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  • CoP restricts protests near State institutions

    CoP restricts protests near State institutions

    On May 27, 2026, Trinidad and Tobago’s Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro signed a new Emergency Powers Order that has reshaped the parameters of public protest across the twin-island nation. The order creates 500-meter no-protest buffer zones surrounding 15 critical state and security institutions, a policy that has ignited fierce debate over civil liberties and state security amid an ongoing national state of emergency.

    The protected sites listed under the new regulations include key government hubs such as the Parliament building, Office of the President, Office of the Prime Minister, and the Ministry of Finance; core security infrastructure including all police stations, national prisons, army bases, the TTPS Police Headquarters, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP); and key transportation assets including Piarco International Airport, ANR Robinson International Airport, and the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago. This marked a notable shift from earlier state of emergency (SoE) rules, which focused broadly on curfews, expanded police detention powers, and general public order, without the targeted, detailed list of restricted locations for protest activity that the new order establishes.

    Guevarro’s order was signed on the same day that supporters of Kaia Sealy held an unauthorised demonstration outside the DPP’s office in Port of Spain. The protest was part of the group’s ongoing “19 Bullets, 19 Protests” campaign, launched after a January 20 police-involved shooting in St Augustine. The incident, which unfolded following a police chase, left Sealy’s common-law husband Joshua Samaroo dead and Sealy wounded. Authorities dispersed the Wednesday demonstration, and three people including protest organiser Allysa Phillip were taken into custody. Prior to the protest, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) had publicly stated that no official permission had been granted for the gathering, warning that any unauthorised assembly during the SoE would be treated as a violation of emergency regulations.

    Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar publicly criticised the demonstrators on the day the order was signed, accusing participants of intentionally provoking police and seeking undue media attention. The current SoE first entered into force on March 3, 2026, and was extended for an additional three months by Parliament 10 days later. It is currently scheduled to expire in June 2026, though the Prime Minister has already indicated she supports a further three-month extension if the National Security Council recommends the move. The SoE was originally declared to address widespread gang violence across the nation.

    The new no-protest zone policy has drawn divided reactions from legal and political figures. Attorney and temporary People’s National Movement Senator Larry Lalla, SC, condemned the order as an overreach of executive power. In a social media statement, Lalla argued that the blanket ban on all protest activity within the buffer zones—including protests outside Parliament—was not a proportional use of the Police Commissioner’s emergency powers, given the SoE’s stated narrow goal of curbing gang violence. He stressed that the policy violates core constitutional rights guaranteed to Trinidad and Tobago citizens, including freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and the right to share political dissent, noting that even small, single-person peaceful protests are prohibited under the new order.

    However, Israel Khan, SC, president of the Criminal Bar Association, defended the policy as a reasonable and justified measure during the temporary state of emergency. Speaking to local outlet *Express*, Khan called the Commissioner’s decision “sagacious,” arguing that the restrictions are necessary to maintain public order at critical state sites and prevent disruptive action that could sow confusion across government operations. Khan clarified that he fully supports the right to peaceful protest, freedom of expression, and freedom of the press, but added that no small group has the right to disrupt the day-to-day peaceful function of the country for their own publicity. He added that any parties who believe the order oversteps state authority have access to judicial review, noting that democratic processes remain in place to resolve the dispute. Khan also noted that while Sealy faces pending criminal charges, that does not equal a finding of guilt — a determination that will be made exclusively by the courts, as is required under the rule of law.

  • Beckles: On the brink of a ‘policing state’

    Beckles: On the brink of a ‘policing state’

    Trinidad and Tobago’s political landscape has erupted in fresh tension this week, as opposition leaders ramp up scathing criticism of the ruling government over the ongoing state of emergency (SoE), heavy-handed police action against protesters, and claims the administration is steering the nation toward authoritarian rule.

    Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles made the most high-profile condemnation in an official statement released Thursday, calling directly on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to immediately lift the emergency order that has granted expanded powers to state security forces. Beckles’ criticism was triggered by this week’s arrest of two people — social media commentator Jason De Silva and Alyssa Phillip — who participated in a Wednesday demonstration outside the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Port of Spain.

    That protest was organized by loved ones of Kaia Sealy, a woman who faces charges connected to the January police-involved shooting death of her common-law husband Joshua Samaroo in St Augustine. Protesters gathered to demand transparency and answers about the circumstances of the case, a demonstration that ended with the two arrests.

