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  • 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.

  • Nevis Department of Gender Affairs participates in Menstrual Hygiene Day 2026 activities

    Nevis Department of Gender Affairs participates in Menstrual Hygiene Day 2026 activities

    As the world observes 2026 Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28, local stakeholders in Nevis are stepping up to advance global efforts to destigmatize menstruation and expand equitable access to menstrual health resources. Coordinated globally by non-profit advocacy group WASH United, this year’s campaign carries the unifying theme “Together for a Period-Friendly World”, calling for cross-sector collaboration from governments, community groups, schools, workplaces and individuals to normalize menstruation and eliminate the shame that still surrounds it globally.

    A truly period-friendly world is defined as a space where women and girls can manage their menstrual cycles safely, confidently and with full dignity, with menstruation recognized as a critical issue tied to public health, educational equity and broader gender equality. The global campaign has outlined five core priority areas for communities and nations to advance this goal: cultivating an open social environment where menstruation can be discussed freely without shame or stigma; delivering evidence-based period education to all children from an early age, regardless of gender; expanding access to affordable, safe and effective menstrual products; ensuring public and private facilities offer clean, accessible period-friendly restrooms for menstrual management; and strengthening clinical menstrual health services, including access to trained providers, diagnosis, treatment and support for menstrual health conditions.

    In Nevis, local partners have been working to turn these global goals into local action since 2023. The Nevis Department of Gender Affairs has partnered with Lake Health and Wellbeing, the Advancement of Children Foundation, UNICEF Eastern Caribbean and the Nevis Ministry of Education to roll out a community-focused Menstrual Health Education Programme, adapted from a training framework developed by WASH United. Trained educators deliver targeted sessions in local schools and community spaces, designed to provide clear, accurate information about menstruation to both girls and boys. The initiative targets three key gaps: widespread stigma, pervasive misinformation and low public awareness, with dual goals: preparing girls for the transition of puberty, and helping boys build empathy and understanding to become supportive allies to women and girls in their communities.

    “Menstrual health is not just a women’s issue; it is a public health, education and human dignity issue,” explained Saros Hendrickson, Director of the Nevis Department of Gender Affairs. “Creating a period-friendly world requires all of us to challenge stigma, improve education and ensure that women and girls have the support and resources they need to manage their menstrual health safely and confidently. We are proud to partner on this important initiative and remain committed to supporting women and girls throughout Nevis and St. Kitts.”

    Abi Begho, Programme Director at Lake Health and Wellbeing, echoed this commitment, noting that ongoing local programming aims to break down barriers to open conversation among young people. “Through our Menstrual Health Education Programme, we are working to ensure that young people receive accurate information about menstruation and feel comfortable speaking up about menstrual health issues. Menstrual Hygiene Day provides an important opportunity for all sectors of society to come together to create lasting change,” Begho said.

    To mark this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day, the Nevis Department of Gender Affairs and Lake Health and Wellbeing have organized a series of public outreach activities. The centerpiece is a public webinar titled “Supporting Women and Girls’ Menstrual Health at Home, at Work, in School and in the Community”, which will bring together cross-sector stakeholders to share practical, actionable steps to improve menstrual health support across all areas of daily life. Throughout the rest of May, the two organizations will also host educational discussions on local radio and run targeted awareness campaigns across social media platforms to reach broader audiences.

    Local residents are encouraged to engage with the scheduled activities, join the national conversation, and contribute to collective efforts to build a more inclusive, period-friendly world for all in Nevis.

  • Exclusieve WK-2026-rechten voor STVS kosten US$ 450.000

    Exclusieve WK-2026-rechten voor STVS kosten US$ 450.000

    Suriname’s acting president Gregory Rusland has publicly confirmed the total cost of securing exclusive broadcast rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending days of public and parliamentary speculation over the undisclosed sum. The $450,000 price tag for the rights, which include live coverage of all tournament matches, was announced by Rusland during a public plenary session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, answering repeated questions from sitting parliamentarians who had demanded transparency on the public expenditure.

