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  • Saint Lucia make history at Pan Am table tennis

    Saint Lucia make history at Pan Am table tennis

    Guatemala City is playing host to the 2025 ITTF-Americas Youth Championships, and a little-known Caribbean under-19 boys’ table tennis squad from Saint Lucia has pulled off a stunning turnaround, capturing the first two international team wins in the nation’s youth table tennis history. The Saint Lucian side entered the tournament facing unique disadvantages from the start, and their opening matches reflected those unplanned struggles, but a dominant performance from a talented 15-year-old prodigy powered the team to back-to-back 3-2 upset wins over Costa Rica and Mexico on the tournament’s second competition day.

    The Saint Lucia delegation features three male under-19 competitors – national junior champion Manie Eleuthere, runner-up Leshon Francis, and Khamari Harris – plus a single female entrant, Shatal Charles, who is set to compete in girls’ singles and mixed doubles after the team event wraps. The squad ultimately finished the team phase of the tournament in ninth place, a result that feels far more celebratory than it might on paper given the challenges the team overtook to get there.

    In an interview after the turnaround wins, head coach Chris Wells opened up about the unexpected hurdles his team faced before they even stepped onto the competition court. The squad arrived in Guatemala City, which sits roughly 5,000 feet above sea level, and was denied any opportunity to practice on the official venue ahead of their opening matches. This lack of preparation hit the team particularly hard, because Saint Lucia’s highest natural peak stands just over 3,000 feet above sea level – meaning the team was competing 2,000 feet higher than the highest point in their home country, with no prior chance to acclimatize to the thin air.

    “The ball travels differently through the air at this altitude,” Wells explained. “The first two days were really tough, as we tried to adjust to the conditions and play the way we do when we train back home. We had no way to replicate this environment in preparation.”

    Those early obstacles showed in the team’s opening group stage matches on day one, where Saint Lucia dropped back-to-back 3-0 defeats to Peru and Canada. Even in those losses, however, there were signs of the team’s potential: Eleuthere pushed his higher-ranked Canadian opponent to a full five-set thriller before narrowly falling 3-2.

    By the second day of competition, the team had started to acclimatize, and they pulled off a historic turnaround no one saw coming. Against Costa Rica and Mexico, the squad notched their first-ever wins in international team play, both by a tight 3-2 score. Leading the charge was 15-year-old Leshon Francis, who was competing up an age group against the older U19 field, and finished the day undefeated across both matches.

    Against Costa Rica, Francis took both of his singles matches, including a dominant straight-set win in the do-or-die fifth match that sealed the historic victory for Saint Lucia. Against Mexico, he repeated the feat, again winning both of his matches in straight sets – including a victory over the defending Central American U19 champion, one of the highest-profile upsets of the day. The performance cemented Francis as the catalyst for Saint Lucia’s historic comeback, captured in official tournament photos credited to the Saint Lucia National Table Tennis Association.

    The ITTF-Americas Youth Championships run through August 31, and the Saint Lucian team is far from done. After the conclusion of the team event, Charles will continue her run in girls’ singles and mixed doubles, while all three male competitors will move on to compete in individual singles and doubles events in the coming days.

  • Barbuda’s Special Electricity Tariff Could Be Reviewed

    Barbuda’s Special Electricity Tariff Could Be Reviewed

    Antigua and Barbuda’s Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas has announced plans to initiate a review of Barbuda’s longstanding preferential electricity tariff, a move that comes as the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) advances projects to expand and upgrade the island’s power infrastructure to meet surging post-development demand.

    For decades, Barbudan consumers have operated under a separate, more favorable tariff structure than their counterparts on the neighboring main island of Antigua. Nicholas, however, has framed the existing arrangement as outdated and unfair to Antigua’s ratepayers, arguing that the current split regime creates an inequitable burden across the twin-island nation. “The way that the tariffs work in Barbuda is a little different to Antigua, and it’s not equitable as far as consumers here in Antigua are concerned,” Nicholas explained, noting the current model is anachronistic even as he acknowledged Barbuda’s unique geographic and economic circumstances set it apart from the main island.

