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  • Rebate system needs overhaul, dairy farmers say

    Rebate system needs overhaul, dairy farmers say

    As the Barbados dairy sector marks a major milestone, industry stakeholders are uniting in calls to modernize the country’s agricultural rebate scheme, amid growing worries over declining cattle genetics and fragmented collaboration between producers and industry groups. This week, producers, government regulators, and dairy sector leaders gathered at the Pine Hill Dairy Farmers Engagement Forum, held Thursday at the Radisson Aquatica Resort. Titled “The Next 60 – Shaping the Milk Production Industry in Barbados,” the event coincided with the 60th anniversary of the former state-owned dairy operation, bringing key industry challenges and untapped opportunities into focus.

    Arlie Connolly, Senior Agricultural Assistant at Barbados’ Ministry of Agriculture, laid out the details of the government’s current suite of incentives and rebates for dairy producers, noting that officials are moving forward with plans to boost outreach to ensure farmers know what support is available. “We have a really intensive, well-developed incentive package that most farmers do take advantage of… Earlier this year, Mr. James and I held a full planning meeting to roll out a public awareness campaign to promote these incentives more widely, and that’s still on our agenda. When it’s done, farmers will have a far clearer understanding of how the programme works,” Connolly explained.

    Among the most generous current incentives is a 40% rebate for dairy housing construction and upgrade costs, launched in 2024 as a two-year programme with a maximum rebate cap of $60,000. Despite the significant support on offer, Connolly admitted uptake has been extremely low, with the programme set to expire later this year. The broader scheme includes rebates for a range of critical farm investments, from cattle embryos and imported breeding livestock to milk parlour upgrades alongside the dairy housing support, but many older, underutilized incentives remain largely unclaimed by producers.

    Julia Holder, Dairy Farm Development Manager at Pine Hill Dairy, raised one of the most common pain points for producers: slow rebate disbursement, asking whether officials could introduce faster processing and staged reimbursements to get capital into farmers’ hands more quickly. Connolly explained that while the Ministry of Agriculture handles application reviews, all payments rely on fund releases from the Ministry of Finance, creating unavoidable delays even when applications are approved within a week of submission. Even so, he noted that the approval process has been streamlined in recent months, with a new tiered authorization system cutting down red tape that once required all applications to gain sign-off from the Permanent Secretary, slowing approvals dramatically.

    Local dairy farmer Paul Davis brought forward two key concerns: a lack of transparency and traceability in the current rebate system, leaving producers unable to match deposits in their bank accounts to specific incentive claims. “From where farmers stand, the entire system needs modernization. What we should get is an immediate acknowledgement of our application and a unique case number to track its progress – that’s just not available right now,” Davis said. He also highlighted gaps in the new heifer raising rebate, a programme designed to encourage producers to keep female calves for breeding instead of selling them early. “Several of us submitted applications months ago, and we’ve had no confirmation they were even received, no update on the status, and no timeline for when we might receive payment,” Davis explained, adding that poor communication between the different agencies managing the programme has left widespread confusion among producers.

    Patrick Butcher, Farm Manager at Victoria Farms, noted that the vast majority of dairy operations in the country still rely on manual record-keeping, creating a critical gap in reliable, verifiable farm data that holds the sector back. “With the exception of maybe one or two producers, almost all of our farm records are handwritten. A few of us, like Paul Davis who has used digital software successfully for years, have moved online, but the ministry and vet services have struggled to roll out digital systems across the sector. Right now, most information is passed verbally, and it’s impossible to verify accurately,” Butcher said.

    In a revealing note, Connolly shared that a 50% rebate for digital record-keeping tools and farm computer technology has actually been available to producers for more than two decades, having launched in 2001. The programme covers multi-user software licenses for farmers, requiring just six months of recorded data on farm computers to claim, but to date only Davis has ever taken advantage of the incentive.

    Another producer, McDonald Stevenson, pushed back on the mandatory electronic cattle identification chip requirement, arguing the process is unnecessarily complex and time-consuming, and that traditional physical tagging is still sufficient to identify individual animals. “I can tag my cows myself, any official can come any day and count my 20 heifers and match them to their tag numbers. The old system works just fine,” Stevenson said. Connolly defended the chip mandate, noting that digital identification enables full traceability in cases of theft or slaughter, a benefit traditional tags cannot provide. He did acknowledge that the requirements can be adjusted as the programme evolves, adding that officials have already opened discussions with Ministry of Finance teams to address the most pressing pain points in the wider rebate system.