    Beckles warned that the island nation is now drifting dangerously close to becoming a policing state, a shift that runs counter to its foundational democratic values. “Freedom trembles in these times. Trinidad and Tobago should never, ever find itself on the brink of becoming a policing state,” she said. The arrests, she argued, have alarmed right-minded citizens across the country, with a police response that appears wildly disproportionate to the actions of peaceful demonstrators. She also took aim at the prime minister, condemning what she called “callous gun talk” from a leader she labeled as absent on key governance issues.

    Beyond calling for an end to the SoE, Beckles urged Persad-Bissessar to restore full democratic protections as outlined in the country’s Constitution. She further accused the government of applying a double standard to protests across the country, noting that a separate demonstration held the same day in Siparia by members of the ruling United National Congress (UNC) drew no pushback from police or political leadership. That protest was organized by UNC members of the Siparia Borough Corporation, who demanded the resignation of alderman Victor Roberts after he crossed the floor to join the opposition People’s National Movement (PNM).

    Beckles claimed the prime minister deliberately turned a blind eye to the UNC-aligned protest, while harshly condemning demonstrations critical of the government. She also warned that Persad-Bissessar’s public comments on the Sealy case threaten to prejudice ongoing legal proceedings. The prime minister, a Senior Counsel, dismissed Wednesday’s protesters as engaging in “victim gimmickry”, but Beckles argued that as a legal professional, Persad-Bissessar understands full well that her public statements create damaging pre-trial publicity that can undermine a fair trial.

    To back up her argument that the arrests were unjustified, Beckles pointed to a May 24 media release from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), which explicitly confirmed that protests are not prohibited under existing SoE regulations. “No country can survive when peaceful citizens are treated like enemies of the State,” she added.

    The criticism extended to other opposition figures, who also pushed back against the prime minister’s recent comment that she would have no issue extending the SoE if recommended by the National Security Council — a body she chairs. Opposition Chief Whip Marvin Gonzales dismissed the claim as self-serving, arguing that any extension of the emergency order would amount to a clear admission of failure by the administration. It would also, he said, prove that the prime minister lied to the public when she campaigned on a promise of a credible plan to reduce violent crime.

    Mickela Panday, political leader of the smaller Patriotic Front party, added her own rebuke in a public Facebook post Thursday, calling out Persad-Bissessar for labeling the Sealy protesters “grifters”. Panday argued that the prime minister’s words reflect not strength, but deep contempt for citizens exercising their democratic rights.

    “If anyone breaks the law, let the law take its course. But citizens must not be broadly smeared because they speak, gather, question, or express concern about the use of State power,” she said. Panday stressed that when citizens are mocked for raising legitimate concerns, democratic institutions become weaker across the board. She echoed the opposition’s core argument that emergency powers have become a lazy replacement for actual policy, saying: “When emergency powers become the substitute for an anti-crime strategy, everyone should be concerned. Trinidad and Tobago does not need badjohn talk. It needs a crime plan.”

  • Father calls for justice

    Father calls for justice

    A young Trinidadian sanitation worker, expecting his first child later this year, has lost his life in a fatal work accident that has left his family shattered and calling for full accountability from authorities. Deshawn Joseph, just 20 years old, was killed on Tuesday evening while carrying out his routine garbage collection route in Kelly Village, Caroni, when the garbage truck he was working with reversed and crushed him at the scene.

    The tragedy unfolded shortly before 7:15 p.m. According to initial accounts from law enforcement, the 43-year-old truck driver was attempting to maneuver around a parked vehicle on the left side of Ramnath Street when he backed into the roadway, and was unable to see Joseph behind the truck. Surveillance footage of the incident, which has since spread widely across local social media platforms, captures the final moments: Joseph had stepped off the moving truck to reach a discarded garbage bag when the vehicle struck him. He died instantly at the site of the accident.

    In an exclusive interview with local outlet the Express, Joseph’s grieving father, DeShawn Blackburn, spoke publicly just hours after formally identifying his son’s remains at the Federation Park Forensic Science Centre, from the family’s shared home in Springvale Village, Claxton Bay. Blackburn said he had been informed of a verbal altercation between Joseph and the truck driver earlier that same day, when the driver arrived to pick Joseph up for the night shift. He emphasized that his son was a hardworking, responsible young man who had dedicated two years to his role with the sanitation company, and that the accident could have been avoided if the driver had exercised greater caution.