    Before any adjustments are finalized, Nicholas emphasized that the process will follow a deliberate, consultative path: he plans to first bring the proposal before the national Cabinet for discussion, then engage directly with the Barbuda Council and local residents to gather input. No fixed timeline has been set for the review, with the minister stressing that meaningful stakeholder outreach will take priority over a rushed decision.

    The review coincides with a pressing need to expand Barbuda’s electricity capacity, driven by growing residential development across the island following recent reforms to land tenure rules. APUA Electricity Business Unit Manager Andre Mathias explained that power delivery to Barbuda inherently carries higher costs than in Antigua: all equipment and fuel must first be shipped to Antigua, then transferred to smaller vessels for transport to Barbuda, adding logistical expenses. Additionally, Barbuda’s grid relies almost entirely on more costly diesel fuel for generation, while some of Antigua’s generating units use lower-priced heavy fuel oil, further widening the cost gap between the two islands.

    Barbuda first launched its hybrid renewable energy system years ago, pairing a 741-kilowatt solar array with an 800-kilowatt-hour battery storage facility to cut reliance on fossil fuels. When the system was installed, total electricity demand across Barbuda sat just above 500 kilowatts, enough for the solar and battery infrastructure to fully power the island during daylight hours and allow diesel generators to be shut down completely. But rapid population and economic growth has pushed peak demand to more than 800 kilowatts, outstripping the capacity of the existing renewable system and forcing diesel generators to run during daytime hours.

    To address this growing demand, APUA is moving forward with an expansion of the island’s power network, and the project will continue to prioritize hybrid renewable energy, with financial and technical support from the International Solar Alliance. “We’re going to have to expand, and we’re going to have to expand with a hybrid arrangement,” Nicholas said. “It works, and we want to have more of it, not less of it.”

    In addition to expanding renewable generation capacity, APUA has already completed work to move Barbuda’s main transmission line serving the capital Codrington underground. The upgrade is designed to reduce the risk of catastrophic, widespread outages during hurricane season, a critical resilience improvement for the hurricane-prone Caribbean island. Nicholas noted that burying key grid infrastructure aligns with APUA’s long-term strategy to build a more robust, climate-resilient electricity network across the country.

  • Dominican farmer Gilles Carbon-Jno Baptiste named FAO woman hero

    Dominican farmer Gilles Carbon-Jno Baptiste named FAO woman hero

    A veteran smallholder farmer from the Caribbean nation of Dominica has earned a spot on the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s first-ever global list of 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, marking a major international recognition of her decades-long work strengthening local food systems and sustainable rural development.

    Gilles Carbon-Jno Baptiste, a 40-plus-year farming veteran based in Dominica’s Capuchin community, was chosen from a pool of more than 600 nominees across 131 countries, following a rigorous, competitive global selection process, according to an official statement from Dominica’s Office of the Prime Minister. The FAO highlighted her exceptional leadership, innovative approach to farming, unwavering dedication, and far-reaching contributions to building more resilient agrifood systems and empowered rural communities.

    Carbon-Jno Baptiste runs a seven-acre diversified farm that supplies fresh produce and animal products to local consumers and market vendors across Dominica. Her operation combines a wide range of fruit and vegetable crops—including citrus, plantain, avocado, turmeric, potatoes, and onions—with livestock production, covering goats, broiler chickens, and layer hens. She is a key regional supplier of fresh eggs and leafy vegetables to local supermarkets and small-scale street vendors, playing a critical role in Dominica’s domestic food security.

    Beyond consistent food production, Carbon-Jno Baptiste has built her farming practice around a core commitment to ecological sustainability. She implements a range of low-carbon, nature-positive practices across her land, including green manuring, integrated mixed farming, rainwater harvesting, on-site composting, reforestation, and the use of natural alternative inputs, all while adhering to internationally recognized Good Agricultural Practices frameworks.

