Residents of Abaco are now facing a new potential ecological threat, prompting local authorities to issue an urgent warning: keep distance from any large, unidentified snakes and immediately report any suspected sightings of Burmese pythons as investigations into the invasive species’ possible presence on the island get underway. The Bahamas’ Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources confirmed on Wednesday that it received a public report of a large snake in Abaco that witnesses believe to be a Burmese python, and the agency is treating the developing situation with extreme urgency. Officials warn that if this large non-native snake becomes established on Abaco, it could wreak havoc on local native wildlife, commercial agricultural operations and the island’s entire fragile natural ecosystem. At this early stage of the investigation, two core questions remain unanswered: first, whether the reported snake is confirmed to be a Burmese python, and second, whether the individual sighting points to an isolated released or escaped pet, or the first evidence of a reproducing wild population. To help investigators answer these questions quickly and accurately, local officials have put out a broad call for public participation. Any resident who spots a suspected Burmese python is asked to report the sighting immediately, sharing the exact location and time of the encounter with authorities. For those who are able to do so safely, officials also request clear photographs or video footage of the animal to speed up the identification and risk assessment process. In the event that a resident has already killed or captured a suspected Burmese python, authorities are asking that the specimen be kept as intact as possible. This allows scientists to conduct a full examination, determine the snake’s sex, collect critical biological samples, and gather data that will help reveal whether the sighting is an isolated incident or proof that a wild population is already established. Burmese pythons, one of the largest snake species on the planet, are non-venomous constrictors native to regions of South and Southeast Asia. Unlike venomous snakes that subdue prey with toxins, these large reptiles kill their food by tightening their coils around prey to cut off breathing, then swallow the entire animal whole. Most mature adult Burmese pythons measure between 10 and 16 feet in length, though the largest recorded specimens have grown past 18 feet. Highly adaptable, Burmese pythons thrive in a wide range of habitats including wetlands, swamps, grasslands and forested areas, and they are surprisingly powerful swimmers that can travel long distances across open water. Their diet consists of a wide range of native species, including small to medium mammals, birds and reptiles. Combined with their large size, extreme adaptability to new environments, and high reproductive rate, these traits have made them one of the most damaging invasive species in regions where they have been introduced outside their native range. A single female Burmese python can lay up to 100 eggs in a single clutch, a reproductive rate that means a small founding breeding population could explode into a large, established wild population very quickly. This high reproductive potential is one of the key factors driving authorities’ urgent response to the unconfirmed sighting. The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources says it will continue ongoing monitoring of the situation and release updated public information as more details become available. Residents can report any suspected sightings directly to Agriculture Officer Josefina Adderley-Curry at the contact number 376-5069.
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Georges backs call for English lessons
A leading immigration rights advocate in The Bahamas has thrown his support behind calls for mandatory pre-enrollment English language training for students entering the public school system who lack proficiency in the language, arguing that immediate placement in English-only classrooms creates unnecessary barriers for both learners and educators.
Louby Georges, a prominent voice on immigration and migrant rights issues, made his position public in an interview with The Tribune, days after Bahamas Union of Teachers President Belinda Wilson reignited debate over growing language gaps in Bahamian public classrooms. Wilson recently raised urgent concerns that many teachers are now managing large cohorts of Creole-speaking students who are unable to communicate effectively in English, the primary language of instruction in Bahamian schools. To address this challenge, Wilson proposed that parents arrange private English lessons for non-proficient children before enrollment, and called on the Ministry of Education to enforce basic English proficiency requirements for all new public school entrants.
Contrary to interpretations that framed Wilson’s proposal as an exclusionary tactic targeting Haitian and other foreign-born migrant children, Georges rejected that reading, emphasizing that the policy’s core goal is to set up students for long-term success rather than block access to education. “I didn’t take the statement as one that is trying to exclude Haitian children or any other foreign children,” Georges explained. “It’s about preparing them to succeed because, at the end of the day, it’s all about the well-being of the children and putting them in the best possible position to excel.”
Georges went on to outline the practical downsides of placing students with no foundational English into mainstream English classrooms. He questioned how any student can meaningfully engage with coursework or retain lessons when they cannot understand the language instruction being delivered. Beyond putting the non-native student at an academic disadvantage, he added, this scenario also places unfair extra strain on already busy classroom teachers who are not trained or resourced to deliver concurrent language support to large numbers of beginner learners.