    Under the agreed financial arrangement, the national government has covered the full $450,000 payment upfront, but state-owned public broadcaster STVS will ultimately be required to cover 50% of the total cost through its own revenue streams, primarily expected to come from commercial sponsorships. The confirmation from the presidency came hours after STVS held its own press conference, where director Raoul Abisoina declined to share the exact total, deflecting all questions on the financial details to Rusland — who as vice president holds oversight responsibility for state media outlets in the country.

    During that press briefing, Abisoina did confirm key procedural details surrounding the rights acquisition. The deal was negotiated and purchased through regional media firm IRIS-LATAM LIMITED, which held the regional tender for broadcast rights. The STVS chief refuted widespread local rumors that the total cost had reached $500,000, noting only that the actual sum was “far lower” than the circulated figure before the official confirmation from the presidency. He also acknowledged that the broadcaster would be responsible for covering half of the cost, matching the structure Rusland later outlined to parliament.

    Abisoina told reporters he personally took part in negotiations alongside STVS’s board of commissioners to secure the deal. Multiple domestic Surinamese companies submitted bids for the exclusive rights in the tender launched by IRIS-LATAM, and STVS was ultimately selected as the winning bidder, according to Abisoina. To date, IRIS-LATAM has not released any information on the other competing bidders that participated in the process. Abisoina explained that the selection of STVS was based on two core criteria: the bid value submitted by the broadcaster, and the guarantee that all legal requirements and contractual terms would be fully met. He added that full public disclosure of the contract between STVS and IRIS-LATAM is not possible, as all financial management of the deal falls under the purview of the national government.

    Addressing concerns over access for other media outlets, Abisoina pushed back on claims that STVS’s acquisition of exclusive rights would block private media from airing any World Cup content. He clarified that sublicensing agreements with other outlets have been part of the planning process from the earliest stages, and STVS is currently in active negotiations with at least two additional media organizations to share broadcast rights. That said, he emphasized that STVS’s exclusive status means no outlet may use the broadcast feed without the organization’s explicit written approval.

    STVS also acknowledged a current gap in its broadcast infrastructure: Abisoina admitted that the existing transmission capacity of STVS and partner public broadcaster ATV (operated via state-owned telecom Telesur) is not currently sufficient to deliver World Cup coverage to all regions of Suriname. But he stressed that the state broadcaster is working aggressively to resolve all infrastructure gaps before the tournament kicks off, with full government funding already allocated for the necessary upgrades. “The government has freed up the required resources. I can assure the public that STVS will make sure coverage reaches even the areas that do not currently receive our signal,” Abisoina said during the press conference. He added that the Surinamese government views universal access to the 2026 World Cup as a core public responsibility, and has no intention of denying citizens the opportunity to watch the global tournament.

    Speaking to parliament, Rusland noted that this acquisition marks the 12th consecutive time that STVS has secured broadcast rights for the FIFA World Cup. “The government has always covered the cost of these rights, and we will always meet the expectations of the Surinamese people,” Rusland told the legislative body. The requirement for STVS to contribute half the cost via sponsorship revenue is a new arrangement for this 2026 tournament, he confirmed.

  • Police mounting search for missing Chinese national

    Police mounting search for missing Chinese national

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A large-scale coordinated search operation is ongoing across the rugged Mt. Liamuiga mountain range after a 33-year-old Chinese national went missing during a solo hiking trip, local law enforcement confirmed Friday.

    The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF) is leading the effort, with joint support from the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force, the Fire and Rescue Department, and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to locate the missing hiker, identified as Wang Zyuan, born August 29, 1992.

    According to official police records, Wang was last spotted on the mountain’s hiking trail around 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. He had set out on the hike unaccompanied, with no professional guide, and was wearing black outerwear paired with red athletic shoes when he was last seen.

    Roughly four hours after he was first noted on the trail, Wang placed an emergency call to 911 to report he had become disoriented and lost in the mountain wilderness. But shortly after that initial distress call, all communication with Wang cut off, leaving search teams with no updated information on his location or condition.

    A combined search and rescue deployment was assembled within hours of the lost contact, with crews working through the evening of May 27 to cover accessible sections of the range. Search operations were suspended overnight as a safety precaution for crews, and resumed at dawn on Thursday, May 28. Search teams advanced across steep hillsides all the way to the mountain’s crater area on Thursday, but failed to turn up any trace of the missing hiker.