    Joseph’s twin sister, Shenice Joseph, shared that the young worker had been extra motivated in recent months, picking up additional shifts and saving every extra dollar to prepare for the arrival of his first child with his girlfriend, who is currently four months pregnant. “He was very excited and was organising to buy stuff for the baby. He would call and tell us everything that was going on,” she told the Express. Shenice traveled to the mainland from Tobago, where she and the siblings’ mother Alicia Kathyann Joseph reside, to make arrangements; Alicia is expected to arrive in Trinidad the evening following the accident to join the rest of the family in mourning.

    Local authorities have confirmed that a formal investigation into the incident is already underway, as colleagues, friends and relatives mourn the sudden loss of the young worker. Blackburn said his family has no demands beyond a full, transparent accounting of what led to his son’s death. “We are just awaiting answers and hope investigators will determine exactly what transpired moments before the fatal collision,” he stated.

    Trinidad Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has also publicly extended her condolences to the Joseph family in an official social media statement released the day after the tragedy. “It was truly heartbreaking that a young man went out to earn an honest living to care for his family and never returned home,” she wrote, noting that Joseph left behind a grieving family and an unborn child. “May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may God grant strength, comfort and healing to his loved ones during this painful time of grief.”

  • Iran en VS bereiken voorlopig akkoord over verlenging staakt-het-vuren

    Iran en VS bereiken voorlopig akkoord over verlenging staakt-het-vuren

    After three months of open conflict that has killed thousands and roiled global energy markets, the United States and Iran have reached a tentative agreement to extend their existing ceasefire for 60 days and lift restrictions on commercial shipping passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, multiple anonymous sources familiar with the negotiations told Reuters Thursday. The deal remains far from finalized, however: it still requires formal approval from US President Donald Trump, and Iranian state media has pushed back against claims that a binding accord has been locked in.

    According to four insiders close to the talks, the 60-day extension will open the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly 20% of the world’s daily oil and liquefied natural gas supplies transit—to unimpeded commercial traffic, creating a window for negotiators to work through thornier sticking points, most notably Iran’s nuclear program. If ratified by leadership in both Washington and Tehran, the deal would mark the most significant step toward de-escalation since hostilities broke out on February 28.

    The reported breakthrough comes on the heels of a string of retaliatory strikes between the two nations, even after the initial April ceasefire took effect. US Vice President JD Vance expressed cautious optimism about the ongoing talks, telling reporters, “We are not there yet, but we are very close and we will keep working toward a deal.” He stopped short of confirming that the agreement would be finalized. This is not the first time the Trump administration has signaled a peace deal is within reach; past claims of imminent progress have been rejected by Iran, which has repeatedly emphasized that no final agreement has been reached.

    Under the terms of the tentative deal, the United States would also lift its blockade on Iranian ports and ease some sanctions on Iran’s oil exports, sources confirmed. News of the potential de-escalation immediately moved global energy markets, pulling oil prices down as investors priced in the restoration of full traffic through one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints.

    But even as negotiators hailed progress, fresh violence erupted this week, underscoring just how fragile the path to lasting peace remains. The US military announced it had shot down five Iranian attack drones and struck a ground control tower in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, which it said was preparing to launch a sixth drone. Separately, Kuwaiti defense forces intercepted a ballistic missile fired toward Kuwaiti territory, which hosts a major US military base. A senior US official refuted Iranian state media claims that an American military plane had been downed near the Iranian city of Bushehr.

    Following the US strike on Bandar Abbas, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted US positions and warned that any future US attacks would trigger a “more decisive response.” Kuwait condemned the missile launch, calling it a dangerous escalation and urging Iran to immediately halt such actions. This week’s second outbreak of violence coincided with Eid al-Adha, the major Islamic religious holiday widely celebrated across the region.

    Pakistan, which has served as a neutral mediator between the two sides, announced that its Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will travel to Washington Friday for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, though the exact purpose and agenda of the meeting have not been publicly clarified.

    Months of talks have yet to bridge core divides between the two nations. Iran’s key demands include the full lifting of US economic sanctions, the unfreezing of Iranian overseas assets, and the withdrawal of American military forces from the Middle East. The US, by contrast, insists that Iran dismantle its nuclear program—a demand Iran has consistently rejected, maintaining that its nuclear activities are entirely peaceful for civilian energy and medical purposes. Iran also demands that any peace deal end Israeli strikes on Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon, where conflict continues to escalate. Israel reported recent air strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre and the capital Beirut, strikes that killed one Lebanese soldier. Israel’s ongoing large-scale military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon have already displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

    In a separate development tied to the Hormuz dispute, the US issued a sharp warning to Oman this week, demanding that the Gulf state not assist Iran in any effort to impose tolls on vessels passing through the strait. President Trump even went so far as to threaten airstrikes on Oman Wednesday, despite decades of close economic and military ties between Washington and Muscat. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later said Oman’s ambassador had confirmed the country has no plans to cooperate with Iran on toll collection. Oman has never publicly discussed joint control of the strait with Iran, and has reaffirmed its commitment to the principle of free passage through the waterway. Following the US threats, Iran issued a statement expressing solidarity with Oman against what it called “threats from US officials.”