The activist also agreed with Wilson that parents hold primary responsibility for ensuring their children meet basic English proficiency standards before enrollment. He noted that many Haitian residents living in The Bahamas on valid work permits already follow this practice, enrolling their children in pre-enrollment English programs that are often accredited by the Ministry of Education itself. However, Georges acknowledged that systemic barriers limit access to these programs for many low-income migrant families: not only are there too few such institutions across the country, but they also often serve only Haitian Creole speakers, leaving non-native speakers of other languages like Spanish and Filipino without targeted support.
To expand access to affordable pre-enrollment training, Georges put forward two key proposals. First, he suggested that local Haitian community institutions – including the Embassy of the Republic of Haiti and the Haitian League of Churches – could partner to develop low-cost basic English programs for both children and adult migrant learners who need foundational skills. Second, he highlighted that bilingual Bahamians of Haitian descent, who are fluent in both English and Creole, represent an underutilized resource for language support. He proposed creating streamlined certification pathways for these bilingual community members to qualify as specialized English language instructors, expanding the pool of qualified support available to schools and pre-enrollment programs.
Georges stressed that his support for pre-enrollment language training does not mean he backs barring non-proficient children from accessing public education while new training programs are developed. He clarified that all children legally residing in The Bahamas have a right to attend school, and he does not expect public schools to halt enrollment of these students in the interim.
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Evans: Retirement rules fuel judicial brain drain
In a historic moment for The Bahamas’ judicial system, the Court of Appeal has convened proceedings in Grand Bahama for the first time in 16 years, bringing top judicial leaders face-to-face with local communities and opening the door to long-awaited reforms to expand access to justice. During the two-day sitting held September 9 and 10, Court of Appeal President Justice Milton Evans used the occasion to raise a urgent, long-simmering concern: the country’s mandatory judicial retirement rules are actively draining the judiciary of its most experienced legal minds, creating a harmful brain drain that erodes institutional knowledge.
Justice Evans explained that judicial expertise is not built overnight – it takes years of hands-on experience hearing cases, interpreting law, and refining decision-making for judges to reach the peak of their professional capabilities. Yet under current Bahamian constitutional rules, judges are forced to step down just as they hit this stride, and many go on to offer their hard-won expertise to judicial systems in other countries that allow jurists to serve longer tenures. He pointed to high-profile examples of retired Bahamian judges Dame Anita Allen and Justice Neville Adderley, who have both gone on to serve on benches in other jurisdictions after being forced to retire at home.
The current constitutional framework sets a mandatory retirement age of 65 for Supreme Court justices, with a maximum extension to 67 granted only through rare approval by the Governor-General following consultation between the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition. For Court of Appeal justices, the ordinary retirement age is 68, with a maximum extension to 70. A 2002 constitutional referendum that would have raised these limits – boosting the normal retirement age for Supreme Court justices to 68 (with extensions to 72) and for Court of Appeal justices to 72 (with extensions to 75) – was resoundingly defeated by voters, with 71 percent rejecting the measure.
Beyond the retirement debate, the Grand Bahama sitting itself marked a major milestone in the judiciary’s push to expand public access to justice. For decades, appellate proceedings have been held exclusively in New Providence, forcing Freeport residents, defendants’ families, and other stakeholders to travel long distances to observe cases. This two-day session, which heard two criminal matters involving local Freeport residents, was designed to change that: it gave community members direct access to watch the appellate court at work, correcting misinformation that often circulates when the public only learns about court proceedings through secondhand accounts.
“Justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done,” said Justice Gregory Smith, one of the participating panel members. Smith noted that while virtual hearing technology, widely adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic, has proven effective for remote participation, it cannot replace the value of in-person sittings that bring the judiciary directly to local communities. Chief Justice Ian Winder echoed this commitment, framing the Grand Bahama session as part of a broader national initiative to expand meaningful access to justice across all of The Bahamas’ Family Islands. Grand Bahama already benefits from a fully established local court infrastructure with three Supreme Court justices, four magistrates, and three registrars, and the judicial branch is now moving forward to build out new court facilities in Eleuthera to cut down on the need for local residents to travel to New Providence for court business. Virtual proceedings will remain a core tool for remote participation in cases that cannot be heard locally.
The visit also brought progress on another longstanding public concern: inconsistent sentencing. Chief Justice Winder acknowledged ongoing public debate over perceived inconsistencies in punishments for similar offences, with some arguing sentences are too harsh and others saying they are too lenient. In response, the judiciary has developed its first-ever formal set of sentencing guidelines in consultation with prosecutors, the legal profession, social services, and other key stakeholders. The guidelines outline clear sentencing ranges and identify standard aggravating and mitigating factors for judges to consider. While they have not yet been implemented, once introduced judges will be required to adhere to the guidelines and provide explicit, strong justifications for any departure from the recommended ranges.
