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  • Cuba’s National Rebellion Day observed in Dominica with calls for continued solidarity

    Cuba’s National Rebellion Day observed in Dominica with calls for continued solidarity

    On a significant diplomatic occasion at its headquarters in Dominica, the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba hosted a formal ceremony to celebrate the country’s National Rebellion Day, drawing attendees from two key bilateral organizations: the Dominica Guild of Cuban Graduates and the Dominica-Cuba Friendship Association.

    Beyond its commemorative purpose, the gathering served as a platform to celebrate the decades-long collaborative bond between Havana and Roseau, while shining a spotlight on the critical contributions the two participating organizations have made over the years to nurturing people-to-people ties and advancing official cooperation between the two Caribbean nations.

    In his keynote address to attendees, Cuban Ambassador to Dominica Miguel Fraga opened a discussion on the pressing contemporary challenges that Cuba navigates, according to an official press statement released by the embassy following the event. Fraga centered much of his remarks on the far-reaching harm caused by the longstanding, recently intensified economic, commercial and financial blockade enforced by the United States. He placed specific focus on the crippling impacts of the oil embargo component of the restrictions, detailing the widespread daily hardships the policy has imposed on ordinary Cuban citizens.

    Fraga also directed sharp criticism at what he framed as the growing aggression and hostile policy threats against Cuba advanced by the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, underscoring how these actions have exacerbated existing pressures on the island nation. Despite these challenges, the ambassador emphasized that Cuba retains widespread backing across the global community. He pointed to the most recent annual United Nations vote on the blockade as clear evidence of this support, noting that an overwhelming majority of UN member states once again voted in favor of a resolution calling for an immediate end to the U.S. embargo. Fraga noted that this lopsided outcome underscores the growing international isolation of Washington’s policy toward Cuba on the global stage.

    As part of the day’s commemorative activities, the ceremony included a special honor for Dr. Damien Dublin, who was recognized by the Dominica Guild of Cuban Graduates for his unwavering, longstanding commitment to deepening bilateral friendship and cooperation between Cuba and Dominica, as well as his consistent public support for the Cuban Revolution.

    Following the address and award presentation, representatives from all participating organizations issued a collective reaffirmation of their solidarity with Cuba. They pledged to continue standing with the Cuban people in defense of the country’s sovereign right to self-determination, in the face of ongoing U.S. sanctions and other unilateral coercive measures.

    The event drew to a close with attendees reflecting on the deep, durable roots of the Cuban-Dominica relationship, which has been built across decades of shared cooperation, mutual respect for national sovereignty and reciprocal support. All attendees united in a public commitment to continuing work to expand and strengthen the bilateral partnership in the years ahead.

  • Tuach advances to shortboard semis at CAC Games

    Tuach advances to shortboard semis at CAC Games

    Elite athletes representing Barbados have delivered a mix of standout and solid performances across multiple sporting disciplines at the ongoing Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games hosted in the Dominican Republic, with one top surfer punching her ticket to the next stage of competition.

    Chelsea Tuach, Barbados’ leading female professional surfer, secured a second-place finish in her preliminary heat, a result that earned her a coveted spot in the men’s shortboard semifinal scheduled to take place Tuesday. Following her successful qualifying run, Tuach is set to face off against Venezuela’s top surfer Rosanny Alvarez in the knockout round for a spot in the final.

    In the men’s shortboard surfing competition, Barbadian contender Jacob Burke wrapped up his tournament run with a respectable fifth-place finish, wrapping up the country’s surfing contingent results for the Games.

    Beyond the waves, Barbados picked up a thrilling win in men’s Group A hockey action, overpowering Guatemala 4-2 in a competitive matchup. The Caribbean side’s victory was fueled by a brace from forward Kanye Wharton, with additional strikes from Ahijah Springer and Khodi Gibson sealing the three points for Barbados.

    In men’s individual golf play, after three full rounds of competition, Barbadian golfer Xzavier Wiggins holds down 13th position in the tight 14-player field, with more play set to come to determine the final medal standings.

    One of the most dramatic comebacks of the day for Barbados came in the Men’s Rugby Sevens draw, where the side overturned a 0-5 halftime deficit against Costa Rica to rally for a dominant 24-5 final win. Forward John Simon led the team’s second-half charge, finishing the match with five total points to anchor the comeback victory.