    The forum comes as Barbados’ dairy sector looks to secure its long-term sustainability over the next 60 years, with widespread agreement that updating the rebate system to meet producer needs is a critical first step to boosting growth and addressing longstanding challenges like declining cattle genetics.

  • Cubaanse leerlingen op school: ‘Ze doen alleen mee met rekenen’

    Cubaanse leerlingen op school: ‘Ze doen alleen mee met rekenen’

    Since 2020, Suriname has recorded a net inflow of more than 40,000 Cuban migrants, a wave of relocation that has created unforeseen strains on the South American nation’s public education system and social cohesion. Most of these new arrivals lack formal residency documentation, and because official population registration remains incomplete, authorities cannot confirm exactly how many school-aged Cuban children are currently residing in the country. What is clear, local educators say, is that integrating large numbers of Spanish-only speaking migrant children into Suriname’s Dutch-medium education system has emerged as a major unaddressed challenge.

    Merredith Hoogdorp, a primary school teacher and board member of the Surinamese teachers’ union Wi Sa Strei, explained that the first major obstacle begins with classroom placement. Without official school records or age verification documents to draw from, children are often placed into grades that do not match their actual developmental level. Hoogdorp cited the example of a 15-year-old Cuban boy who was assigned to a fifth-grade class – where all other students are between 9 and 10 years old – because he had no documentation to prove his age or prior education.

    Beyond placement mismatches, many educators report widespread reluctance among Cuban migrant children to learn Dutch, the official language of instruction in Suriname. Hoogdorp described her repeated efforts to teach basic Dutch vocabulary to the 15-year-old student, only to be met with silence and disengagement. To date, the student has been held back a grade, as he only participates in mathematics lessons and cannot engage with other coursework taught in Dutch.

    Not all public schools have adopted a passive approach: some campus in northern Paramaribo have taken it upon themselves to adapt curricula for Spanish-speaking students, translating lesson materials and administering assessments in Spanish to help migrant children keep up. Educators at these schools take on this extra workload voluntarily, but Hoogdorp argues that this ad-hoc solution is unsustainable. She notes that Surinamese teachers already receive inadequate pay, and there is no additional compensation for the extra work of translating materials or learning Spanish to support migrant students. Hoogdorp is calling on the Ministry of Education to implement a formal, coordinated strategy to address the crisis rather than leaving individual teachers to bear the burden.

    In response to the gap in public education support for Spanish-speaking migrant children, a new independent facility, the Educational Center – Reparador de Sueños School, recently opened its doors. The school, accredited by Suriname’s Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, primarily serves primary school-aged children from migrant backgrounds. Director Lyolexis Vázquez confirmed that the largest student cohort comes from Cuba, with additional enrolled students from Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Peru. Currently, nearly 100 children between the ages of 3 and 13 attend the school, which delivers most core instruction in students’ native Spanish.

    The new school also offers mandatory Dutch classes, as well as coursework on Surinamese geography and history, to support gradual integration. Vázquez explained that the school was founded to fill a critical educational vacuum created by the influx of migration: as Dutch is the official language of public education in Suriname, Spanish-speaking children face overwhelming barriers to accessing consistent learning in the public system. “Our model acts as a linguistic bridge, allowing children to continue their academic development in their mother tongue while they gradually acclimate to and integrate into Surinamese society,” Vázquez said.

    The language barrier extends beyond the education system and has contributed to social tensions between long-term Surinamese residents and new Cuban migrants. Many Surinamese have expressed frustration that many Cuban arrivals appear unwilling to learn Dutch or the local creole language Sranantongo. Jose, a young Cuban fruit seller who has lived in Suriname for seven years with his entire family, is an outlier: he speaks fluent Sranantongo and Dutch. A Cuban nail technician in Paramaribo told reporters she is embarrassed by the behavior of many of her compatriots, saying “It is unacceptable to come to Suriname, enter Surinamese people’s homes and workplaces, and refuse to learn their language.”

    Cultural differences, often exacerbated by language barriers and lack of context, have also created friction. One Surinamese business owner noted that many Cuban migrants are accustomed to throwing toilet paper in the trash rather than flushing it, a practice rooted in inadequate sewage and water infrastructure in Cuba that many Surinamers do not understand. This small cultural difference has already led to workplace irritation between colleagues.

    Compounding these social and educational challenges is the absence of clear national policy for Cuban and other migrant groups. As a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Suriname allows free entry for citizens of other CARICOM member states, and integration courses are not mandatory for new arrivals. The government also lacks a centralized, complete system to track who enters the country, leaving authorities without accurate data on the full scope of migration.