    Operations were again paused for the night of May 28, with plans to restart search efforts on the morning of May 29. Investigators have obtained cell tower location data from local network providers, which authorities say will help narrow search zones and direct rescue teams to high-priority areas to maximize the chances of locating Wang.

    In addition to deploying official emergency resources, local authorities have put out a public call for civilian volunteers to join the search effort, to expand the coverage of teams across the large, rugged mountain range.

    Mt. Liamuiga has a history of similar incidents: over recent years, multiple hikers have been reported missing after straying into unmarked or difficult sections of the range, though most of those individuals were eventually located and rescued by emergency response teams.

  • Opening of the National Conference of Religious Leaders in Haiti

    Opening of the National Conference of Religious Leaders in Haiti

    Against the backdrop of long-standing political and social unrest that has shaken Haiti to its core, a landmark two-day gathering focused on national healing got underway on May 28, 2026, at Port-au-Prince’s Royal Oasis Hotel in the district of Pétion-Ville. Headlined by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs Minister Raina Forbin, the National Conference of Religious Leaders for Peace, Stability, and Civic Engagement has drawn a diverse cross-section of stakeholders to build collective solutions for the crisis-battered country.

    More than 100 religious leaders representing every major faith tradition across Haiti — from Catholic and Protestant communities to practitioners of Vodou — joined sitting government officials, members of the diplomatic and consular corps, representatives from leading international organizations, and civil society advocates for the convening. The conference is structured around four core pressing themes: violence prevention, civic education, targeted support for Haiti’s large youth population, and the development of long-term, sustainable strategies to embed lasting peace, strengthen democratic civic engagement, and rebuild fractured social cohesion across the nation.

    In her opening remarks, Minister Forbin underscored the Haitian government’s formal commitment to embedding religious leaders as core partners in all state-led reconstruction initiatives. She emphasized that no project aimed at rebuilding Haiti can achieve lasting success without drawing on the deep spiritual, moral, and community-rooted human capital that faith leaders bring to the table. “Peace is not a task for the government alone — it is a collective project that requires every sector of society to come together,” Forbin stated, adding that sustainable national reconstruction depends on a strategic, peace-centered alliance between the state, faith leaders, local communities, and Haiti’s young people.

    Prime Minister Fils-Aimé echoed this framing, praising religious authorities as an “essential moral force” that is critical to rebuilding Haiti’s tattered social fabric and restoring public trust in national institutions. He also reaffirmed his administration’s core priorities: securing the country against ongoing violence, delivering support to the hundreds of thousands of displaced Haitians, and paving the way for a return to full constitutional order through the organization of transparent, credible general elections.

    The conference turned next to the socio-economic roots of Haiti’s instability, with Social Affairs and Labour Minister Marc-Élie Nelson bringing a critical focus on equity to the discussions. Nelson argued that efforts to root out widespread insecurity cannot be separated from a broader push for meaningful social justice. Framing religious leaders as the “guardians of the collective conscience” of the Haitian people, he called for a people-centered approach to shaping public policy that centers the needs of the most vulnerable, rather than elite interests. He urged faith leaders to lean into their unique community role to advance solidarity and cohesion across the country.

    Pédrica Saint-Jean, Haiti’s Minister for the Status of Women and Women’s Rights, joined a slate of cultural and religious leaders to highlight the urgent work of rebuilding frayed social ties at the local level. Saint-Jean emphasized the critical need to expand social protection for marginalized groups including children, women, and girls, and to empower every Haitian citizen to act as an agent of peace in their own communities.

    Following the formal opening ceremony, attendees split into working groups focused on three key strategic priorities: preventing further violence and delivering support to survivors of conflict; expanding civic education to foster a culture of civic responsibility across the country; and developing sustainable economic and social alternatives for Haitian youth, who make up a large majority of the country’s population and have been disproportionately impacted by ongoing instability.

