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  • Diplomaten versterken Chinese taalvaardigheid in jubileumjaar betrekkingen met China

    Diplomaten versterken Chinese taalvaardigheid in jubileumjaar betrekkingen met China

    On July 21, a cohort of Surinamese diplomats and civil servants marked a key milestone in bilateral cooperation with China, successfully graduating from a foundational Mandarin language training course organized as part of 50th anniversary celebrations of diplomatic relations between the two nations. The three-month program was initiated by Suriname’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation (BIS) as part of its ongoing push to professionalize the country’s diplomatic corps and deepen people-to-people and institutional ties with Beijing.

    Speaking at the closing ceremony, Miriam Mac Intosh, Director of the BIS, emphasized that language proficiency is an irreplaceable tool for modern diplomatic practice. She noted that Mandarin skills will directly improve mutual understanding between Surinamese and Chinese counterparts, simplify on-site visits, streamline negotiation processes, and smooth daily working interactions between the two sides. Mac Intosh also encouraged all course participants to continue refining their Mandarin skills in their future diplomatic work.

    Chinese Ambassador to Suriname Lin Ji echoed this view, noting that language learning acts as a people-to-people bridge connecting the two nations. The successful completion of this foundational course, he said, lays a solid foundation for advancing and deepening the comprehensive cooperation between China and Suriname in all sectors.

    Gardel Jong a Ten, Vice President of the local Confucius Institute, which partnered to deliver the training, contextualized the course within the framework of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Beyond basic language instruction, the program also integrated modules introducing participants to core elements of Chinese culture, including traditional festivals and cultural customs. Jong a Ten announced that the institute will continue rolling out new language training programs and cultural exchange activities for Surinamese institutions and the general public in the coming months.

    Surinamese Foreign Minister Melvin Bouva added that boosting professional capacity among the country’s diplomatic workforce is one of his top policy priorities. Through the Suriname Diplomatic Institute, the ministry is investing heavily in expanding the knowledge base, technical skills, and intercultural competence of Surinamese diplomatic staff, to equip them to effectively represent Suriname’s interests in an increasingly interconnected global landscape.

    Bouva framed the Mandarin course as a tangible example of this capacity-building strategy in action, describing languages as “powerful instruments of diplomacy” that foster open dialogue, strengthen mutual understanding, and advance constructive international cooperation. The closing ceremony concluded with a creative showcase from participants, who demonstrated their new language skills and cultural knowledge through performances of traditional Chinese songs and original sketch comedy.

  • Glasgow Sports Ministers’ Meeting to Shape Commonwealth Sport Talks in Antigua and Barbuda

    Glasgow Sports Ministers’ Meeting to Shape Commonwealth Sport Talks in Antigua and Barbuda

    Global sports governance and cross-nation collaboration will take center stage in Glasgow, Scotland, when the 12th Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting (CSMM) convenes on July 22, 2026, timed to coincide with the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Convened one day ahead of the Games’ official Opening Ceremony, the high-level gathering will bring together cabinet ministers from all 56 Commonwealth member nations to align on actionable, shared priorities that leverage sport as a tool to advance inclusive development, cross-border peace, and widespread economic prosperity across the bloc.

    Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey will join attending ministers, key global sporting partners, and leading international sports industry figures for the three-day talks. Discussion topics will center on how sport can accelerate progress across public health outcomes and improved governance frameworks, advance gender equality and broader social inclusion, and unlock new targeted investment to build more resilient national economies through strengthened cross-sector partnerships.

    In remarks previewing the upcoming gathering, Secretary-General Botchwey emphasized sport’s unique role as one of the Commonwealth’s most valuable shared resources. “Sport transcends borders, cultures, and generational divides, fostering excellence, discipline, and shared values that reinforce stronger, more connected communities,” she noted. “As ministers gather in Glasgow and athletes prepare to compete at the 2026 Games, this meeting marks a critical chance to map out how sport can deliver tangible, life-changing benefits for our 2.7 billion citizens – particularly young people, women and girls, and persons living with disabilities. This work extends far beyond elite competition: through this meeting, we are harnessing sport’s transformative power to build a more inclusive, resilient and prosperous Commonwealth.”

    The 12th CSMM will be chaired by Maree Todd MSP, the Scottish Government’s Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Public Health, Sport, Alcohol and Drugs, and will operate under the overarching theme “Reimagining the power of sport: towards healthier, fairer and equitable Commonwealth communities.”