    Similarly, there is no official data on the share of crime in Suriname that can be attributed to Cuban migrants. Recent high-profile headlines have linked Cuban suspects to armed robbery, murder, and human trafficking cases, but the Surinamese Police Corps has not released any aggregated statistics on criminal activity among the Cuban migrant population, leaving public perceptions unmoored from verifiable data. This report was produced with support from the Suriname Journalism Stimulation Fund.

  • STATEMENT: Electoral Office on ongoing Voter Confirmation Process

    STATEMENT: Electoral Office on ongoing Voter Confirmation Process

    Dominica’s Electoral Office has released an updated progress report on the ongoing national Voter Confirmation Process, detailing steady advances in application processing and sharing new data on completed verifications. As of the latest official update from late May 2026, roughly 17,000 registered electors have already submitted their confirmation applications to the office. Of these submissions, more than 11,000 have successfully cleared the agency’s rigorous multi-step vetting process and received formal approval. The remaining applications are currently moving through different stages of background verification and administrative review, office officials confirmed.

    The Electoral Office has outlined that the stringent verification process occasionally requires applicants to take additional steps before their submissions can be approved. In some cases, electors are asked to resubmit incomplete supporting documentation, retake low-quality identification photos, or provide additional clarification on discrepancies in their application information. Officials also noted that a small share of applications may ultimately be rejected if they fail to meet the process’s mandatory eligibility and documentation requirements.

    Despite initial concerns from both the Electoral Office itself and members of the public about slow approval speeds earlier in the rollout, the agency reports that processing efficiency has improved dramatically in recent weeks. A series of targeted operational adjustments were rolled out to address bottlenecks in the workflow, and these changes have already delivered substantial gains in the rate of verified and approved applications. The steady upward trend in completed approvals has left the office encouraged by the process’s current trajectory.

    In the official statement, the Electoral Office emphasized that the Voter Confirmation Process is a foundational initiative for modernizing the country’s democratic infrastructure and upholding greater transparency in electoral administration. Because of this critical role, every application receives thorough, careful review across all processing stages to ensure maximum accuracy and attention to detail, officials said. A recorded audio update from Chief Elections Officer Anthea Joseph, which includes more detailed breakdown of the latest confirmation figures and ongoing process improvements, has been made publicly available alongside the written statement.

  • OECS Advances Plans for Independent Aircraft Accident Investigation Unit

    OECS Advances Plans for Independent Aircraft Accident Investigation Unit

    The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is making significant progress toward launching the Eastern Caribbean’s first independent regional aircraft accident and incident investigation unit, a transformative infrastructure project that aviation leaders say will overhaul regional safety protocols and cut reliance on outside expertise. The development was formally announced by Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) Director General Anthony Whittier, who made the disclosure Thursday during the opening ceremony for ECCAA’s newly expanded headquarters at Antigua and Barbuda’s V.C. Bird International Airport.

    According to Whittier, the ambitious regional initiative has secured steady backing from the government of France as the ECCAA moves through the final stages of planning and preparation. Unlike existing investigative structures that tie probes to aviation regulators or industry operators, the new unit will operate as a fully independent body, tasked with conducting impartial probes into all aircraft accidents and incidents across participating member states.

    To build a skilled, localized investigative team, the ECCAA has already identified qualified investigator candidates from two OECS member states: Dominica and St. Kitts and Nevis. The project has also earned formal backing from the government of Dominica, which has agreed to integrate the unit’s permanent headquarters into the country’s landmark new international airport development currently under construction. The new Dominica airport is on track to open in 2027, and Whittier confirmed the investigation facility will be housed on its campus once completed.

    Aviation industry analysts frame the new unit as a pivotal milestone for Eastern Caribbean aviation governance. For decades, the OECS region has depended almost entirely on external assistance to conduct accident investigations, a gap that delayed response times and created barriers to aligning with global safety standards. The dedicated, regionally based investigative capacity will eliminate that gap, allowing for faster, more context-aware probes that directly support ongoing safety improvements across the bloc.

    The investigation unit forms a core pillar of the ECCAA’s broader organizational modernization strategy, which Whittier outlined in detail during his Thursday address. Beyond the new investigative body, the authority is advancing multiple initiatives to upgrade regional aviation: expanding technical training programs for aviation staff, building out robust cybersecurity defenses to protect critical aviation infrastructure, strengthening oversight of aerodrome operations across member states, and coordinating preparations for an upcoming reassessment by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The reassessment is tied to the region’s ongoing bid to regain FAA Category 1 status, a designation that unlocks expanded commercial air travel access to the United States.