    The photo accompanying this report shows US President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attending a cabinet meeting in the White House Cabinet Room in Washington DC, credited to Reuters.

  • Antigua and Barbuda Among CARICOM Nations Facing Falling Birth Rates

    Antigua and Barbuda Among CARICOM Nations Facing Falling Birth Rates

    The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is grappling with a widespread demographic shift, as the latest 2024 United Nations World Population Prospects report reveals that 12 out of its 15 member states have fertility rates below the 2.1 children per woman threshold needed to replace an existing population. Total fertility rate (TFR), a key demographic metric that measures the average number of children a woman would have over her lifetime if current birth rates stay consistent, currently spans from 1.36 to 2.66 across the bloc’s member nations. Only three countries in the regional bloc have retained TFRs above the replacement level: Haiti leads with a rate of 2.66, followed by Guyana at 2.41, and Suriname at 2.25. Among the 12 countries falling below the threshold, Belize comes closest to the 2.1 mark with a TFR of 2.01, barely missing the replacement level. At the opposite end of the spectrum, three nations record some of the lowest fertility rates in the hemisphere: Jamaica at 1.36, The Bahamas at 1.37, and Saint Lucia at 1.38. These rates are on par with the low fertility levels seen in major developed economies such as Italy, Japan, and South Korea, where years of sustained low fertility have already triggered profound shifts to national labor markets, public pension systems, and domestic consumer demand patterns. For the remaining CARICOM member states not at either extreme, fertility rates cluster tightly between 1.44 and 1.77 children per woman. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, and Antigua and Barbuda top this middle group with rates within that narrow range. Taken as a whole, the regional bloc’s demographic outlook is clear: just three of its 15 members currently have fertility levels high enough to sustain long-term natural population growth without relying on immigration to offset population decline. The data, drawn from 2023 estimates compiled by the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs for the 2024 World Population Prospects report, provides the most up-to-date snapshot of fertility trends across the Caribbean integration bloc.

  • UWI Games 2026 Reignited as Competition Returns Across Five Campuses

    UWI Games 2026 Reignited as Competition Returns Across Five Campuses

    After a years-long pause, one of the Caribbean’s most anticipated inter-campus collegiate sporting events has made a triumphant return. The 32nd edition of the UWI Games, themed “Reunited, Reignited, Ready,” officially opened its doors on May 22 at the University of the West Indies’ St. Augustine Campus, kicking off eight days of competitive action, community building, and Caribbean cultural celebration for more than 600 participating athletes.

    The opening ceremony delivered a vibrant, high-energy welcome to delegates from all five of UWI’s campuses, opening with a celebratory parade of athlete and official contingents. Each team took the opportunity to highlight its unique campus identity, marching into the venue decked in bold signature colors, chanting team slogans, and dancing to the infectious rhythms of dancehall and soca music. As the host venue, St. Augustine expanded on the festive energy with a special cultural showcase curated by the campus’ Department of Creative and Festival Arts, which centered the rich shared heritage, rhythmic creativity, and cultural dynamism of the Caribbean region. The ceremony reached its iconic climax with the traditional lighting of the UWI Games torch, a moment that formally marked the start of the competition and set an electric tone for the week of competition ahead.

    Delivering the opening ceremony’s feature address was Jehue Gordon, a UWI alumnus, World Championship gold medalist, and Olympic finalist, who drew on his own experience as a UWI student-athlete to speak to the transformative power of combining academics and athletics. Gordon reflected on the unique challenges of balancing rigorous university coursework with elite international training, noting, “I know what it feels like to leave class mentally exhausted and still have to show up for training…to chase greatness while trying to survive university life.” He went on to emphasize that far beyond earning a degree, his time at UWI shaped his character, built lifelong relationships, and fostered the discipline and perspective that drove his athletic success. “What University gave to me was bigger than a degree, it gave me an environment that helped shape my character, relationships, discipline and perspective. Most importantly it gave me a community that believed in me even before the world knew my name,” he said. Gordon stressed that sport acts as a critical complement to academic education, instilling core values of discipline, resilience, and leadership in young people that serve them long after they graduate.