    Todd expressed Scotland’s enthusiasm for welcoming the global delegation to Glasgow, noting that the talks will draw on Scotland’s own domestic policy priorities for sport and physical activity, including closing persistent participation gaps and leveraging sport to improve population-level public health outcomes. “This gathering is about turning collective ambition into coordinated action,” Todd said. “I look forward to working alongside fellow ministers to ensure sport delivers lasting, positive change for communities across every corner of the Commonwealth.”

    During the meeting, delegates will conduct a formal review of progress on previously agreed Commonwealth sport priorities, and consider a new, more structured framework for boosting cross-member collaboration and impact that extends beyond the 2026 Glasgow Games. This roadmap will cover upcoming major Commonwealth sporting events, including the 2027 Commonwealth Youth Games in Malta and the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Amdavad.

    Complementing the official ministerial talks, the Commonwealth Gather, Adjust, Prepare, Sustain (GAPS) initiative will host a dedicated camp on July 21, 2026 at the University of the West of Scotland, bringing together athletes, ministers, and sporting stakeholders to advance collaborative action on sport-driven inclusive development. Secretary-General Botchwey will also attend the 2026 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony and present medals on the first day of competition.

    Outcomes from the 12th CSMM will also provide a foundational framework for sport-focused policy discussions at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, scheduled to take place in Antigua and Barbuda in November 2026.

  • World Cup fever fuels Tipsy’s All White Party night of celebration

    World Cup fever fuels Tipsy’s All White Party night of celebration

    Long before the first musical note reverberated through the sprawling grounds of Barbados’ National Botanical Gardens, crowds of excited attendees were already streaming through the gates for the highly anticipated Tipsy All White World Cup Watch Party, hosted by Tipsy Music Festival. As guests arrived, uniformed security personnel conducted thorough entry checks to ensure a safe, smooth experience for all in attendance, with event photographers capturing the early buzz of the gathering. Attendees, many dressed in crisp white attire as requested by the event theme, gathered around two large outdoor screens, their eyes fixed on the live football match between Spain and Argentina. The crowd roared with every tackle, cheered on every near-goal, and leaned in collectively during tense moments of play, their shared passion for the sport creating an electric sense of community across the gardens. When the final whistle blew, securing a narrow 1-0 victory for Spain, the entire venue erupted in celebration, with cheers and applause rolling across the greenery that served as a scenic backdrop for the event. What had started as a dedicated football viewing experience quickly shifted into a full-scale night of entertainment, blending the thrill of international sports with the signature high-energy ambiance that Tipsy events have grown famous for. Excitement from the match melted seamlessly into pulsating music, and attendees traded their seats on the lawn for open dance space, turning the watch party into the perfect opening act for a night of socializing, dancing, and festive fun under the stars.

  • Beyond the Dollar: A Young Caribbean Finance Student’s Reflection on Understanding Money in a Changing World

    Beyond the Dollar: A Young Caribbean Finance Student’s Reflection on Understanding Money in a Changing World

    For most people, money is a constant presence in daily life, yet few take the time to unpack the full range of forces that shape how we interact with it. From earning a paycheck to covering monthly expenses, setting aside savings, or taking on loans, we make countless monetary choices every day. But behind every one of those choices lies far more than simple arithmetic: our relationship with money is molded by psychological biases, deeply held emotional beliefs, broader economic structures, and the unique social and environmental context we live in.

    As a final-year banking and finance student and youth leader based in the Caribbean, my perspective on money has expanded far beyond the textbook formulas, spreadsheets, and balance sheets that form the core of formal finance education. Over time, I have come to see that money is far more than a neutral economic tool: it is a mirror that reflects collective human behavior, the structural inequalities and systems that shape our societies, and the cumulative choices that will define the long-term trajectory of our shared future.

    Reading Morgan Housel’s acclaimed work *The Psychology of Money* proved to be a turning point in how I frame questions of personal and regional finance. The most impactful takeaway from the book is that money management is never a purely mathematical exercise. While core concepts like interest rates, valuation models, and macroeconomic theory certainly hold value, how people actually handle their money is far more heavily influenced by their lived experiences, core personal beliefs, unspoken emotional impulses, and unique individual circumstances.

    This insight leads to a pressing question for young people across the Caribbean region: do we truly recognize and understand the full spectrum of forces that shape our everyday financial choices?

