the disease.

    In an official statement released from Charlestown, Nevis on August 27, 2026, Premier Honourable Mark Brantley directly addressed male residents, warning against the dangerous habit of delaying medical check-ups until noticeable symptoms develop. Brantley stressed that by the time symptoms appear, prostate cancer may have already progressed to an untreatable stage, making routine screening non-negotiable for at-risk groups.

    “Prostate cancer is not a condition to ignore or take lightly,” Brantley said. “Global and regional data already confirms that Black men face disproportionately high rates of this disease, and risk only increases with age or a family history of the cancer. Waiting for symptoms to show up may already be too late to get effective care.”
    Brantley encouraged all men to schedule routine consultations with their healthcare providers to discuss screening options, know their personal health status, and take proactive control of their long-term wellbeing. He also appealed to women across the island to take an active supportive role, urging them to encourage the men in their lives — partners, brothers, sons, and friends — to prioritize their health and book screenings.

    “Let’s fight this disease together,” Brantley added. “Every conversation, every screening, makes a difference for our community.”

    Nevis’ Department of Gender Affairs is partnering with local health providers to expand outreach during the awareness month, focused on educating men about prevention, early detection, and making informed choices about their prostate health. Local men are already taking advantage of free prostate screenings offered by Urology and Associates as part of the campaign.

    The push for greater screening awareness comes as the Caribbean grapples with one of the highest prostate cancer burdens in the world. Regional data ranks prostate cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men across Caribbean nations. In 2022 alone, the region recorded 22,271 new cases and 9,695 deaths from the disease.

    Global health data aligns with this regional trend, confirming that Black men face drastically elevated risk: they are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer as other groups, and roughly one in six Black men will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis during their lifetime. Health officials recommend that men with elevated risk factors speak with their providers about the appropriate timing and frequency of screenings, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, to fit their personal health needs.
    Brantley concluded that collective public awareness and coordinated action across communities can drastically reduce the devastating impact of prostate cancer on men, their families, and Nevis’ broader society.

  • National Colours Day Observance Begins

    National Colours Day Observance Begins

    Ahead of the 43rd anniversary of Saint Kitts and Nevis’ independence, official authorities have issued a public reminder for residents to participate in the annual National Colours Day observance by wearing green on Friday, August 27, 2026. The notice, officially published at 5:00 PM local time on Thursday, August 26, 2026, invites the general public to join in the nationwide celebration of the country’s sovereign milestone. National Colours Day stands as a key pre-anniversary tradition, designed to foster national pride and collective community spirit across the twin-island federation by encouraging unified public display of national symbolic attire. For this year’s observance, green — a core hue of Saint Kitts and Nevis’ national flag that carries deep cultural and historical meaning for the nation — is the designated colour that all residents are encouraged to wear to mark the occasion.