    UWI Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles echoed this sentiment in his opening remarks, framing the UWI Games as a student-centered, intergenerational institution whose return demonstrates the university’s longstanding commitment to embedding sport in student life. This year’s games coincide with the 10th anniversary of UWI’s Faculty of Sport, a milestone that Beckles highlighted as a transformative shift for student-athletes. “We are privileged that these games are taking place in the context of the 10th anniversary of the Faculty of Sport. Students, you no longer have to choose between being an athlete and an academic,” he said, noting that the games honor the Caribbean’s centuries-long legacy of excellence in both scholarship and sport.

    This 2026 edition marks several historic milestones for the event beyond its return from hiatus. For the first time ever, UWI’s Five Islands Campus is fielding a contingent of athletes, and the Games are hosting the largest delegation in history from the university’s Global Campus. Professor Derek Chadee, Acting Campus Principal of UWI St. Augustine and Chair of the 2026 UWI Games Organising Committees, emphasized that this year’s gathering is more than a simple resumption of the event. “This year we are not just resuming the games, we are renewing them,” he said, crediting the creativity and dedication of event planners, the resilience of generations of student-athletes, coaches, and regional sporting leaders who have preserved the legacy of Caribbean sporting excellence. Chadee also highlighted sport’s unique unifying power, bringing together diverse campuses across the region under a single shared community.

    Additional opening remarks were delivered by Dr. Roy McCree, Dean of UWI’s Faculty of Sport; Mr Ronson Hackshaw, Assistant Director of the Physical Education and Sport Division at Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs; and Mr Vedanand Hargobin, St. Augustine Campus Guild President. Speaking on behalf of all campus guild presidents and the broader UWI student body, Hargobin shared his excitement at the return of large-scale student sporting events to campus life. “The memories created here will not only be about medals and scores. They will be about friendships, pride, laughter, rivalry and the feeling of being part of one Caribbean university,” he said.

    Over the eight days of competition, student-athletes will compete across 10 popular sporting disciplines: cricket, football, basketball, lawn tennis, swimming, table tennis, hockey, volleyball, track and field, and netball. Aligned with UWI’s core mission of nurturing well-rounded, socially responsible graduates, the games also include structured social outreach initiatives for participating athletes. The centerpiece of this community engagement is a sports clinic for a local children’s home, scheduled for May 26, which will offer young participants basic sport skills training, mentorship from UWI student-athletes, and opportunities for positive, meaningful connection.

    For those unable to attend in person, all games action will be broadcast live via www.uwitv.global and all official UWItv digital platforms. In-person attendance is free and open to all UWI students, staff, alumni, and members of the general public. Anyone interested in attending can register, access full competition schedules, and track live results at the official event website: www.sta.uwi.edu/uwigames.

  • Free HPV Screening Available at Clinics Across Antigua and Barbuda

    Free HPV Screening Available at Clinics Across Antigua and Barbuda

    Residents of Antigua and Barbuda now have ongoing access to no-cost human papillomavirus (HPV) screenings at public health clinics and community health centers across both islands, launched by the country’s Ministry of Health and the Environment in a public push to encourage widespread participation among at-risk women.

    In a public advisory released earlier this week, health officials clarified that the free screening services are not limited to temporary special outreach events, contrary to common public misunderstanding. Instead, regular, scheduled screening slots are available at facilities across the nation on a recurring basis, designed to make early detection accessible for all eligible women.

    The ministry’s core message to the public is straightforward but urgent: prioritize getting tested early, as catching HPV-related abnormalities before they progress can drastically improve health outcomes and prevent cervical cancer deaths. “Take advantage of the service and get screened early. Early detection saves lives!” the advisory emphasized.

    Specific screening schedules vary by facility to accommodate different community needs. The All Saints Health Centre opens its screening services every Thursday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., while the Barbuda Health and Wellness Clinic offers daily screenings for residents on the sister island. Clare Hall Health Centre provides testing from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and shortens its window to 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays. For those seeking testing at Jennings Clinic, slots are available every Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Glanvilles Polyclinic hosts screenings every Wednesday and Thursday between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.

    A number of additional regional facilities, including Liberta Clinic, Potters Clinic, Cobbs Cross Clinic and Villa Polyclinic, host screenings on pre-designated days each month for local communities.