    Mainstream conversations about financial literacy typically frame the concept as nothing more than mastering basic practical skills: creating a household budget, building a emergency savings fund, or picking investment assets. These skills are undeniably essential, but genuine financial awareness extends far beyond individual personal money management. It requires a holistic understanding of how capital flows through local and national economies, and how regional and global economic events ripple out to alter the daily circumstances of ordinary households and businesses.

    For small island developing states across the Caribbean, this nuanced understanding is not just helpful—it is critical. Regional economies are disproportionately vulnerable to external economic pressures: volatile global inflation, shifting global demand for key exports, sudden exchange rate swings, skyrocketing commodity prices, and widespread international economic uncertainty all hit harder in small, open markets. A spike in global fuel prices, a disruption to regional supply chains, or a shift in major global central bank interest rates can directly raise costs for households, strain small business margins, and upend government budget plans across the region.

    The rapid spread of financial technology has only amplified the urgency of expanding public financial awareness. Digital banking platforms, contactless mobile payments, and fully cashless transaction ecosystems have transformed how Caribbean people interact with their money, bringing unprecedented convenience and access to financial services for unbanked and underbanked communities. But these transformative innovations also come with new responsibilities. The frictionless nature of digital spending makes it far too easy for people to lose sight of their spending patterns and overextend their finances without intentional awareness of their choices.

    The recent global wave of persistent inflation has also driven home how critical it is to understand the changing nature of money’s value. Across the Caribbean, households of all income levels have struggled with steep rising costs for non-negotiable essentials: food, public and private transportation, housing, and basic household services. These ongoing cost shifts serve as a constant reminder that the purchasing power of money is not fixed, and a working understanding of how inflation erodes value is essential to making sustainable financial choices.

    For small island economies like those across the Caribbean, building long-term economic resilience to external shocks is a core national priority. Unforeseen events, from global economic recessions to climate-driven natural disasters to escalating geopolitical tensions, can deliver outsized damage to regional economies that lack the scale to absorb sudden disruptions. That makes cultivating a population of financially aware citizens not just a matter of personal responsibility, but a foundational pillar of stronger, more resilient regional societies.

    This conversation about expanding financial awareness is not intended to judge or criticize how individual people choose to spend their money. Instead, its core goal is to encourage broader curiosity, intentional awareness, and responsible decision-making around money. Developing a full understanding of money requires acknowledging both its technical, numbers-driven side and its deeply human, behavior-driven roots, as well as the broader economic systems that shape our communities and the internal biases that drive our individual choices.

    The next generation of Caribbean leaders will go on to fill every role that shapes regional economic outcomes: they will found new businesses, manage investment portfolios, write national economic policy, and make key decisions that shape the future of the region. Their collective ability to understand the full complexity of money will directly shape the long-term trajectory of Caribbean economies.

    At the end of the day, money is far more than what we earn in a paycheck or spend on goods and services. It is an interconnected system shaped by people, public institutions, government policies, and cumulative collective decisions. By cultivating a deeper, more holistic understanding of that system, young people across the Caribbean can make more informed choices for their own futures and contribute to building stronger, more economically resilient region for generations to come.

  • Passport Power Doubles as Global Peace Declines

    Passport Power Doubles as Global Peace Declines

    This year marks two decades since the launch of the Henley Passport Index, and its 20th anniversary edition lays bare a striking global paradox: while cross-border travel freedom has expanded dramatically across the past 20 years, worsening geopolitical conflict has created a wider gap than ever between the world’s most and least mobile citizens. When the index first launched in 2006, the average passport granted visa-free access to just 58 global destinations. Today, that number has nearly doubled to 108, a statistic that underscores how profoundly global mobility has grown over two decades.

    This expansion of travel freedom comes against a sharply contrasting backdrop from the also 20th anniversary Global Peace Index, released by the Institute for Economics & Peace. This year’s edition of the peace index paints the grimmest picture of global stability in its history. The world currently hosts more state-based conflicts than at any point since World War II, marking the 12th consecutive year that global peacefulness has declined. Out of the 163 nations measured, 119 are less peaceful today than they were in 2008, and 103 countries have participated in an external conflict over the past five years — almost twice the number recorded when the index launched.

    Despite this increasingly fractured geopolitical landscape, data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) confirms that international mobility continues to evolve and expand. At the top of the 2026 Henley Passport Index, Singapore retains its title as the world’s most powerful passport, offering its citizens visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 192 global destinations. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) claims second place, tied with Japan and South Korea, with access to 188 destinations.