    Currently, the ECCAA provides civil aviation safety regulation and oversight for six OECS member states, and has steadily expanded its regional influence in recent years through expanded training partnerships, international collaborative agreements, and the launch of specialized aviation safety initiatives. Whittier emphasized that the creation of the independent investigation unit is more than an infrastructure project: it is a clear demonstration of growing integration and cooperation across the Eastern Caribbean, and a tangible commitment to meeting the strictest international aviation safety standards while protecting passengers and industry stakeholders across the region.

  • Antigua to Host Largest Regional Civil Aviation Conference Next Week

    Antigua to Host Largest Regional Civil Aviation Conference Next Week

    Next week, Antigua and Barbuda will open its doors to the biggest civil aviation gathering in the Eastern Caribbean, an event that brings together a wide cross-section of aviation industry stakeholders to address cutting-edge innovation and evolving regulatory strategies for the fast-transforming sector. The announcement was made by Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) Director General Anthony Whittier during the official opening ceremony of ECCAA’s newly expanded headquarters this past Thursday.

    Whittier emphasized that the core mission of the upcoming conference is to explore how aviation regulators and industry players can proactively adapt to the sector’s accelerating technological shifts and the rise of new aviation operating models. Among the central topics on the conference agenda, he highlighted, will be the growing adoption of regulatory sandboxes as a framework for governing emerging industry developments.

    Explaining the value of this regulatory approach, Whittier noted that regulatory sandboxes have gained global traction in recent years as a flexible tool that enables aviation authorities to safely test and evaluate new technologies, business structures, and operational concepts before integrating them into formal, permanent regulatory rules. This approach, he argued, addresses a critical need for the modern aviation sector, which is evolving at a pace never seen before, requiring oversight bodies to evolve alongside the industry they regulate.

    “Aviation itself is changing, and therefore, as we are the oversight body for aviation, we also must change and adapt,” Whittier told attendees of the headquarters opening. Drawing on his decades of experience in the sector, he pointed to the dramatic technological transformation that has reshaped aviation operations over the course of his career: what once relied on large physical workshops, paper-based procedural manuals and outdated legacy systems has now been fully replaced by integrated digital technologies and far more efficient aircraft operating systems.

    Today, Whittier explained, ECCAA increasingly receives proposals for new activities and concepts that do not fit cleanly into the region’s existing regulatory frameworks. These range from novel emerging aviation concepts to growing recreational aviation operations, and regulators can no longer dismiss these developments simply because they are not already covered by existing rules. “We can no longer turn them away and say, ‘Well, it’s not in our regulations,’” he said. “What we have to do is use some of the tools of innovation in order to address these things in a safe manner and therefore promote aviation growth and expansion in the Eastern Caribbean region.”

    The conference is being held as ECCAA advances a broad slate of modernization initiatives across the region. These include new cybersecurity programs to protect aviation digital infrastructure, ongoing efforts to certify aerodromes to international standards, expanded technical training programs for regional aviation personnel, and preparations for an upcoming reassessment by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The reassessment is tied to the Eastern Caribbean region’s broader goal of regaining FAA Category 1 status, a designation that supports expanded international air connectivity.

    Industry officials note that the upcoming gathering will create a critical collaborative space for regulators, commercial aviation operators, and independent industry experts to work together to identify pathways that allow the region to safely embrace innovation while upholding the strict international aviation safety standards that underpin global connectivity and public trust.

  • Man granted bail after denying assault, threat charges

    Man granted bail after denying assault, threat charges

    A 29-year-old man from St. George has been released on $3,000 bail following a court appearance this week, where he pleaded not guilty to a series of serious charges connected to an incident with law enforcement in Barbados earlier this year. Darren Ian Johnson, who resides in the Middleton neighborhood of the parish, entered not guilty pleas to all four counts brought against him by the prosecution. The charges stem from a May 27 altercation at the Constitution River Terminal, a busy public location in the capital Bridgetown.

    The first two counts relate to Johnson’s interaction with Sergeant Jerison of the Barbados Police Service: he is accused of resisting the officer while the sergeant was carrying out his official law enforcement duties, and intentionally assaulting the officer in a manner that caused actual bodily harm. Third, Johnson is charged with using threatening language toward the sergeant, specifically telling the officer that he would kill him if the sergeant placed hands on him. Prosecutors allege this statement was made with the explicit intent of making the officer believe immediate unlawful violence would be used against him. The final count accuses Johnson of illegally carrying an offensive weapon in a public space: prosecutors say he was in possession of a flick knife without lawful permission or any reasonable justification.