  • OECS appoints Aisha Maina as strategic advisor to strengthen Africa-Caribbean cooperation

    OECS appoints Aisha Maina as strategic advisor to strengthen Africa-Caribbean cooperation

    The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission has made a key strategic appointment to deepen cross-regional ties, announcing that Aisha Maina, current Chief Executive Officer of Pan-African advisory firm Aquarian Consult Limited, will take up the newly created role of Strategic Advisor for Africa-Caribbean Cooperation. Official OECS press materials confirm the appointment officially went into effect on July 1, 2026, and is designed to accelerate the bloc’s ongoing work to build stronger, mutually beneficial partnerships between Eastern Caribbean nations and African countries across trade, investment, and a range of shared priority sectors.

    Maina brings a diverse and extensive professional background to the new position, with deep expertise spanning governance frameworks, international trade, energy development, agribusiness, the creative economy, and socially impactful investment, per OECS assessments. Over her tenure leading Aquarian Consult Limited, she has overseen the delivery of dozens of high-impact regional and international development initiatives, while building deep, collaborative relationships with public sector institutions and private sector leaders across every major region of Africa. These cross-sector connections and proven leadership track record position her uniquely to drive forward cooperation between the two regions, OECS officials note.

    In welcoming Maina to the OECS team, OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules emphasized the strategic importance of the appointment. “We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Aisha Maina to the OECS Commission,” Jules said. “Her proven track record of delivery, transformational leadership at Aquarian Consult, and expansive, forward-thinking vision for equitable South-South collaboration make her the ideal person to lead our strategic engagement with African nations. This appointment is a clear reflection of our unwavering commitment to building a more resilient, globally connected, and economically prosperous community for all OECS member states.”

    In her new advisory capacity, Maina will report directly to the Office of the Director General, collaborating closely with OECS leadership to co-design policies and strategic frameworks that unlock new economic opportunities for businesses and communities on both sides of the Atlantic, while strengthening institutional collaboration between the two regions.

    Reacting to her appointment, Maina highlighted the deep historical, cultural, and social ties that have long bound African and Caribbean peoples together, and expressed measured optimism about the untapped potential of the expanded partnership. “It is a deep privilege to serve the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States in this capacity,” Maina said. “The historical, cultural, and economic synergy between Africa and the Caribbean represents an immense, largely untapped frontier of opportunity for shared growth. I look forward to working closely with Director General Dr. Didacus Jules and the entire OECS Commission team to translate our shared vision into transformative trade partnerships, inclusive sustainable growth, and lasting people-to-people connections for both our regions, strengthening what we see as a critical Transatlantic Bridge between the Global South.”

    OECS leadership has framed the appointment as a deliberate, incremental step forward in the bloc’s broader commitment to advancing equitable South-South cooperation, and building deeper economic and cultural people-to-people ties between African nations and the 11 Eastern Caribbean member states that make up the OECS bloc.

  • PM: Tourism success depends on people as much as place

    PM: Tourism success depends on people as much as place

    On a sunny Monday in Paynes Bay, St. James, Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley took the stage to open the brand-new Blue Monkey Hotel and Beach Club, using the occasion to lay out her vision for the future of the island nation’s most critical economic pillar: tourism. In her address, Mottley emphasized that a robust, future-proof visitor economy does not depend solely on scenic coastlines or luxury accommodation — it relies on consistent, high-quality service and the seamless integration of business and leisure experiences that keep travelers coming back.

  • MV Barima captain, others charged with murder of ferry passengers, crew

    MV Barima captain, others charged with murder of ferry passengers, crew

    Ten days after one of Guyana’s deadliest maritime disasters in recent history, three senior officials connected to the sunken ferry MV Barima have been formally charged with murder over the deaths of dozens of passengers and crew members, Guyanese police confirmed in an official announcement Tuesday.

    The three accused individuals, all employed by Guyana’s Transport and Harbour Department, include 40-year-old vessel captain Kevin Price, a resident of Melanie Damishana on the East Coast Demerara; 42-year-old chief mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts, who lives in Grove Public Road on the East Bank Demerara; and 33-year-old Delon Granderson, the department’s Goods Superintendent from Fellowship on the West Coast Demerara.

    Authorities confirmed the murder charges — filed under common law — were approved after the Guyana Police Force received formal legal guidance from the nation’s Director of Public Prosecutions. The charges are directly tied to the fatal sinking that unfolded July 18, when the MV Barima capsized in Atlantic waters off Guyana’s Essequibo Coast during a routine voyage.

    All three suspects made their initial court appearance Tuesday morning before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where the murder charges were formally read aloud. Under Guyanese judicial procedure, the accused were not required to enter a plea at this initial hearing, and all three were immediately remanded to state custody. The case has been transferred to the Charity Magistrate’s Court, with the next adjourned hearing scheduled for August 3, 2026.

    Revelations in the weeks following the sinking have already raised serious public questions about operational negligence on the vessel. Public Works Minister Juan Edghill confirmed shortly after the disaster that both the captain and a senior crew member tested positive for marijuana in toxicology screenings conducted within hours of the vessel going down.