    Notable shifts among top-ranked nations include the United Kingdom, which climbed one spot to 6th place so far this year after securing new visa-free access agreements for its citizens with China and Malawi. Canada also rose one position to 7th following similar reciprocal visa-waiver gains. The United States, by contrast, remains stuck in 10th place, and is one of the only high-ranked passports whose citizens still require a pre-travel visa to enter China.

    The UAE’s dramatic rise through the rankings over 20 years stands out as one of the index’s most remarkable success stories. It has recorded the largest improvement of any nation in the index’s 20-year history, adding 153 visa-free destinations and climbing from the middle of the rankings to the top tier. This transformation serves as a vivid case study of how consistent diplomatic outreach and intentional international cooperation can reshape a nation’s global mobility standing.

    Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and creator of the Henley Passport Index, notes that the two 20-year datasets reveal a fundamental shift in how global power is expressed. “Twenty years of data show that passport power is one of the clearest expressions of a country’s geopolitical capital. It reflects far more than peace or prosperity alone. The world’s strongest passports belong to nations that other countries want as partners — for trade, investment, security, or cooperation. Mobility is ultimately a measure of the value other countries place on their relationship with you,” Kaelin explained.

    Across the board, global travel freedom has grown significantly over two decades. In 2006, the world’s strongest passports (held by the U.S., Denmark, and Finland) granted access to 130 visa-free destinations. Today, Singapore’s top ranking delivers access to 192 destinations. But this broad expansion has come with a sharp widening of the gap between the world’s most and least mobile citizens. In 2006, Afghanistan sat at the bottom of the index with just 12 visa-free destinations, creating an 118-destination gap between top and bottom. Today, Afghanistan remains last with only 22 destinations, pushing the gap to a record 170 destinations. Remarkably, Bolivia is the only nation in the world to have recorded a net loss of visa-free access over 20 years, dropping six destinations; every other ranking has improved.

    The makeup of the world’s top mobility elite has shifted dramatically since 2006, when the U.S. held first place and the U.K. ranked third. Two decades later, the U.S. is 10th and the U.K. is 6th, marking a clear long-term reallocation of mobility power away from traditional transatlantic leaders. Asian nations have surged to the top of the rankings: Singapore, which ranked 8th in 2006, now leads the index, while Japan and South Korea join the UAE in second place. Europe still maintains a strong presence in the upper rankings, but the balance of power has shifted there as well. Today, the top 10 tier of mobility includes more nations with narrower gaps in access than 20 years ago, reflecting a broader trend: while passport power has expanded globally, holding a top relative position has become far more competitive.