    During Wednesday’s court hearing, no objections to bail were raised by the prosecution, leading the judge to grant Johnson bail set at $3,000. The defendant is represented by local defense attorney Neville Reid. The case has been adjourned to allow for further procedural preparation, with the next court date scheduled for September 2.

  • NISSS clarifies no transaction fees for self-employed payments

    NISSS clarifies no transaction fees for self-employed payments

    Growing public confusion surrounding transaction fees for national insurance contributions has prompted the National Insurance and Social Security Service (NISSS) to issue a formal clarification addressing widespread misconceptions that emerged after the rollout of its updated digital payment options for self-employed workers.

    In an official statement released to media outlets, the agency emphasized that no contribution transaction fees of any kind are charged to self-employed contributors, regardless of whether they submit payments in person at physical offices, through the digital Surepay platform, or via the EZpay+ service. To resolve the most common point of misunderstanding, NISSS explained that the $0.30 per-transaction convenience fee charged by Surepay only applies to over-the-counter cash and cheque transactions, and this small charge never applies to self-employed national insurance contribution payments processed through the platform.

    The statement also drew a clear distinction between third-party convenience fees and legislated retroactive contribution surcharges, a second point that sparked public discussion. Under the terms of the National Insurance and Social Security (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, a 5% annual statutory surcharge is mandatory for all retroactive contributions covering previous income years. This surcharge applies equally to all payment methods, both in-person and digital, and is not a fee imposed by NISSS itself, but a legal requirement laid out in legislation.

    To illustrate how the surcharge works, NISSS provided concrete examples for contributors: for the 2025 income year, the 5% surcharge will only apply to contributions submitted after January 15, 2026. For 2024 income year contributions, a 10% cumulative surcharge (two years of 5% annual increases) will apply to any payments made after the same January 15, 2026 deadline.

    For the upcoming 2026 income year, the agency confirmed that the regular payment window runs from January 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, and no retroactive surcharge will apply to any contributions submitted within this period.

    In additional news related to payment infrastructure, NISSS announced that it is on track to join the second phase of the BIMpay digital payment platform next month. The agency has been working closely with the Central Bank of Barbados to meet all technical and regulatory requirements needed to process contribution payments and disburse benefit payments through the new system. Further details about the onboarding process and available features will be released to the public once preparations are finalized.

  • Regional music rights organization to hold 15th Annual General Meeting in June

    Regional music rights organization to hold 15th Annual General Meeting in June

    The Eastern Caribbean Collective Organisation for Music Rights (ECCO) Inc., a regional collective management group that represents music creators and rights holders across the subregion, has formally announced plans to host its 15th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in St. Lucia next month. In a public press release issued by the organization, officials confirmed that the in-person gathering will be complemented by a virtual participation option for members who cannot travel to the host venue, allowing remote attendance via the Zoom video conferencing platform.

    Founded to bring together music writers and publishers from across the Eastern Caribbean, ECCO’s core mandate is to manage global music copyright licensing for public and commercial use across all broadcast and digital platforms. The organization collects royalties on behalf of its member creators and rightsholders, ensuring that creators are compensated fairly when their work is performed or reproduced publicly.

    While a range of operational and strategic governance matters will be addressed during the one-day AGM, the most high-stakes item on the meeting’s agenda is a set of leadership elections to fill vacant board director positions across multiple regional territories and membership classifications. The open seats span all corners of the Eastern Caribbean: one Writer/Director position each will be contested for Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Additionally, five Writer Director seats and two Publisher Director seats representing host territory St. Lucia will be up for election.

    ECCO has outlined clear deadlines and requirements for members seeking to stand for the open director positions. All completed nomination forms must be submitted to the organization’s headquarters located at Maurice Mason Avenue, Sans Souci, Castries, Saint Lucia no later than 10:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Submissions may be delivered either in person to the office or sent electronically to the dedicated email address [email protected] Per ECCO’s rules, every nomination form must carry the signatures of both the nominating member (a writer or publisher matching the nominee’s classification) and the nominee themselves, as formal confirmation that the candidate agrees to serve on the board if elected.

    For members who plan to miss the AGM entirely, whether in person or virtually, the organization has also set rules for proxy voting. To allow an authorized representative to vote and conduct business on their behalf during the meeting, completed proxy forms must be submitted to the ECCO office — either physically or via email — by 10:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, June 18, 2026, one day after the nomination deadline.