Despite the progress, Justice Evans cautioned that regular appellate sittings in Grand Bahama remain out of reach for now due to resource and logistical constraints. The Court of Appeal only has six sitting members, so bringing the full panel to Grand Bahama requires pausing all appellate proceedings in Nassau. In the longer term, the judiciary aims to find a solution that allows proceedings to run simultaneously in both locations, but that will require additional funding and revised operational arrangements. He also shared an update on the court’s backlog, noting that the panel is currently processing cases filed in 2026, with only four outstanding judgments remaining as of the start of the Grand Bahama sitting, one of which was already finalized and pending delivery.
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‘We still don’t have answers’
Three full months have passed since 56-year-old veteran primary school teacher Jillian Pinder was killed in a brutal abduction and stabbing attack, yet no suspects have been arrested or charged in her death. For the first time since the tragedy, Pinder’s family has broken their public silence, sharing their overwhelming heartbreak and growing frustration over the lack of progress in the case, even as law enforcement confirms the investigation remains open.
Pinder, a mother of two who taught at TG Glover Primary School, was attacked on June 4 at her residence in Lake Cunningham. According to official accounts, two male assailants held her at knifepoint, claiming a person close to Pinder owed them $4,000, before forcing her into her vehicle and abducting her to an undisclosed location. The attackers stabbed Pinder in the throat and abandoned her injured inside her car in the Wulff Road area.
In an act of extraordinary resilience despite her life-threatening injury, Pinder managed to drive her vehicle to collide with another car, alerting the other occupants who immediately came to her aid. She was rushed to a local hospital and admitted to the intensive care unit, and after initial treatment, she was discharged. Pinder was later readmitted for complications, and she succumbed to her injuries on July 13. Her funeral was held in early August.
Anna Capron, Pinder’s niece, told local outlet The Tribune that the entire family held out hope for her full recovery in the weeks between the attack and her death. “Nobody in our family was looking at those weeks thinking that we were watching the final chapter of her life,” Capron shared. After Pinder’s initial discharge, the family had made plans for her to heal at home, expecting she would gradually regain her strength and return to daily life. “There were conversations about her healing pretty quickly, being around family, and trying her best to move forward. And then everything changed,” she said. Before she passed, Pinder asked Capron to share a final message of gratitude with the entire family.
Law enforcement officials confirmed this week that no new updates are available to release in the case. “The investigation is still ongoing, and the family has been in constant communication with officers,” Chief Superintendent Sheria King, police press liaison officer, told The Tribune.
For Pinder’s loved ones, each passing day without an arrest or charges brings fresh pain and unanswered questions. Capron said the family lives daily with the staggering weight of knowing someone took Pinder’s life, yet no one has been held accountable. “There is a tremendous amount of frustration and heartbreak that comes with that,” she said. “Every day that passes without an arrest or charges is another day that her family has to live with unanswered questions.”
The family has worked to honor Pinder’s memory by holding onto the small, warm details of her life that made her irreplaceable to them. Her children often recall her habit of taking photos with them, even during quick, routine trips out of the house. Relatives grieve the loss of her easy laugh, her sense of humor, and her steady presence in their lives.
“Jill wasn’t just a victim in a news story,” Capron emphasized. “She was a mother, an aunt, a sister, a friend, a teacher, and someone who was deeply loved by her family and community.”
Capron made clear the family’s decision to speak out publicly is not a quest for media attention, but a push to keep searching for the justice they need. “For us, this isn’t a headline that’s going to disappear when the next story comes along. This is our family. This is our loved one,” she said. She issued an urgent appeal to any member of the public with information related to the attack or the attackers to contact authorities, and confirmed the family will not stop speaking out until they get the answers they are desperate for. “We’re going to continue asking questions, continuing to speak her name, and continuing to ask for justice until there are answers,” she said.
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Humano Seguros launches scholarship program for high-potential youth
In a major step to invest in the Dominican Republic’s next generation of talented young people, leading domestic insurance provider Humano Seguros has announced the launch of a groundbreaking comprehensive scholarship initiative called “Excelencia Humano.” The program is specifically tailored to support emerging youth who demonstrate outstanding academic performance, natural leadership ability, and a proven dedication to advancing social development across the country.