    Health authorities targeted the program specifically to women between the ages of 30 and 65, with a particular focus on two high-priority groups: women who have never completed an HPV test, and those whose most recent screening took place more than five years ago.

    To streamline access, eligible women can book appointments through multiple convenient channels: directly through the front desk of any participating clinic, via online registration portals, or by reaching out to the national Cervical Cancer Elimination Unit for assistance.

    From a public health perspective, the ongoing free screening program is a key part of Antigua and Barbuda’s broader strategy to reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality across the country. The Ministry of Health and the Environment has repeatedly reiterated that early detection of HPV, the primary cause of most cervical cancer cases, is the single most effective step to reduce individual and population-level risk of the disease.

  • Sharmelita Charles Wins HP Chromebook in Flow’s Riddim and Rewards Promotion

    Sharmelita Charles Wins HP Chromebook in Flow’s Riddim and Rewards Promotion

    A lucky Jamaican consumer has walked away with a top-tier tech prize as part of a popular promotional campaign run by leading regional telecommunications provider Flow. Sharmelita Charles, a regular customer of the company, was named the grand prize winner of the brand’s highly anticipated Riddim and Rewards promotion, taking home a brand-new HP Chromebook.

    The Riddim and Rewards initiative was launched by Flow several months prior to the prize drawing, designed to reward loyal customers for their ongoing engagement with the company’s services. The campaign, which blended local Caribbean cultural themes of riddim (rhythm in Jamaican patois, tied to the region’s iconic reggae and dancehall music) with customer appreciation, drew thousands of entries from across Jamaica from customers who met participation requirements, typically tied to maintaining active service or purchasing qualifying plans.

    In a statement following the prize announcement, representatives from Flow expressed excitement about delivering the prize to the winning customer, noting that promotions like Riddim and Rewards are core to the company’s mission of giving back to the communities it serves. “We are thrilled to congratulate Sharmelita Charles on her win,” a company spokesperson shared. “This promotion is all about saying thank you to our customers for their trust, and we are happy to provide her with a new Chromebook that can support her work, learning, and entertainment needs.”

    Charles, who has not yet released a public statement on her win, is expected to collect her new device in the coming days from Flow’s regional headquarters in Kingston. The telecommunications giant has already hinted that future customer appreciation promotions will be rolled out across the Caribbean in the coming months, giving more customers the chance to win valuable prizes ranging from consumer electronics to service credits and all-inclusive getaways.

  • Column: Wat taal vertelt over Suriname

    Column: Wat taal vertelt over Suriname

    Suriname’s living, breathing language is offering a revealing window into how the nation navigates its colonial past, blends diverse cultural identities, and reshapes meaning for a modern, multiethnic society, writer Wilfred Leeuwin argues in a new commentary.

    The conversation starts with a recent observation: a radio advertisement for Suribet, a local gambling platform, aired in Sranan, Suriname’s widely spoken Creole language, carrying the line: “Soso bigisma e teri, gi pikin-nengre Suribet ne seri.” Directly translated, the phrase uses the term “pikin nengre” to reference minors, stating that Suribet only sells to adults. What caught Leeuwin’s attention was not the responsible gambling messaging, but the history carried by that specific phrase.

    Historically, “pikin nengre” originates from the colonial and slavery era, with a literal meaning of “little black child” that carries unmistakeable racist connotations tied to Suriname’s exploitative past. Today, however, the term has shifted dramatically in everyday Surinamese speech: in the advertisement, it is not used as an ethnic label at all, but as a general reference to all children and minors, regardless of their ethnicity or skin color.

    This shift is not driven by dictionary updates or academic linguistic theory, Leeuwin notes. It is organic language evolution, shaped by daily use among ordinary people. Popular platforms from advertising and street slang to music, radio, and social media often reshape language far faster than formal regulatory bodies can.

    Language is a living entity, after all. It shifts alongside new generations, cultural exchange, broader societal change, and the evolving ways people connect with one another. Terms that were once widely accepted can become hurtful and offensive over time, while other words lose their original sharp negative connotations and expand to take on new, broader meanings. Sometimes, the original historical meaning fades entirely from collective public memory.

    At the same time, these linguistic shifts reflect how societies process and engage with their own history. Some terms shed their harmful baggage, while others pick up negative connotations they never originally carried. Leeuwin offers another well-known example to illustrate this dynamic: the Dutch phrase “indianenverhalen”, which today is commonly used to dismiss claims as nonsense, exaggerated fantasy, or untrustworthy tales. But the phrase’s origins are very different.