    New comparative analysis of 20 years of data from the Henley Passport Index (HPI) and the Global Peace Index (GPI) finds a strong positive correlation between national peacefulness and passport power (Spearman rank correlation ρ = 0.65, p < 0.001). The pattern holds at both ends of the rankings: most of the world’s most peaceful nations also hold the world’s strongest passports. Singapore ranks 8th on the GPI and 1st on the HPI, while Japan, Switzerland, Ireland, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Denmark, New Zealand, Canada, Czechia, and Malaysia all rank among global leaders on both indexes. At the opposite end, Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen rank among the world’s least peaceful nations and hold the world’s weakest passports, demonstrating how conflict, instability, and state fragility erode international mobility. The most revealing insights come from the exceptions to this trend, however. Multiple nations hold passports that far outperform their GPI rankings would predict, including Israel (159th on GPI, 18th on HPI), the United States (134th on GPI, 10th on HPI), France (99th on GPI, 4th on HPI), Ukraine (160th on GPI, 31st on HPI), the UAE (73rd on GPI, 2nd on HPI), South Korea (57th on GPI, 2nd on HPI), Brazil (124th on GPI, 16th on HPI), Mexico (139th on GPI, 22nd on HPI), and Russia (163rd on GPI, 47th on HPI). Their positions confirm that while peace provides a foundational boost to mobility, diplomacy, geopolitical influence, economic strength, and regional integration can deliver even greater gains. The U.S. and Israel are the clearest statistical outliers. Though the U.S. falls in the bottom fifth of GPI rankings and Israel is among the five least peaceful nations in the world, both maintain exceptionally powerful passports. Their high rankings reflect decades of accumulated diplomatic capital, broad geopolitical influence, major economic importance, and international confidence in the integrity of their travel documents. Even amid ongoing regional tensions in the Middle East, their mobility strength makes clear that passport power is shaped by far more than just national peacefulness. France stands out as the primary European outlier. Its 99th place GPI ranking accounts for metrics including militarization and external conflict alongside domestic security, yet it shares 4th place on the HPI with 10 other European nations that all rank within the top 35 for peacefulness. France’s outperforming passport highlights the mobility dividend created by Schengen Area membership, European integration, and extensive global diplomatic and economic ties. Ukraine offers another distinct exception. Though it ranks 160th on the GPI due to its ongoing full-scale conflict with Russia, it holds 31st place on the HPI. Its strong passport position reflects the durability of long-standing mobility agreements and its deepening integration with the European Union, proving that international mobility access can persist even amid prolonged armed conflict. For many Global South nations, while peace creates the conditions for stronger passport power, mobility remains limited by weaker diplomatic leverage, fewer reciprocal visa-waiver agreements, and a global visa system that structurally favors wealthier, more influential states. As Professor Mehari Taddele Maru of the European University Institute and Johns Hopkins University argues in recent research published by Henley & Partners on EU visa reforms, modern visa policies often reinforce structural bias against African travelers, raising critical questions about fairness and equity in global mobility. The 20th anniversary findings set the stage for Henley & Partners’ upcoming Safe Haven Forum, a unique global convening that brings together leading geopolitical analysts, investors, heads of government, policymakers, and wealth advisors to explore how nations and families can build resilience through diversified residence, citizenship, and investment attraction strategies in an increasingly fragmented world. Internal client data from Henley & Partners shows that geopolitical uncertainty is increasingly shaping decision-making among high-net-worth families. In the first six months of 2026, the firm received applications from 86 nationalities across 47 residence and citizenship by investment programs, with more than 28% of applicants already residing outside their country of nationality. Americans remain the largest source market for the firm, and enquiries from UAE-based residents have risen 41% since conflict escalated in the Gulf in February, reflecting growing demand for contingency planning. Dr. Kaelin noted that the findings point to a broader shift in how both nations and families approach mobility. “For twenty years, we have measured how nations build freedom of movement for their citizens. Today, we are witnessing the same shift in how families think about their future. They recognize that true wealth is no longer defined solely by financial capital, but by the freedom to choose where they and future generations can live, work, study, invest, and belong. In an increasingly uncertain world, the greatest privilege is no longer simply the freedom to travel — it is the freedom to choose, to have access rights,” he said.

  • Nevis Mango Festival, West Indies

    Nevis Mango Festival, West Indies

    Tucked in the eastern Caribbean’s Lesser Antilles chain, the small island of Nevis—part of the dual-island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis—carries a name rooted in ancient exploration: 15th-century Spanish sailors, mistaking the clouds cloaking its volcanic peak for snow, dubbed it *Nuestra Señora de las Nieves* (Our Lady of the Snows), which later softened into the anglicized name Nevis. Today, this lush island is known around the region for far sweeter treasures than snow: it proudly holds the title of the Caribbean’s Mango Capital, home to more than 44 distinct mango varieties that are woven into the very fabric of local identity. Every summer, this iconic fruit takes center stage at the Nevis Mango Festival, a multi-day culinary celebration that draws food lovers, chefs, and curious travelers from across the globe to revel in the fruit’s versatility, local culture, and unbeatable island hospitality.

    Unlike many niche food festivals confined to a single venue, the Nevis Mango Festival has expanded from a humble one-day gathering to an island-wide spectacle that invites visitors to explore Nevis at the relaxed, unhurried pace that defines Caribbean life. The 2027 iteration of the festival, scheduled for July 1-4, welcomes Ghanaian-American celebrity chef, TV host, and author Eric Adjepong as its official Culinary Ambassador, who will lead exclusive dining experiences, judge the festival’s premier cooking competition, and host an open-air culinary masterclass for attendees.

    The festival opens with a sold-out exclusive Supper Club at Nevis’ Four Seasons Resort, where Adjepong has crafted a mango-forward multi-course menu that highlights the fruit’s incredible range. The menu pairs the tropical fruit with fresh local tuna and island-raised beef, infusing the dishes with bold West African spice blends, and closes with a showstopping dessert of mango pavlova paired with tangy sorrel sorbet.