In its opening phase, the initiative will award 20 full-encompassing scholarships in partnership with five of the nation’s top higher education institutions: Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), Universidad Apec (UNAPEC), Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), and Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña (UNPHU). All five participating universities are members of the National University Network for Development (RUNED), a collaborative network focused on aligning higher education with national growth priorities.
Unlike traditional scholarship programs that only offer tuition assistance, Excelencia Humano delivers a holistic support ecosystem for its recipients. Beyond covering core academic costs for undergraduate studies, the initiative provides tailored one-on-one professional mentorship from industry leaders, guaranteed hands-on internship placements, access to exclusive academic enrichment opportunities, and invitations to contribute to high-impact special projects. Beneficiaries also receive priority consideration for open full-time positions at Humano Seguros after they complete their degrees.
Eduardo Cruz, president of Humano Seguros, framed the launch as a long-term investment in the nation’s future. “Education stands as one of the most transformative forces we can invest in to shift society toward greater equity and prosperity,” Cruz explained. “For our company, this program is more than a corporate social responsibility project—it is a commitment to unlocking the potential of young people who will go on to lead our country forward.”
The first cohort of scholarship recipients will be selected from students pursuing degrees aligned with the Dominican Republic’s core economic, technological, and business growth priorities. Eligible majors in the opening round include Economics, Actuarial Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Telematics, Data Science, Industrial Engineering, Accounting, and Finance. Over time, the program will expand to cover four broad pillars aligned with national development needs: STEAM and Sustainable Development, Health, Business, and Social Sciences, creating pathways for students across a wide range of in-demand fields.
Carlos Mitnik, executive vice president and general manager of Humano Seguros, emphasized the program’s focus on bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world work. “We designed this initiative to help students connect the theoretical knowledge they gain in the classroom to the practical professional challenges they will face in their careers,” Mitnik said. “At the same time, we know we have just as much to learn from the fresh perspectives and innovative thinking that young talent brings to the table.”
Diomares Musa, Humano Seguros’ vice president of Market, Product and Channel Development, added that the program addresses a growing need in the nation’s evolving labor market. “As industries across the country shift rapidly, we need a new generation of skilled, adaptable leaders who can keep the Dominican Republic competitive,” Musa noted. “Excelencia Humano was built to promote a culture of academic excellence and ethical leadership, while preparing emerging professionals to thrive in this fast-changing landscape.”
Overall, the program anchors Humano Seguros’ longstanding commitment to advancing education, excellence, and inclusive social development across the Dominican Republic. By investing in young people who already show the potential to excel academically and lift their communities, the company aims to create a ripple effect of positive change that extends far beyond individual beneficiaries.
As a member of Grupo Humano, Humano Seguros holds a leading position in the Dominican insurance market: it ranks first in the nation’s health insurance segment and third across all insurance categories. The company offers a diverse portfolio of coverage, including local and international health plans, life insurance, automobile insurance, and property insurance. For additional information about the Excelencia Humano program and application processes, visit the company’s official website at www.humanoseguros.com.
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Vice President Raquel Peña celebrates her 60th birthday
On Thursday, September 10, Raquel Peña, the Vice President of the Dominican Republic, marked a significant milestone as she celebrated her 60th birthday. Born in 1966 in the northern Dominican city of Santiago de los Caballeros, Peña built her early academic foundation at the Pontifical Catholic University Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), where she earned a respected degree in Business Administration.
Peña made history in Dominican politics when she first assumed the vice presidency in August 2020, stepping into office as only the third woman to ever hold the nation’s second-highest executive position in the country’s history. Her track record of public service earned her broad support, leading to her re-election alongside incumbent President Luis Abinader in the 2024 general election for a second consecutive term.
As the nation marked her birthday, messages of celebration and recognition poured in from across the public sector. Senior government officials, leading state institutions, and prominent public figures across the Dominican Republic joined together to congratulate Peña, highlighting her decades of impactful work across three distinct spheres: academia, the private business sector, and public service. Many tributes emphasized her contributions to advancing gender representation in Dominican leadership and her collaborative approach to advancing the administration’s policy priorities during her tenure.
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Amazon Web Services to train 50,000 Dominicans in AI and cloud computing
In a landmark announcement made during the 7th Santo Domingo Chamber Hub 2026, Amazon Web Services has unveiled an ambitious new skills development initiative that will deliver 50,000 no-cost AI and cloud computing training scholarships to Dominican citizens, with all programming set to be completed by 2028.