    In a break from past national gatherings that have been concentrated exclusively in the capital, the Haitian government has plans to expand the conference model to outlying regions in the coming months. After concluding the inaugural convening in Pétion-Ville, the government will replicate the gathering in Haiti’s Great North and Far South regions, ensuring that community and faith leaders from across the country have a seat at the table shaping Haiti’s reconstruction agenda. The conference marks a major step forward in the government’s effort to position religious communities as core, ongoing partners in building a more stable and peaceful future for Haiti.

  • Bus Operators Push for Hands-On Role in Electric Bus Pilot

    Bus Operators Push for Hands-On Role in Electric Bus Pilot

    As Belize moves forward with its transition to electric public transportation, a growing rift has emerged between the national bus industry’s leading body and government transport officials over how local operators should be integrated into the country’s electric bus initiative.

    The Belize Bus Association (BBA), which represents more than 50 operators spanning intercity highway routes, rural village services, tour routes, and school transportation, is calling on the government to give its members direct, hands-on access to the current electric bus pilot. Currently, the testing phase is limited to routes in Belize City and the western transportation corridor, and no BBA members have been permitted to operate the pilot vehicles themselves.

    In an official letter addressed to the Ministry of Transport, BBA leadership argues that firsthand real-world experience is a non-negotiable prerequisite for operators to make informed long-term investment decisions. Without direct exposure to the vehicles, the association says, members cannot accurately measure key operational metrics including total cost of ownership, routine maintenance requirements, and performance across varying route types, from dense urban streets to long-distance national highways. To address this gap, the BBA is proposing a rotation system that would allow its members to test the electric buses on a diverse range of routes, a change the group says would not only strengthen the pilot’s data but also expand access to the new green technology for commuters across the country.

    BBA president Phillip Jones emphasized that the association has sought inclusion since the project’s launch, when it was first developed under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations. “From the inception of the EV program under the UNDP and UN we have wrote letters to the UNDP and the president and representatives in this area that we wanted to be a apart of the pilot project. However we were denied at that time,” Jones explained. “Hence the reason we find it prudent that we revisit that, because if you are saying you want the entire country to have the knowledge or use the service or go green in order for that to be the case, you need to have anyone involved and we are a major stakeholder in the bus industry. […] You can’t just be going based on analysis going second hand. We want firsthand experience.”

    But government officials say the pilot phase has already concluded, and no test vehicles are available to reallocate for broader industry testing. Transport Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh confirmed that the government is shifting its focus away from the trial period and toward a permanent structural transition to electric bus fleets, and laid out two clear paths for BBA members looking to join the electric future. Under the first option, independent operators can join the National Bus Company (NBC), a public-private partnership aligned with the government’s green transportation policy. The second option allows operators to remain independent by forming their own collective entities and investing directly in procuring their own electric buses, with the ministry offering full access to all lessons learned during the pilot to support the transition.

    Zabaneh noted that the model of joining the National Bus Company is already gaining traction among BBA members, with recent signs of growing buy-in: after the last remaining holdout operator from southern Belize joined the NBC, two additional operators from the northern region have submitted applications to join. “So that is clearly, in my opinion, the preferred path because now you have a public private partnership that comprises government and reflects the policy of the government that they can benefit from. Or they can continue being independent operators and we can work together and share whatever knowledge we have with them,” Zabaneh explained. “The NBC is a private company, so whatever e-buses it buys is for the use for services to commuters who use NBC services. They would have to, as independent operators, organize, form a company and procure e-buses. Now, we as the ministry are very pleased to share with them what we have learnt in setting up the National Bus Company and we told them that already.”

    This content is adapted from a transcript of an evening television newscast.

  • Same Deadly Scenario Took Coach Villamil’s Father

    Same Deadly Scenario Took Coach Villamil’s Father

    The small but tight-knit football community of Belize is united in grief and support this week, after a catastrophic highway collision in Corozal left beloved former national player and youth coach Miriam Villamil with permanent, life-altering injuries. The crash, which has reignited longstanding safety concerns about unmarked agricultural vehicles on Belize’s roadways, carries an unthinkable echoes of tragedy that has deepened the shock across the country’s sporting landscape.