    The first full day of festivities kicks off with Mangomania, a family-friendly celebration that leans into the playful, communal spirit of the island. The day opens with Adjepong’s hands-on cooking masterclass, where attendees work at their own stations to learn to prepare mango escovitch—a zesty dish of shredded bell peppers, onions, and fresh mango tossed in a spicy marinade, served alongside grilled protein and boiled rice. Later comes a friendly but spirited blind mango tasting, where contestants attempt to identify five distinct mango varieties from just a bite. For visitors, all mangoes may taste equally sweet, but for Nevisians, being able to tell a Julie from a Graham, an Amory Polly from a Long Mango is a point of cultural pride, a marker of their connection to the island’s land and traditions. The day’s most anticipated event is the legendary mango-eating competition: at the sound of a starting horn, competitors dive into whole unpeeled mangoes, tearing through the skin to devour the sweet flesh, leaving juice flying across contestants and front-row spectators alike. The first person to strip the fruit clean to its hairy central pit takes the prize, a feat far more challenging than it sounds to casual observers.

    Day two brings the popular Passport Food Tour, an island-wide culinary adventure that encourages visitors to step outside their resort bubbles and discover Nevis one bite at a time. Boarding buses, participants travel across the island, stopping at restaurants, beach bars, neighborhood cafés, and roadside local food shacks, each serving a unique mango-inspired dish and craft cocktail. The tour showcases the extraordinary diversity of Nevisian cuisine, from jerk chicken paired with spicy mango salsa to mango-topped wood-fired pizza. One standout favorite is Carbo’s Goat Water, a rich, savory slow-simmered goat stew infused with cloves, thyme, garlic, and a subtle hint of mango that cuts through the richness of the meat. The tour wraps up on Nevis’ rugged eastern coast at Rosie’s Patties, where flaky golden beef and vegetarian patties served with a secret sweet-spicy mango hot sauce are an undisputed crowd favorite. More than just a food crawl, the tour creates intentional opportunities for visitors to connect with local residents and experience the island beyond its tourist hotspots.

    The festival reaches its thrilling crescendo on Sunday at the Malcolm Guishard Recreational Park, where more than 60 local food and beverage vendors set up stalls, filling the air with the warm aromas of wood smoke, jerk seasoning, and caramelizing sugar. At the center of the park, a large open culinary stage hosts the festival’s signature Chefs’ Cooking Competition, where top culinary talent from across the Caribbean competes across two grueling rounds, pushing the boundaries of flavor, innovation, and presentation—with the non-negotiable rule that mango must be the star ingredient of every dish, with Adjepong leading the judging panel. While adults unwind in the shaded VIP lounge sipping mango-infused prosecco, children dart across the park grounds taking part in a high-energy kids’ mango hunt. As the sun sets and the stars come out, the food stalls make way for the closing festival concert, where attendees dance the night away to the pulsing rhythms of soca and calypso, capping a weekend of unforgettable sensory celebration.

    ### Travel Planning Factfile
    **Getting There:** British Airways operates direct flights from London Gatwick to St. Kitts, with a short water taxi connection bringing visitors to Nevis. The Gatwick Express offers the fastest connection from central London to Gatwick Airport.
    **Information:** Full details on the island and the festival are available through the Nevis Naturally tourism board. The next Nevis Mango Festival will run from July 1 to 4, 2027.
    **Where to Stay:** Montpelier Nevis offers a boutique luxury stay set in a restored 18th-century sugar plantation, while the Four Seasons Nevis Resort provides upscale oceanfront accommodations for visitors.

  • Derde helft WK 2026: Spanje topt FIFA-wereldranglijst, Marokko bereikt recordhoogte

    Derde helft WK 2026: Spanje topt FIFA-wereldranglijst, Marokko bereikt recordhoogte

    In the first update of FIFA’s Men’s World Rankings following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the global football landscape has shifted dramatically, bringing new leadership and historic breakthroughs for emerging nations.

    Led by head coach Luis de la Fuente, Spain claimed the new World Cup trophy with a 1-0 extra-time victory over defending champion Argentina, and that title run has propelled the side straight back to the pinnacle of the global rankings. This marks the first time Spain has held the number one position since January of this year, capping off a stunning tournament run built on tight tactical organization and dynamic young talent. “Spain has proven that their combination of tactical discipline and youthful energy has returned them to the absolute top of men’s international football,” noted leading football analyst Marco Janssen.

    World Cup finalists Argentina drop one position to claim second place in the updated rankings, while 2026 semi-finalists France remain in the third spot they held entering the tournament. Bronze medalists England also hold steady in fourth place, with five-time World Cup winners Brazil climbing one spot to round out the top five.