    As president of the Capuchin Farmers’ Group, Carbon-Jno Baptiste also devotes significant time to lifting up other producers in her community. She regularly hosts hands-on agricultural training sessions and on-farm demonstration workshops to share her sustainable techniques with new and emerging farmers. Outside of farming, she holds active leadership roles in local community, cultural, and civic organizations, and already received national recognition for her work when she was awarded Dominica’s Best Woman in Sustainable Farming Award in 2023.

    Roland Royer, Dominica’s Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Blue and Green Economy, celebrated Carbon-Jno Baptiste’s international recognition in comments included in the OPM release. “Mrs. Carbon-Jno Baptiste represents the dedication, resilience and innovation of our farmers. For more than four decades, she has contributed to food production and to the development of other farmers and her community. We are extremely proud that her work has now received this important international recognition,” Royer said.

    The FAO noted that Carbon-Jno Baptiste’s selection also spotlights Dominica’s longstanding national commitment to expanding and elevating women’s leadership in agrifood systems. She will be officially honored at the FAO’s headquarters in Rome, Italy, during the flagship World Food Forum event scheduled for October 12 to 16, 2026. The recognition comes as part of global programming for the 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer, a United Nations designation dedicated to centering the contributions of women in global agriculture.

  • Officials Working to Revive Stalled Five-Megawatt Wind Energy Project

    Officials Working to Revive Stalled Five-Megawatt Wind Energy Project

    Against a backdrop of skyrocketing international fossil fuel prices that have strained energy budgets across small island nations, Antigua and Barbuda has launched renewed efforts to bring a long-stalled five-megawatt wind energy project online, according to the country’s Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas.

    The initiative, which was first envisioned as a core part of the country’s clean energy transition, has been stuck in limbo for an extended period, with administrative and logistical delays halting progress for months. But following the appointment of new leadership at the nation’s Department of Environment and Department of Energy, government teams have restarted work to advance the project, Nicholas confirmed in a recent statement.

    “Both teams are working fastidiously to ensure that we can bring on board that wind energy project,” the minister said, noting that the new leadership has injected fresh momentum into what had become a stagnant initiative. The project was originally engineered to deliver up to five megawatts of power to the national grid, a capacity that would make a meaningful contribution to cutting the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuels. However, Nicholas issued a cautious note: because the project’s equipment has been stored in Antigua and Barbuda for years without being deployed, ongoing inspection work could uncover hidden wear and tear that reduces the facility’s final operating output.

    “Because of issues that may be uncovered, because the facilities have been here for quite a while, it may result in less [generation capacity],” Nicholas explained. Even if the final output falls short of the original target, he emphasized, the project will still represent a key step forward for the country’s energy diversification goals, and it will not be the only wind energy development the government pursues in the coming years.

    The revitalized wind project sits at the center of a broader national push to shield consumers from volatile global fossil fuel markets. Right now, the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), the country’s main electricity provider, relies almost entirely on diesel and heavy fuel oil to generate power. That dependence has hit public finances hard in recent months: APUA’s monthly fuel bill jumped from 11 million Eastern Caribbean dollars (roughly $4 million USD) in January to 21.8 million Eastern Caribbean dollars by July, a near-doubling that has put massive pressure on the authority’s budget and threatened higher rates for consumers.

    Nicholas argued that the recent sharp spike in fuel prices has laid bare the critical vulnerability of small island nations that rely entirely on imported fossil fuels to meet their energy needs. That vulnerability has given the clean energy transition a new urgency, he said, with policymakers no longer able to delay action. “The urgency is now,” Nicholas stressed. “It’s a fierce urgency because we cannot sit idly by and allow another fuel spike to occur.”