The program, branded AWS Entrena República Dominicana, was jointly announced by AWS Latin America Vice President Paula Bellizia and Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader. Open to all Dominican residents aged 18 and older, the initiative welcomes applicants across a wide range of backgrounds: from university students and working tech professionals to independent entrepreneurs, startup founders, and leaders of small and medium-sized enterprises. All training modules will be delivered 100% online at no charge to participants, developed specifically to address the rapidly rising demand for advanced digital skills across the Dominican economy.
To deliver the program, AWS has partnered with a broad coalition of domestic stakeholders, including the Santo Domingo Chamber of Commerce, multiple national government ministries and public institutions, the Dominican Banco de Reservas (Banreservas), the Office of Information and Communications Technology (Ogtic), the National Institute of Vocational Training (Infotep), and the National School of the Judiciary.
Bellizia emphasized that growing a robust pipeline of homegrown digital talent is a foundational requirement to boost the Dominican Republic’s global competitiveness, drive long-term productivity gains, and foster a culture of local innovation. She pushed back against framing AI as a distant future technology, noting that artificial intelligence tools are already reshaping business operations across every sector in the region today.
Sharing regional industry data, Bellizia pointed out that three-quarters of all companies across Central America and the Caribbean currently integrate chatbots or generative AI assistants into their customer and internal workflows, while 13% have already deployed purpose-built AI agents to handle core strategic business functions. Across Latin America as a whole, 26% of organizations have already recorded measurable economic value generated from their AI adoption. Bellizia also highlighted two local Dominican success stories: domestic tech firm Qik and retail giant Grupo Ramos, both of which have leveraged cloud infrastructure and AI to streamline operations, boost fraud detection accuracy, and lift overall team productivity.
This new Dominican initiative forms a core part of AWS’s broader regional commitment to train 2 million new digital professionals across Latin America by the end of 2028. For the Dominican Republic, stakeholders project the program will play a critical role in closing the country’s growing digital talent gap, equipping thousands of local workers and businesses with the technical capabilities needed to thrive in an increasingly digital global economy.
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MESCyT and Arajet join forces to train Dominican aviation workforce
The Dominican Republic’s aeronautical sector is on track for significant expansion, and a new collaborative agreement is paving the way to meet its growing demand for specialized talent. The country’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCyT) has joined forces with low-cost carrier Arajet to develop a pipeline of skilled workers ready to support the industry’s rapid growth.
Under the terms of the new partnership, MESCyT will lead efforts to scale up high-quality academic programs focused on aviation careers, expand access to financial support through targeted scholarships, and build strategic connections with higher education institutions both within the Dominican Republic and across the globe. These initiatives are designed to address a critical gap: as the national aeronautical industry expands, thousands of new roles are set to open up for trained professionals, ranging from commercial pilots and aircraft maintenance technicians to cabin crew and other specialized technical and operational staff.
Rafael Santos Badía, the head of MESCyT, highlighted that this workforce expansion will deliver widespread economic benefits beyond the aviation sector, bringing thousands of stable, well-paying direct jobs to Dominican workers. To prepare young people for these opportunities, the ministry will map out accredited, industry-aligned degree programs across local academic institutions, and create new scholarship openings specifically for Dominican youth pursuing aviation-focused education. A key component of the plan also involves forging partnerships with international universities and academic bodies, enabling local graduates to earn globally recognized certifications and professional accreditations that boost their competitiveness in the international job market.
Víctor Pacheco, founder and chief executive officer of Arajet, expressed strong support for the collaborative initiative, noting that proactive workforce development is critical to meeting both the airline’s projected hiring needs and the broader growth goals of the Dominican Republic’s entire aviation ecosystem. To ensure all training programs meet global professional standards, the agreement also formalizes coordination between MESCyT, Arajet, and the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC). This collaboration will guarantee that every developed curriculum aligns with both national aviation regulations and international civil aviation safety and training standards.
At its core, the initiative aims to bridge the gap between higher education outcomes and fast-evolving industry demands. By aligning academic training with the specific needs of the growing aeronautical sector, the partnership delivers dual benefits: it creates high-quality, long-term employment opportunities for young Dominican workers, and builds a cohort of local professionals capable of competing successfully in the increasingly specialized global aviation market.