    The biggest story of the rankings update comes from North Africa, as Morocco capitalized on its outstanding 2026 World Cup performance to climb into sixth place in the world – the highest ranking the nation has ever achieved in its history. This breakthrough also marks a new milestone for African football on the global stage. “Marokko’s rise proves that African nations are growing increasingly dominant in elite international men’s football,” said sports commentator Amina Diallo.

    Behind the top six, European side Portugal drops two places to seventh after a disappointing early exit from the 2026 tournament. Belgium and Netherlands swap positions, sitting at eighth and ninth respectively, while Mexico jumps four places to break into the top 10 rankings.

    Norway is the biggest climber across the entire table, jumping an impressive 12 positions to 19th after reaching the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals. The nation’s surprise deep run is widely attributed to years of intentional youth development and targeted investment in grassroots talent. “Norway’s ascent is a clear sign of the payoff from strong youth development systems and consistent investment in talent cultivation,” observed veteran football expert Erik Lund.

    Two traditional European powerhouses that missed out on 2026 World Cup qualification suffered notable drops in the rankings. Germany, a four-time World Cup winner, falls out of the top 10 to 12th place, just one position ahead of 2020 European champion Italy, which drops to 15th.

    In the lower ranks, Tunisia recorded the steepest fall, dropping 12 spots to 57th. On the positive side for other African and South American sides, Egypt climbs five places to 24th, Paraguay jumps seven spots to 34th after reaching the World Cup round of 16, and Cabo Verde – which made it to the round of 32 in its first ever World Cup appearance – rises three positions to 64th, sitting just above Ghana, which climbed eight places in the update.

    The latest FIFA rankings paint a clear picture of a shifting global football ecosystem, as long-established elite powerhouses now face growing competition from emerging football nations, who are reshaping the sport with fresh energy, innovative tactics, and intentional investment.

  • Captain, engineer test positive for drugs

    Captain, engineer test positive for drugs

    A devastating maritime disaster off the coast of Guyana has left at least 27 people dead and scores more unaccounted for, after the passenger and cargo ferry MV Barima capsized during a routine voyage last Saturday. The incident has sparked urgent search and rescue operations, while an unexpected twist has seen two senior crew members taken into police custody on narcotics charges.

  • MOURNING SELVON

    MOURNING SELVON

    Loved ones of Selvon Jack, a 50-year-old Morvant resident gunned down in a mass shooting at a Laventille gas station over the weekend, gathered on Monday to celebrate and remember the life of a man they uniformly describe as gentle, hardworking, and entirely innocent of any connection to local violence.

    Jack was one of three men killed when unidentified gunmen stormed the Unipet gas station, located at the intersection of Eastern Main Road and Morvant Old Road, shortly after 9 a.m. on Saturday, opening fire on the site. He was caught in the line of fire and struck by a stray bullet, cutting short a life that relatives say had never touched criminal activity. The other two victims have been formally identified as 29-year-old Makal Campbell of Poui Street, Morvant, and 23-year-old Malique Akhil Williams of Erica Street, Laventille.

    According to details shared with the Express, Jack had left his Critchlow Hill home earlier that morning to drive a neighbor to a local church service. He was making his return trip when he stopped at the gas station, walking directly into the violent attack that would claim his life. What makes the tragedy even more devastating for Jack’s family is that he had just turned 50 two days before the shooting, and had been planning a full weekend of birthday celebrations when he was killed.

    Sean Jack, Selvon’s younger brother, spoke to reporters on Monday after formally identifying his brother’s body at the Forensic Science Centre in Federation Park. He said that the pair, though siblings, had been close friends their entire lives. “I could not even properly view him in the Centre as it was a painful thing to see because I know my brother and he died for things that was not his fault,” Sean said.

    He added that if his brother had been involved in dangerous or criminal activity, the loss would have been painful but easier to contextualize. “If he knew his brother had ‘cocoa in the sun’ then I would have understood. I may have been sad but I would have said, ‘well, the life caught up to him’,” Sean explained. “But that was my brother and my partner. He did air-conditioning work and he loved music. The only run-in with the law was a traffic ticket for loud music and improper horn use. That was the most criminal thing he did. Beyond that, he just used to go to work and come back.”

    “Everybody hurting right now and he was an innocent man killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he added. “While we know there are criminal operating in and around our community, we never associated with them. He was a quiet person outside of his music. He never used to even talk harshly to anyone, and it is a hurtful thing to see when it hits home because if he was into that kind of thing (crime), you could have said, ‘karma catch up to him’ but, that was never his thing.”