    Beyond the revived wind project, APUA is also exploring the development of a large-scale solar energy facility, with plans to integrate utility-scale battery storage to stabilize the national grid. Andre Mathias, APUA’s Electricity Business Unit Manager, explained that adding variable renewable energy sources like wind and solar requires careful grid planning, as their output fluctuates with weather conditions. To maintain consistent, reliable power for homes and businesses, Mathias said targeted upgrades to the national grid and widespread battery storage will be essential to balance variable renewable output.

    Ultimately, Nicholas said, Antigua and Barbuda is working to build a hybrid energy system that combines wind power, solar generation, battery storage, and liquefied natural gas. This mixed system will cut the country’s dependence on fossil fuels dramatically, he noted, but will not eliminate the use of carbon-based fuels entirely in the near term, as the nation gradually scales up its renewable energy capacity.

  • Tributes pour in for Kesi Fevrier after her death in Canada

    Tributes pour in for Kesi Fevrier after her death in Canada

    A promising young Saint Lucian woman, Kesi Fevrier, has died tragically in Ottawa, Canada, leaving multiple community and educational institutions across two countries in mourning, with condolences pouring in for her loved ones.

    Fevrier, a native of the Saint Lucian community of Mon Repos, was discovered deceased at a private residence on Guigues Avenue in the Canadian capital on August 22. Even after relocating to Canada to build her life abroad, Fevrier remained deeply connected to her roots and stayed actively engaged with the Saint Lucian diaspora, her former institutions and community peers recalled.

    Fevrier cut her academic teeth at two prominent Saint Lucian educational institutions: Saint Joseph’s Convent, where she graduated as part of the 2015 senior class, and the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC), where she completed her Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) studies between 2015 and 2017. Beyond her academic work, Fevrier was an enthusiastic participant in campus life, serving as an active cheerleader throughout her time at SALCC.

    In an official public statement shared to its Facebook page, SALCC confirmed its grief over the passing of one of its former students. “The Sir Arthur Lewis Community College mourns the tragic passing of Kesi Fevrier, a former CAPE student of the College,” the statement read. “We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, former classmates, and all those who knew and loved her.”

    Saint Joseph’s Convent, Fevrier’s alma mater for secondary education, also released a statement honoring her memory and offering support to her loved ones. “The Saint Joseph’s Convent community mourns the passing of our past student, Kesi Fevrier, Class of 2015,” the school shared. “We offer our sincere prayers and condolences to Kesi’s family and friends in Canada and at home. May she rest in eternal peace.”

    This latest loss marks an especially painful stretch for the Saint Joseph’s Convent community: Fevrier is the second former student the institution has lost in just four months to an alleged case of femicide. In May, the school community was already reeling from the death of 24-year-old Joy St. Omer, another former graduate who died violently.

    Beyond educational circles, the Saint Lucian diaspora in Ottawa is also processing the loss. The Saint Lucia Ottawa Association (SLOA), a community organization for Saint Lucians living in the region, confirmed Fevrier was an active contributing member of the association, serving on its Entertainment and Marketing Committee. SLOA President Marshall Celestin remembered Fevrier for her warm demeanor, contagious positive energy, and consistent willingness to step up and support the group and its members.

    “This tragedy has left us with profound sadness, disbelief, and grief,” the association said in a statement. “Words cannot fully express the pain of losing someone whose life held so much promise and whose journey had so much more to offer.” The organization added that Fevrier left a lasting, positive impact on everyone she met, and that her presence will be deeply missed across the entire Saint Lucian community both at home and abroad.

  • PG gelast opsporing Torilal voor moord en andere zware misdrijven

    PG gelast opsporing Torilal voor moord en andere zware misdrijven

    On August 26, Suriname police officially launched a public manhunt for Ryan Kenneth Torilal, a 42-year-old suspect connected to the high-profile disappearance of Rodney Leysner, Chief Commercial Officer of local beverage company Rudisa. The country’s prosecutor-general has ordered the immediate arrest and pre-trial arraignment of Torilal, who faces a slate of serious criminal charges including murder, manslaughter, intentional kidnapping, and participation in a organized criminal enterprise.