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CDPF announces traffic measures around River Street schools
As students across Dominica head back to classrooms for the 2026 fall academic term, the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF) has launched a suite of targeted traffic safety interventions along River Street, urging all motorists to adjust their driving habits to accommodate increased foot and vehicle traffic around two nearby secondary schools. The new school term officially kicked off on Monday, September 7, 2026, with a temporary campus arrangement that has shifted daily student activity to the River Street corridor: Goodwill Secondary School students are currently being housed at a site adjacent to Dominica Grammar School, a change that police say will bring far higher volumes of both vehicles and pedestrians to the area, especially during the busy morning drop-off and afternoon dismissal windows. To mitigate the risks this increased activity poses for students, commuters and other road users, CDPF is rolling out multiple infrastructure and regulatory changes focused on the stretch of River Street that runs past both Dominica Grammar School and the new temporary entrance for Goodwill Secondary School. One of the key infrastructure upgrades is the installation of new speed humps in the high-traffic school zone, designed to naturally slow vehicle speeds through the area. Police are already reminding motorists to reduce their speed well in advance when approaching these new traffic calming features. To increase visibility of the school zone, new official “School Zone” and “Slow Down” warning signs will also be posted at multiple points along River Street, with police repeatedly urging drivers to stay attentive to road signage and follow all official traffic directions. A key safety improvement for students walking to and from campus is a freshly painted marked pedestrian crossing directly at the Goodwill Secondary School temporary entrance. Motorists have been instructed to exercise extreme caution when approaching this crossing and to yield right of way to students, pedestrians and any other road users using the designated crossing. To address the common problem of traffic congestion from drop-off and pick-up activity, CDPF has also introduced a new access rule: drivers who are transporting Goodwill Secondary students will be allowed to enter the campus via the designated gate to drop off and pick up children directly on site. This adjustment is specifically intended to cut down on the number of vehicles stopping and idling along the main River Street roadway, keeping traffic flowing smoothly and reducing the risk of collisions involving crossing students. Beyond the new infrastructure and rules, police have issued a broad public appeal for cooperation across all groups. CDPF is encouraging all motorists traveling through the River Street school zone to practice patience, keep speeds low, stay alert to surrounding activity, and comply with all posted traffic signs and official directions from law enforcement. The force is also asking for buy-in from not just drivers, but also parents, students and the entire local community, emphasizing that collective vigilance and cooperation are the most important factors in keeping everyone who uses River Street and the surrounding school areas safe throughout the academic term.
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Leisure : Did you know ? #57
In the latest installment of HaitiLibre’s popular twice-weekly general knowledge series “Did You Know?”, published September 9, 2026, readers are invited to uncover a little-remembered chapter of Haiti’s colonial history: the story of the former capital of Saint-Domingue that once earned the nickname “Paris of the Antilles.”
By the 18th century, the coastal city of Cap-Français—today known as Cap-Haïtien—had emerged as the beating economic, cultural and social heart of the French colony of Saint-Domingue. Tucked along Haiti’s northern shore, the bustling port served as the primary exit point for cargo ships loaded with the colony’s valuable export goods bound for European markets. Its carefully planned street grid, striking elegant architecture, opulent stone-built mansions, vibrant theatrical scene, and nonstop social calendar quickly earned it a reputation as one of the most glamorous settlements in the Caribbean, leading to its enduring “Paris of the Antilles” moniker.
Wealthy colonial planters and elite merchant families flaunted extravagant lifestyles in the city, their levels of luxury matching and even rivaling those of the most prominent upper classes in major European capitals. Though Port-au-Prince was officially designated the colony’s administrative capital in 1749, Cap-Français never lost its standing as the most iconic symbol of the material and cultural wealth generated by Saint-Domingue’s colonial economy. Today, this historical detail remains a fascinating window into Haiti’s pre-independence past.
This historical trivia is sourced from the answer fact sheets included with HaitiLibre’s Quiz-HaitiLibre series, a free interactive knowledge platform designed to help users explore topics spanning Haitian history, global current events and more. The platform recently expanded its offerings as part of its monthly September 2026 update: 30 new quiz games were added on September 1, pushing the total number of available quizzes to 240, with new content added every month going forward.
Unlike many online quiz platforms, all Quiz-HaitiLibre content is 100% free to access and requires no user registration to play. Quizzes are built to suit all experience levels, with three adjustable difficulty tiers—easy, intermediate, and expert—and all content is offered in both French and English. Users looking for more challenging content can access specialized topics through the platform’s “Expert” menu. The site also invites players to share the platform with friends and family, and submit feedback and suggestions via a form included at the end of every quiz. For creators, the platform frames unanswered questions not as failures, but as opportunities to learn new facts and expand one’s general knowledge.