    On Monday, Jack’s friends and neighbors gathered not for a somber formal wake, but for a casual “lime” — a traditional local gathering — at a nearby community recreation center to share memories of Jack. One close friend, who goes by the nickname “Fire”, emphasized that the gathering was not a typical funeral vigil, but the kind of gathering Jack would have joined any day of the week.

    “It was sad and no one looked for him being killed like that at all, and he did good up to his last,” Fire said. “The man could not even talk hard. The man was one of the best you could have found in the world. All the man knew was about his work, his family and his old school music.”

    Another friend echoed that sentiment, describing Jack as one of the most driven, dedicated people he had ever met. “He was a hard-working man. He was a contractor and that was just it. He used to keep to himself. It was work, then home and then work again. He would not even hang out on the block,” the friend said.

  • Judge: Dad sent to St Ann’s illegally

    Judge: Dad sent to St Ann’s illegally

    In a landmark 30-page judgment delivered this week, Trinidad and Tobago’s High Court has overturned an unlawful order by a senior magistrate that saw an unrepresented father wrongfully detained at a state psychiatric hospital amid a civil child custody dispute. The ruling, penned by Justice Marcia Ayers-Caesar, exposes serious violations of constitutional rights and improper application of mental health law by a lower court judge, setting a new precedent for procedural safeguards in civil court proceedings.

    The case dates back to February 17, 2020, when the unnamed man appeared at the Point Fortin Magistrates’ Court for a hearing focused on paternity, child maintenance, and custody of his infant son. Tensions between the man and his son’s mother had created communication barriers, and a social worker had previously suggested he complete a voluntary psychiatric assessment as part of joint co-parenting counseling. No involuntary evaluation had been ordered at that stage of the proceedings.

    During the hearing, Senior Magistrate Alicia Chankar observed the man fidgeting and pressing his hands to his forehead, and labeled his behavior “erratic and concerning.” Acting on this observation, Chankar invoked Section 13 of the country’s Mental Health Act to order a 14-day involuntary remand to St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital for psychiatric evaluation. Justice Ayers-Caesar’s ruling makes clear that this application of the law was fundamentally incorrect: Section 13 is a legal provision designed exclusively for individuals facing criminal charges, not parties in civil custody disputes.

    In her written judgment, Ayers-Caesan emphasized that the magistrate had improperly redefined a tool intended for social support into a weapon of state authority over a private civil matter. Two independent psychiatrists later confirmed that the man’s outward nervousness was nothing more than a reaction to the stress of participating in a high-stakes court proceeding, not evidence of underlying mental illness.

    What followed the remand order was a sequence of degrading and unconstitutional treatment, the court found. After being handcuffed in the courtroom, the man was transferred to the Point Fortin Police Station, where officers subjected him to a forced strip search, verbally taunted him, and locked him in a cell with human feces smeared across the walls and floor alongside two other detainees. Approximately four hours later, he was restrained at his hands, waist, and ankles before being transported to St Ann’s Forensic Psychiatric Unit, Ward 27. Once admitted, he was held in unsanitary conditions alongside patients with severe acute psychiatric conditions, with broken toilets and non-functional showers in his living area.

    In total, the man spent 92 hours in involuntary detention before two consulting psychiatrists, Dr Dominic O Nwokolo and Dr Keshenee Ramnarine, cleared him of any mental illness or psychiatric disorder and authorized his release on February 21, 2020. The High Court found that throughout the entire process, the man was denied every basic safeguard of due process: he received no advance notice that the magistrate was considering involuntary committal, had no opportunity to contest the order before it was issued, and was already proceeding without legal representation at the civil hearing.

    Ayers-Caesar wrote that the mistreatment the man endured qualified as “grossly disproportionate, humiliating, degrading, and cruel”, and violated his constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment. The man has alleged that the unlawful detention and associated record caused lasting harm to his personal reputation and ability to secure steady employment.

    The High Court formally ruled that the original committal order was unlawful, unconstitutional, and void from the moment it was issued, and ordered the state to cover all of the man’s legal costs related to the constitutional claim. The case has been adjourned until November 10, when a virtual hearing will be held to assess the full amount of compensatory, aggravated, exemplary, and vindicatory damages that the state is required to pay to the wrongfully detained man. Attorney Ted Roopnarine represented the claimant, while attorneys Keisha Prosper and Tenelle Hills appeared on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General, the named defendant in the constitutional claim.