    As far as linguistic research records, the term originally referenced the rich oral storytelling tradition of Indigenous communities, where elders gathered around campfires to pass down tales of creation, nature, culture, spiritual figures like the great Manitou, traditional wisdom, warnings, and spiritual experiences to younger generations. These stories were never “nonsense” — they were a core pillar of cultural transmission and communal identity. Yet over time, the phrase gained the dismissive negative connotation it carries today. This shift says less about Indigenous culture itself, Leeuwin argues, and more about how broader societies have historically marginalized less powerful, underrecognized cultural groups.

    Language is far more than just a tool for communication, he emphasizes. It carries the weight of history, pain, humor, prejudice, identity, and existing power dynamics. Words change because societies change: sometimes terms evolve as a society grows more inclusive, and sometimes old harmful stereotypes persist unconsciously in everyday speech.

    These evolving linguistic blends also highlight what makes Suriname uniquely diverse, Leeuwin notes. He shares a recent personal encounter that drove this point home: a few weeks before writing the commentary, he heard a customer speaking Sranan with a distinct Aucaan accent at a building supply store. Assuming the speaker was an inland resident with African roots, he was surprised to learn the man was a young Hindustani Surinamese. Striking up a conversation, Leeuwin learned the man had spent part of his childhood in Suriname’s interior and had friends from every major ethnic group in the country. Though he identifies as Hindu, he does not feel culturally boxed in by his background.

    That encounter reinforced a truth about Suriname that language makes plain: different cultural and linguistic traditions blend into one another constantly and naturally, a dynamic that is rare in many other parts of the world. In many nations, language, culture, and ethnicity remain strictly segregated. In Suriname, those boundaries are constantly overlapping. A Hindustani young man speaks Aucaan and Sranan. A Javanese Surinamese person regularly uses Creole phrases. Maroon youth switch seamlessly between Dutch, Sranan, and English in daily conversation. This is not a loss of individual or cultural identity — it is a source of extraordinary cultural richness.

    Leeuwin argues that this is where Suriname’s true national strength lies: in the everyday reality where people adopt one another’s language, humor, customs, and expressions, without losing their own core identity. This is natural nation-building at its most organic, because language tells a more honest story of a country than any official government report or policy document ever could.

    In Suriname’s overlapping languages and evolving terms, you can hear the full scope of the nation’s history: the trauma of slavery and colonialism, the waves of migration, the constant cultural blending, street culture, religious diversity, and widespread communal solidarity. You can also hear a society actively working to let go of old harmful meanings and co-create new, inclusive shared meanings together.

    That is what makes language evolution far more than just a linguistic process — it is a cultural and societal project. And perhaps that is Suriname’s most beautiful strength: that all of its languages, accents, expressions, and meanings continue to mix, shift, evolve, and thrive side by side.

  • Suriname en Brazilië verdiepen samenwerking op diverse gebieden

    Suriname en Brazilië verdiepen samenwerking op diverse gebieden

    In a historic diplomatic gathering marking five decades of formal relations between the two South American nations, Suriname’s President Jennifer Simons and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have announced a sweeping expansion of bilateral cooperation, with dozens of concrete agreements spanning political, economic, social, security and global policy domains.

    The high-level meeting, held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties, opened with both leaders expressing satisfaction with the progress of existing collaboration while emphasizing the vast untapped potential for deeper integration. To institutionalize the new expanded partnership, the two governments have established a joint bilateral commission composed of foreign ministry representatives from both sides, tasked with monitoring the implementation of signed agreements and identifying new areas for future collaboration.

    One of the most significant outcomes of the presidential meeting is a shared commitment to negotiate a new, comprehensive trade agreement that modernizes and expands existing bilateral trade frameworks. The updated deal is designed to unlock greater cross-border investment, expand two-way trade flows, and deepen regional economic integration between the two countries. To support this goal, the nations will work closely to reduce non-tariff barriers for agricultural products through enhanced coordination between veterinary, sanitary and phytosanitary regulatory bodies, while streamlining procedures to facilitate the export of new agricultural goods to each other’s markets. Additional economic cooperation priorities include joint work on sustainable tropical agriculture, strengthened food security, and rural development across both nations.