    As of Monday, the official death toll and casualty count stands at 73 confirmed fatalities, with 76 people rescued alive from the Atlantic. Prime Minister Mark Phillips shared the updated figures during an address to Guyana’s National Assembly Monday, noting that at least 30 of the 179 total passengers and crew on board remain unaccounted for 10 days after the tragedy.

    The case has already sparked widespread public debate over maritime safety regulations and government oversight of ferry operations in Guyana, with calls for broader investigations into systemic gaps that may have contributed to the disaster.

  • St George man admits firearm, ammunition offences

    St George man admits firearm, ammunition offences

    A resident of St. George has entered a guilty plea to two separate weapons-related offenses, and his case will now move to the sentencing phase with submissions scheduled for early September. Sheldon Romaine Bostic, who lives at Exchange Gap in Valley Land, officially confessed to the charges during a hearing before Justice Anthony Blackman at the Supreme Court’s No. 3A courtroom.

    The charges against Bostic center on two violations of local firearms legislation: unlawful possession of a .32 caliber semi-automatic pistol without a valid license, and possession of three rounds of ammunition without the required legal permit. Court records confirm both offenses were alleged to have taken place on April 26, 2024.

    Moving forward, the case is adjourned until September 9, when the court will hear formal sentencing submissions from both legal teams representing the defendant and the state. Kristin Vanderpool is serving as Bostic’s defense counsel, while Acting Senior State Counsel Treann Knight is leading the prosecution for the state.

  • LIVE: Disasters And You with the Office of Disaster Management

    LIVE: Disasters And You with the Office of Disaster Management

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  • The cost of courage

    The cost of courage

    The ongoing debate over healthcare reform in Grenada consistently circles around one unaddressed core question: where will the funding for meaningful improvement come from? Across the island nation, there is widespread consensus that the current healthcare system is broken, and urgent change is needed — a need reinforced by countless personal testimonies and lived experiences of inadequate care. What is missing from the conversation, however, is open honesty about the true cost of upgraded healthcare, and more critically, who must bear that cost.

    As a small developing nation with no oil or mineral reserves to generate large state revenue, Grenada cannot rely on natural resource extraction to fund a robust public health system. Its largest economic driver, tourism, is inherently seasonal, hyper-competitive on the global stage, and extremely vulnerable to cross-border shocks — a vulnerability laid bare by the devastating economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. For Grenada, building a better health system means financing it deliberately and progressively through the existing economy, with no quick windfall to fall back on.

    Many Grenadians are told the public healthcare system is free: patients walk out of government facilities without paying any upfront fee at the counter. But a closer look at the system’s hidden costs reveals a far different reality. Data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) shows that out-of-pocket health spending makes up 53% of total national health expenditure in Grenada — the highest rate in the entire subregion, and more than double the average across the Caribbean.

    This means Grenada does not actually have a free public health system. Instead, it operates the most inequitable, disorganized, and expensive payment model possible: patients pay for care one at a time, when they are already ill and vulnerable, and often lack health insurance to cushion the financial blow. What is framed as “free care” is actually a hidden, regressive cost that hits low-income and vulnerable Grenadians hardest.

    A dedicated national health tax offers a deliberate, transparent solution to this crisis. Such a system redistributes health risk across the entire population, protects the most vulnerable groups, and generates sustainable, predictable revenue to fund public health improvements. It would also convert the hidden out-of-pocket costs that Grenadians already pay every day into a visible, formal tax that can be debated, adjusted, and improved through democratic process.

    So why has this evidence-backed policy not been implemented? The answer lies in political incentives, not policy flaws. Any sitting administration that introduces a health tax will bear immediate political cost: it will be remembered for ending the illusion of free public healthcare and requiring explicit payment from citizens. That administration will likely face electoral backlash long before the new funded health system can deliver visible results and win public support. If the governing party loses office before those benefits materialize, the incoming administration will inherit the expanded public revenue, the ability to open new hospital wards, create jobs, and improve health outcomes — reaping the political rewards of a difficult decision they never had to make.

    This gap between short-term political cost and long-term national benefit is no accident. It is an unspoken institutional logic that makes bold political leadership risky and inaction the safer bet for incumbent politicians, creating a trap that punishes any government willing to make the hard choice for the public good.

    Two critical questions remain unanswered for Grenada: Will the nation ever develop a political class courageous enough to prioritize long-term national good over short-term political legacy? And do Grenadians need a new health tax, or simply an honest acknowledgment that they already pay far more for healthcare than they realize — with costs that extend far beyond their wallets?