    Law enforcement has issued a critical public warning: Torilal is considered armed and an extreme flight risk. The official manhunt order was formally issued on Wednesday, just hours after Ishita Hunte, commissioner of the Police’s Heavy Crime Control Division (BZC), confirmed to reporters during a leadership press briefing that the manhunt process was in its final preparation stages.

    Per the official police warrant, Torilal, who was born in Paramaribo on August 20, 1984, is wanted for a series of felony offenses. Beyond participation in a criminal organization and the murder and manslaughter charges tied to Leysner’s disappearance, he is also suspected of aiding and abetting these crimes, committing aggravated assault with premeditation that resulted in death, unlawful deprivation of liberty, and harboring a criminal.

    The prosecutor-general has released three known residential addresses linked to Torilal, all located in Paramaribo: Galileistraat, Jansteenstraat, and Okerstraat.

    Investigators outlined that the suspect’s status shifted over the course of the probe. Hunte confirmed earlier Wednesday that Torilal was initially questioned as a person of interest, not a formal suspect, in the disappearance investigation. His classification was upgraded to suspect following new developments in the case, a change Hunte said was rooted in “the facts and circumstances at that stage” of the inquiry. She emphasized that police must complete a series of mandatory procedural steps before labeling an individual a formal suspect, and the same regulatory requirements apply to launching a public manhunt.

    Before a public manhunt can be authorized, sufficient evidence tying the person of interest to the crime must be gathered, and consultations with the Public Prosecution Service are required. Internal case review and targeted searches are always conducted before a public appeal for information is launched.

    To date, three other suspects have already been taken into custody and remanded in connection with the Leysner case. On Wednesday, a judge-commissioner formally validated the lawfulness of their detention.

    Suriname police are urging any member of the public with information about Torilal’s current whereabouts to contact the Capital Crimes Division directly at 403645 or 403252, reach the national police Command Center at 115, or visit the closest local police station to share details.

  • Caribbean Music Awards heads home, moves from New York to Trinidad & Tobago

    Caribbean Music Awards heads home, moves from New York to Trinidad & Tobago

    After three successful years hosted at Brooklyn’s iconic Kings Theatre in New York City, the annual Caribbean Music Awards (CMA) is making a landmark move: the fourth iteration of the celebration will take place September 19, 2026, at Port of Spain’s National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Trinidad and Tobago, marking the start of a new long-term vision for the event.

  • Missing Ocean-Monitoring Buoy Recovered in Barbuda as Met Office Warns Against Tampering

    Missing Ocean-Monitoring Buoy Recovered in Barbuda as Met Office Warns Against Tampering

    Authorities from the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service have successfully recovered one of three ocean observation buoys that vanished from its deployment site over the weekend. The recovered device was located along the coast of Barbuda, and inspection confirms it remained nearly undamaged through its unplanned displacement.

    These purpose-built monitoring buoys serve a critical public function: they collect continuous, real-time observational data on multiple key ocean and atmospheric variables, including significant wave height, ocean surface temperature, marine current speed and direction, and near-surface wind conditions. The data gathered by the network directly feeds into improving the accuracy of regional marine forecasts and general weather predictions, while also forming a foundational component of the country’s natural disaster early-warning systems for events like tropical storms and storm surges.

    In the wake of the recovery, the Meteorological Service has issued a formal public appeal. The agency emphasized that the entire buoy network counts as critical national infrastructure, and is asking all commercial mariners, small-scale fishers, and members of the general public to avoid moving, damaging, or tampering with any of the deployed buoys. Additionally, the service is calling on the public to report any suspicious activity involving the monitoring equipment directly to agency officials to prevent future losses or damage to the network.