    On the evening of the incident, Villamil was traveling in a passenger coaster alongside a group of young aspiring footballers who had just completed a celebratory practice session. The vehicle collided head-on from behind with an unlit sugar cane truck parked along the side of the highway, according to initial accounts from the Football Federation of Belize (FFB). The impact was so severe that Villamil was trapped inside the wreckage for hours. When emergency responders finally extracted her and rushed her to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), surgeons were forced to amputate one of her legs to save her life. Medics fought desperately to save her second leg, and after extensive intervention, they successfully preserved it, FFB executive member Marlon Kuylen confirmed in an interview.

    What makes this already devastating accident even more cruel is that it mirrors almost exactly the crash that killed Villamil’s father decades earlier. “It’s like deja vu all over again,” Kuylen told reporters. “Years ago, her father died in the exact same manner: the bus he was traveling in crashed into the back of a cane truck, and protruding canes penetrated his body and skull, killing him instantly. Emotionally, this tragedy is hitting our entire football family extraordinarily hard, compounded by that terrible shared history.”

    Beyond the urgent focus on Villamil’s ongoing recovery, attention has now turned to the group of young players who witnessed the horrific crash firsthand. The athletes had been in high spirits after a successful practice, excited to have been selected for a new national youth development program, when the disaster struck in an instant. “One negligent choice left Miriam’s life changed forever, and this event will leave long-term emotional and mental scars on these young kids,” Kuylen explained. “They watched their coach trapped and gravely injured, and that image will stay with them for a long time.”

    Remarkably, even in the immediate aftermath of the crash while enduring extreme pain, Villamil’s first thoughts were for the young players in her care. “Her first questions weren’t about her own condition — she kept asking, ‘What about my boys? What about the kids?’ She remembered one had suffered a broken jaw, and she insisted we check on him first,” Kuylen recalled. “That’s just who Miriam is: she puts her players ahead of everything, even when she’s facing the unthinkable.”

    In response to the tragedy, Kuylen and the FFB are calling on Belizean transportation authorities to immediately address the longstanding hazard of unlit, parked cane trucks along public roadways at night. The entire Belize football community has rallied around Villamil and the young players, organizing support for her medical costs and counseling services for the young athletes who survived the crash.

  • San Pedranos Struggle with Rising Fuel Costs

    San Pedranos Struggle with Rising Fuel Costs

    On the popular Belizean island of Ambergris Caye, what has become a quiet crisis for daily life is now erupting into open frustration, as skyrocketing fuel costs stretch household budgets to their absolute limit. For the tight-knit community of San Pedro Town, where golf carts are not a recreational luxury but the primary mode of daily transportation, even the shortest commute now comes with a steep financial cost that is eating deep into already modest incomes. Many low-wage workers on the island earn between $200 and $300 per week, and fuel expenses now claim a disproportionate share of these earnings – leaving barely enough to cover other critical needs like rent and groceries. Local resident Celestino Tzul, one of the many voices sounding the alarm over the crisis, explained that the burden has become unsustainable for working families. “When it’s your livelihood, when it’s your transportation to work and everything, you have to consider: do I keep using my golf cart? Do I need to change from golf cart to something?” Tzul said. “You take away rent, you take away the expenses on gas, and then you take away the expense of food. Some people are barely even making it through the week. The gas price is very, very high.” The crisis has been compounded by a lack of viable, affordable alternatives to personal golf cart and car travel. While local authorities recently launched a small new bus service (dubbed the “busito”) to expand public transit options, residents say the new system has failed to close the affordability gap that leaves most families dependent on personal vehicles. Residents also point to ongoing supply-side issues that have kept fuel prices artificially high, with current costs reaching as much as $14.29 per gallon. This high-cost fuel also drives frequent, unplanned maintenance expenses for the island’s fleet of aging golf carts, adding another layer of financial strain for owners. Faced with stalled relief efforts and steadily rising costs of living that show no sign of easing, community members have had enough. A group of residents is currently organizing a peaceful protest scheduled for next week, where they plan to bring their demands for action directly to policymakers. Island residents are unified in their call for national government intervention to address both the exorbitant fuel prices and the longstanding gap in affordable public transit options. Without immediate, targeted relief, residents warn that reliable transportation for work, school, and daily needs could soon become completely out of reach for low- and middle-income families across the island. This report is adapted from a transcribed evening television news broadcast focused on local Belizean issues.