  • Zes nieuwe Surinaamse artsen studeren af aan Cubaanse universiteiten

    Zes nieuwe Surinaamse artsen studeren af aan Cubaanse universiteiten

    Six aspiring medical professionals from Suriname have successfully completed their seven-year training programs at multiple higher education institutions across Cuba, marking a much-anticipated milestone that will soon expand the South American nation’s local healthcare workforce. The graduates — Alan Deel, Rehuel Tuinfort, Safiela Willems, Sharma Kastil, Kajol Khoenkhoen and Abigail Hintzen — received their medical degrees during a central commencement ceremony held at Havana’s Karl Marx Theatre, Cuba’s largest performance and event venue.

    This year’s graduation event carried extra historical weight, as it coincided with the centennial celebration of the birth of Fidel Castro Ruz. The Surinamese students joined hundreds of other newly minted doctors from 70 different countries across the globe to cross the stage and collect their credentials during the formal proceedings.

    Yoandra Valle, the general director of the Cuban university system overseeing the medical program, emphasized in her keynote address that all participating students were trained in alignment with the core principles that define Cuba’s renowned approach to medical education: a foundation rooted in both humanistic care and rigorous scientific and technical practice.

    Representatives from the Surinamese Embassy in Cuba attended the ceremony to support the graduating cohort. In an official statement following the event, the embassy described the group’s achievement as a unique milestone for both the students and Suriname’s public health sector, extending warm congratulations to the six new doctors on their years of hard work that culminated in this success.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation of Suriname also issued a public message congratulating the graduates and their families, wishing the new physicians prosperity and fulfillment in their upcoming professional careers. According to the embassy, all six graduates are eager to complete their final preparations and return to their home country, where they plan to apply the advanced skills and knowledge they gained in Cuba to drive further improvement and expansion of Suriname’s public healthcare system.

  • Adjournment frustrates long-delayed misconduct case

    Adjournment frustrates long-delayed misconduct case

    A long-running criminal case against two former Inland Revenue Department employees accused of coordinated fraud and serious public office misconduct has been pushed back for another hearing, renewing sharp criticism from top prosecution officials over repeated procedural holdups that have stretched the case out for more than a decade.

    Two accused, Joseph Nathaniel Sobers, a clerical officer based in Pie Corner, St Lucy, and Cheryl Leverne Thomas, an assistant accountant from Kingsland, Christ Church, face two overlapping criminal charges. Prosecutors allege that between August 2008 and June 2009, the pair conspired to deceive a private individual named Shane Hurley into paying them $45,000. The false scheme centered on claiming Hurley owed $375,000 in unpaid taxes to the Inland Revenue Department, and that a $45,000 payment to the two civil servants would fully clear the purported debt. The second charge accuses the pair, as public officials entrusted with tax administration, of intentional misconduct that violated the public’s trust by soliciting the unauthorized $45,000 payment for a non-existent outstanding tax obligation.

    When the case was called before the Supreme Court’s Court No. 4 on Monday, the legal team for both defendants was absent. Lead defense counsel for each accused—Senior Counsel Andrew Pilgrim representing Sobers, and Sade Harris representing Thomas—were tied up with other matters in separate courtrooms across the jurisdiction, leaving only junior attorneys to stand in for the defendants on the hearing date.

    Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale, a Senior Counsel who appeared in court personally for the hearing, voiced public frustration over the continued delay. Seale explained he had attended the hearing specifically to get clear direction on scheduling the trial from the lead defense attorneys who are overseeing the case. He noted that the matter had already been adjourned the previous week, when he first raised questions about moving the trial process forward.

    “I have nothing but respect for the junior counsel appearing today, but I came here to hear from the attorneys actually leading the defense so we could finalize a path forward,” Seale told the court. “We are in exactly the same position we were in last week. I could have sent a junior member of my team to hold this hearing while I handled other work back at the office.”

    Seale emphasized that the prosecution has been fully prepared to proceed with the trial for years, yet no progress has been made. “We are no closer to a resolution today than we were years ago. Then we end up hearing widespread complaints about the slow pace of justice—this kind of delay is incredibly frustrating,” he added.

    Presiding Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell responded by adjourning the case to a new hearing date of September 9, issuing a clear warning that a binding decision on the next steps for the trial would be issued at that time, no matter which defense attorneys are present in court. The justice’s comment signaled a push to end the cycle of adjournments that has held up the case.

    This is not the first time Seale has pushed back against delays in the case. Last week, he publicly stated that prosecution had never contributed to the hold-ups at any point in the legal process, and highlighted the unnecessary toll that extended delays take on all parties connected to the case, including the alleged victim, the accused, and the public justice system.