  • Drie verdachten blijven vast; politie bereidt opsporing Ryan Torilal voor

    Drie verdachten blijven vast; politie bereidt opsporing Ryan Torilal voor

    Authorities in Suriname have confirmed that three suspects arrested in connection with the disappearance of Rudisa Chief Commercial Officer Rodney Leysner will remain in pre-trial custody. On Tuesday, a judge-commissioner validated the legality of their continued detention, marking the latest development in an ongoing high-profile investigation that has captured public attention.

    During a press conference held Tuesday, Eshita Hunte, commissioner heading the country’s Department for Combating Serious Crime (BZC), announced that law enforcement is currently preparing an official nationwide manhunt for Ryan Torilal, who has recently been formally classified as a suspect and remains at large. Hunte emphasized that the investigation is still in a critical, sensitive phase, and authorities are taking strict precautions to prevent premature leaks of information that could compromise the probe or the search for the fugitive. The press conference also marked the first public appearance of Suriname’s police leadership in the service’s new official uniform.

    Addressing the change in Torilal’s case status, Hunte explained that the individual was initially questioned only as a witness, with the classification upgrade to suspect coming as the investigation uncovered new evidence. “This adjustment is entirely based on the facts, circumstances, and the latest progress of the investigation,” Hunte stated, noting that formal suspect status is only granted after all required procedural steps are completed and sufficient evidence has been gathered.

    She added that the nationwide manhunt for Torilal is still moving through required official protocols, including mandatory consultations with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, internal documentation, and preliminary internal search arrangements. “The general manhunt is in development,” Hunte said. “It is only a matter of time before it is officially launched.”

    Hunte also pushed back against persistent unconfirmed rumors circulating on social media in recent days, stressing that investigators have not yet recovered Leysner’s body. What authorities have located is Leysner’s burned-out vehicle, which was recovered earlier in the investigation. Law enforcement continues to keep most details of the case confidential to protect the integrity of the investigation. “If there was any tangible progress toward solving this case, we would be eager to share that update with the public,” Hunte said, adding that police are equally invested in reaching a swift resolution to the case.

    When asked about the potential for international assistance in the investigation, Suriname’s police leadership confirmed that the Suriname Police Corps has not formally requested support from foreign law enforcement agencies to date. However, Hunte noted that Leysner’s family has launched independent initiatives to secure international help, and has maintained regular contact with local police to explore where official support for these efforts can be provided.

  • Police Urge Organizers to Reschedule Major Events During CHOGM 2026

    Police Urge Organizers to Reschedule Major Events During CHOGM 2026

    ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbua – August 26, 2026 – As the Caribbean nation prepares to welcome global leaders for the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda has issued a formal public appeal asking event organizers and industry stakeholders to adjust their plans for the end of October and early November. The law enforcement agency is calling on promoters, entertainment planners, and other event hosts to reschedule any large-scale gatherings currently slated to run between October 30 and November 5, the official dates of the upcoming high-profile summit.

    CHOGM, which brings together heads of government from across the Commonwealth bloc, will require a sweeping national security operation to protect all attendees and the general public. To deliver this safety mandate, a large share of the Royal Police Force’s personnel and critical security resources will be reassigned to CHOGM-specific duty for the duration of the event. Even with this rediversion of resources, the force remains obligated to uphold its core day-to-day responsibilities: continuing regular crime prevention work and maintaining essential community policing services across both Antigua and Barbuda.

    Against this resource allocation challenge, police administration is strongly encouraging organizers to hold off on submitting new permit applications for large entertainment and major public events during the CHOGM window. For events that have already been planned, officials are asking stakeholders to defer these gatherings to dates outside the October 30 to November 5 period wherever possible.

    In issuing the appeal, police leadership emphasized that they recognize the outsized social and economic contribution the events and entertainment sector makes to Antigua and Barbuda, and expressed gratitude in advance for the cooperation, flexibility and understanding expected from organizers, promoters and the general public as the nation hosts this landmark international gathering.