    Energy cooperation stands as a core pillar of the new strategic partnership, with major opportunities identified in both fossil fuel development and renewable energy transition. The state-owned oil companies of both nations, Suriname’s Staatsolie and Brazil’s Petrobras, will see their collaboration elevated to a more prominent strategic level, with agreements to expand joint activity in oil and gas exploration and production, while also ramping up joint investment in renewable energy generation. A key highlighted initiative is the revival of the Arco Norte project, which aims to create a regional interconnected electricity grid linking Brazil, Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana. The partners will also conduct feasibility studies for the development of shared cross-border natural gas infrastructure.

    To support expanded trade and people-to-people ties, the two nations have committed to upgrading cross-border and regional transportation connections. Priority projects include the establishment of direct maritime shipping routes between Suriname and Brazil, upgrades to port infrastructure and operations, the strengthening of transportation corridors across the Guiana Shield, and technical and political support for the planned bridge across the Corantijn River that will connect Suriname and Guyana. The agreement also calls for improved regional road connections through Guyana and French Guiana, and new formal cooperation between the two nations’ civil aviation authorities.

    Security cooperation forms another critical component of the expanded partnership, with a shared focus on combating transnational organized crime. The two nations will intensify joint efforts to disrupt drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms smuggling, illegal gold mining, cybercrime, and environmental crime. Multiple agreements have already been signed between Brazil’s federal police, the Suriname Police Corps, and other relevant law enforcement agencies. The new cooperation framework includes provisions for joint operational activities, accelerated cross-border information sharing, and strengthened border surveillance.

    A particular focus of the security partnership is the coordinated crackdown on illegal gold mining, which both governments recognize causes severe ecological damage to protected natural areas and harms local Indigenous and traditional communities. Joint priorities include enhanced traceability controls for gold exports, increased transparency across the gold supply chain, crackdowns on gold smuggling networks, reduced mercury use in artisanal mining, and enhanced protection of the Amazon rainforest ecosystem. The two nations will also expand cooperation on satellite-based forest monitoring through partnerships between Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and Suriname’s Foundation for Forest Management and Forest Supervision (SBB).

    Defense cooperation is also being expanded, with new agreements covering joint military training, air traffic management, border and airspace surveillance, and coordinated joint military patrols and operations along the shared bilateral border. The two governments have also reached a cooperation agreement with Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer covering collaboration in civil aviation, defense, and public security domains.

    In the knowledge and education sector, Suriname and Brazil have committed to expanding cross-border knowledge exchange, including new scholarship opportunities, expanded student exchange programs, joint diplomatic training initiatives, collaborative scientific research, and partnerships in digital innovation and technological development. Surinamese students will gain significantly expanded access to Brazilian exchange and study programs under the new framework.

    Multiple new public health and social development agreements were also reached during the meeting. Brazil has agreed to provide technical and capacity-building support to Suriname to strengthen its national health system, train local medical personnel, improve infectious disease control, enhance cross-border health services, and expand health access for Indigenous communities. President Lula also formally congratulated Suriname on its recent certification by the World Health Organization as a malaria-free country.

    On social policy, Suriname has expressed strong interest in Brazil’s successful national housing program Minha Casa, Minha Vida, and Brazil has agreed to share its decades of expertise in social housing development, including administrative frameworks, digital management tools, and implementation models that can be adapted to Suriname’s local context. Additional social policy cooperation priorities include coordinated poverty reduction, expanded food security, strengthened social protection systems, targeted support for women and youth, and capacity building for small family-owned agricultural enterprises.

    Both leaders also reaffirmed their shared commitment to protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples and traditional communities. New joint initiatives will be launched to improve health access for Indigenous groups, protect their traditional territorial lands, expand knowledge exchange on Indigenous issues, and strengthen the participation of Indigenous communities in national policy decision-making processes that affect their communities.

    On the global stage, Suriname and Brazil reaffirmed their commitment to close cooperation within multilateral frameworks including the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OTCA), the Organization of American States (OAS), the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the United Nations. Both leaders issued a joint statement in support of strengthening multilateralism, advancing reform of the United Nations Security Council, and increasing the representation and decision-making influence of developing countries in global governance institutions.

    The sweeping joint declaration signed at the conclusion of the meeting marks a clear shift in the bilateral relationship, transforming what has long been a positive neighborhood relationship into a full strategic partnership that covers almost every major policy domain, from trade and energy to security, infrastructure, health, education, science, defense and social development. For Suriname, the partnership opens new avenues to access Brazilian expertise, advanced technology, foreign direct investment, professional training opportunities, and expanded market access for its exports. For Brazil, the deepened cooperation strengthens its regional influence and strategic position across the Guiana Shield and northern South America.