    The AGM is officially scheduled to kick off at 10:00 a.m. local time on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the Burke King Conference Room in Castries’ Sans Souci district. Meeting organizers confirmed that registered virtual attendees will receive their unique Zoom access link after completing their registration for the event.

  • Antigua and Barbuda to Pray for Safe Hurricane Season at National Thanksgiving Service

    Antigua and Barbuda to Pray for Safe Hurricane Season at National Thanksgiving Service

    As the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season approaches, the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda is uniting communities through faith and preparedness, scheduling a national Thanksgiving church service this Sunday to mark the start of the high-risk weather period. Even with leading meteorological agencies predicting a milder than average storm season, weather experts are continuing to emphasize that all residents must maintain caution and complete pre-season emergency preparations.

    The Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service has formally extended an open invitation to all residents to attend the 2026 National Hurricane Season Thanksgiving Church Service, scheduled for 4 p.m. local time on May 31 at the Bible Speaks Seventh-day Adventist Church. This annual gathering carries the 2026 theme “A Nation Prepared, A People Protected”, designed to weave together spiritual faith, collective gratitude, and public awareness of hurricane readiness as the country enters the official June 1 to November 30 storm window.

    Event organizers note that the intercessory service will give worshippers and community members space to express gratitude for safety in past seasons, seek divine guidance, and pray for widespread protection over the coming months of active weather. This yearly tradition is a core component of Antigua and Barbuda’s holistic hurricane preparedness strategy, aligned with practical public safety campaigns across the Caribbean’s hurricane-prone zones.

    The lead-up to this year’s service comes alongside a new forecast from the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which projects a below-normal 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. NOAA’s official outlook estimates 8 to 14 named storms will form over the season, with 3 to 6 strengthening into full hurricanes, and 1 to 3 reaching Category 3 status or higher — classified as major hurricanes that bring catastrophic wind and storm surge damage.

    According to NOAA’s probability breakdown, there is a 55% likelihood of the season falling below historical activity averages, a 35% chance of near-normal activity, and just a 10% chance of an above-average, highly active season. Forecasters attribute the projected reduced activity to the expected development of El Niño conditions in the Pacific, which are known to create wind patterns that suppress tropical storm formation and strengthening across the Atlantic basin.

    Even with this encouraging long-term outlook, senior weather officials have repeatedly stressed that a lower projected number of storms does not erase the threat of destructive hurricane landfalls. A single powerful hurricane hitting a vulnerable coastal community can cause widespread loss of life, destroy infrastructure, and disrupt livelihoods for years, regardless of how many other storms form over the full season.

    In line with this warning, meteorological and emergency management experts across the Caribbean continue to urge all residents of at-risk areas to update their household emergency plans, stock up on non-perishable food, water, medical supplies and other critical emergency goods, and remain alert for official weather updates throughout the entire hurricane season. The national Thanksgiving service, organizers say, reinforces this message of proactive preparation while bringing communities together in collective hope ahead of the storm season.

  • Tropical Weather Outlook: Friday, 29 May 2026 (8 am)

    Tropical Weather Outlook: Friday, 29 May 2026 (8 am)

    Meteorological authorities from the Meteorological Services, MBIA, in partnership with the Grenada Airports Authority (GAA), have issued an official update on tropical weather activity across the Tropical North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. The forecast highlights a developing tropical wave marked for monitoring within the zone of special interest spanning 10 – 20 °N latitude and 40 – 65 °W longitude.

    The system, a broad tropical wave, currently sits with its central axis along 51°W, positioned south of 15°N. As of the latest advisory, the disturbance sits roughly 628 nautical miles east of the Lesser Antilles island chain, tracking steadily westward at a forward speed of between 15 and 20 knots. Following current trajectory models, the wave is on track to reach the island of Grenada between Saturday evening and early Sunday morning. Forecasts predict the system will bring increased cloud cover and scattered to widespread showers across the island during that window.

    Beyond this monitored disturbance, forecasters confirm that no additional tropical cyclone development is anticipated across the entire monitoring basin over the next 48 hours. The next official advisory update on the tropical wave’s progress is scheduled for release at 2 pm local time.

    This public weather advisory is issued by the combined Meteorological Services, MBIA and Grenada Airports Authority, with distribution via NOW Grenada. NOW Grenada notes it assumes no responsibility for contributor content included in public advisories, and invites users to report any suspected content violations through official platform channels.