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  • Frankrijk: ‘Jullie het goud, wij het kwik’

    Frankrijk: ‘Jullie het goud, wij het kwik’

    On the eve of France’s national Bastille Day on July 14, senior French diplomatic and defense officials issued a pressing public call for Suriname to ratify a long-pending 2021 border agreement, warning that the lack of a formal legal framework is crippling joint efforts to fight rampant illegal activity along their shared border rivers.

    French officials, including Ambassador Nicolas de Lacoste, police attaché Commandant Jean-Michel Canestrier, and defense attaché Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Rigault, outlined the urgent need for the ratified protocol during a press briefing held Thursday. The Marowijne and Lawa rivers, which form the contested border between Suriname and France’s South American overseas territory of French Guiana, have seen a sharp surge in unlawful activity in recent years, ranging from unregulated illegal gold mining and severe mercury pollution to transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, human smuggling, and unlicensed fishing.

    Canestrier emphasized that current ad-hoc cooperation between French and Surinamese law enforcement has delivered little meaningful progress, comparing efforts to crack down on cross-border crime without a formal legal base to “building a house on sand instead of solid stone.” Currently, security forces from both nations face major logistical and legal barriers to conducting routine patrols and vessel checks along the border river. The absence of a clearly demarcated border leaves it impossible to officially confirm which country unmarked river islands fall under, allowing illegal actors to escape enforcement by simply moving between French and Surinamese territory. “When offenders carry out illegal activity on the French side, they can easily flee to these unclaimed islands or straight into Suriname, and we lack the legal authority to pursue them effectively,” Rigault explained.

    France has already waited five years for Suriname to formalize its approval of the border agreement signed by both governments in 2021. Today, roughly 400 French soldiers are deployed year-round alongside local police to conduct counter-mining operations, with additional permanent river patrol boats targeting smuggling and illegal fishing. Even with the nearly 500 total personnel committed to the region, operations remain largely ineffective because illegal gold miners regularly cross into Suriname to restock supplies and evade capture. “When they retreat across the border, all our efforts go to waste,” Ambassador de Lacoste stated.

    While French and Surinamese military forces have carried out informal joint patrols since 2004, most recently just last month, the lack of a formal, ratified border agreement has left these operations deadlocked. French officials stressed that once the protocol is approved, the two nations can expand cooperation far beyond basic patrols, including opening a joint police operations center in the French Guiana town of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, where personnel from both countries can work side-by-side. Canestrier noted that the center could be operational within just one to two years *if* the legal framework is put in place first.

    De Lacoste pointed to Suriname’s successful large-scale crackdown on illegal miners along the Marowijne River in 2022 as proof that targeted action can reverse the crisis, a step France publicly praised. However, the ambassador warned that conditions in the southern border region have deteriorated sharply in recent years. Local villages such as Anapaike now face an imminent public health and environmental disaster: mercury runoff from illegal mining has poisoned entire ecosystems, while armed Brazilian criminal gangs have terrorized local communities, destroying their traditional way of life.

    The imbalance of harm from the illegal gold trade is stark, de Lacoste argued: “Gold is smuggled out of French Guiana into Suriname and global markets, but all we are left with is the mercury.” That toxic mercury will contaminate soil and water supplies for decades to come, he warned, putting entire local populations at severe risk of chronic illness and permanent environmental damage. Without immediate action to ratify the border protocol and establish a formal joint enforcement framework, the ambassador warned, the entire border region risks spiraling into full-blown crisis.

  • DOMLEC restores power to parts of Dominica following island-wide outage

    DOMLEC restores power to parts of Dominica following island-wide outage

    A widespread total power outage that cut electricity service across the entire Caribbean island of Dominica on Friday morning has prompted swift response from the nation’s sole electricity provider, Dominica Electricity Services (DOMLEC), which has already launched stepped restoration work to bring service back to impacted communities.

    The full grid failure was recorded at 11:58 a.m. local time, according to an official public update the utility released shortly after the outage occurred. Immediately following the disruption, specialized repair crews were deployed across the island to carry out safety assessments and repair work in line with industry protocols.

    As of the latest update, power has already been successfully restored to two key zones: all northern communities of Dominica, as well as the Upper Goodwill neighborhood located in the island’s more populated central region. DOMLEC confirmed that restoration will proceed in controlled, incremental phases to avoid straining the grid as more communities come back online, with crews continuing to work around the clock to bring power back to all remaining areas that are still without service.

    In the statement, the company extended a formal apology to all residential and commercial customers for the inconvenience caused by the unplanned outage, and expressed gratitude to the general public for maintaining patience while field teams carry out the complex restoration work. DOMLEC has also advised all residents to stay tuned to the company’s official social media accounts, website and local broadcast updates for the most up-to-date information on restoration progress for their specific areas.

  • Holy Trinity Primary Graduates Urged to Aim High as Community Pledges Continued Support

    Holy Trinity Primary Graduates Urged to Aim High as Community Pledges Continued Support

    Barbuda’s Holy Trinity Primary School has marked a milestone for its 2026 Grade 6 cohort, gathering students, families, educators and community leaders to celebrate the completion of primary education and send graduates off to secondary school with messages of purpose, collaboration, and self-belief. Under the event’s theme “Be the Best You Can Be: Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow,” the ceremony didn’t only honor academic excellence — it also shined a spotlight on exceptional leadership, strong citizenship, and remarkable personal growth across the graduating class.

    Guest speaker Ezekiel Francois, who holds dual roles as President of the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Parliament and President of the Barbuda Youth Council, delivered the keynote charge to graduates, drawing on his own experience as an alumnus of Holy Trinity Primary to frame his message. Francois emphasized that sustained student success is never the work of a single group: it relies on three interconnected pillars — the drive of graduates themselves, the dedication of parents, and the commitment of the wider community. To nurture the next generation of leaders, he argued, local stakeholders must set aside their differences and align around a shared goal of helping every student reach their full potential. Addressing the widespread imposter syndrome that can affect small-island students moving into larger secondary education systems, Francois reminded the cohort that their Barbuda roots do not make them less capable than peers anywhere in the world, urging them to carry unshakable confidence into every new opportunity.

    Before the keynote, school administration reflected on the 2025-2026 academic year, highlighting a diverse range of extracurricular and developmental opportunities that shaped the cohort’s experience. Students took part in meaningful Black History Month programming, competitive interschool sports events, structured youth leadership programs, and immersive educational field trips that extended learning beyond classroom walls. Administrators praised the hard work of the school’s teaching team, support staff, and parent body for helping students navigate the unique challenges of the final year of primary education, and encouraged graduates to hold fast to their values, maintain a strong work ethic, and embrace confidence as they transition to the next stage of their academic careers.

    Grade 6 lead teacher Karianna Baltimore echoed that praise, highlighting the cohort’s consistent determination throughout the academic year. She reported that the vast majority of graduates earned Level One or Level Two scores on the national Grade 6 assessment, a testament to their consistent effort. Baltimore also recognized one exceptional Spanish-speaking graduate who entered Grade 6 with limited English proficiency but refused to let language barriers slow his progress. Honoring the student with a special award for perseverance, she noted that his grit throughout the year set a powerful example for his entire class.

    Student speakers also shared heartfelt perspectives on their journey. Valedictorian Seth Jacobs, named the cohort’s most outstanding overall student, opened his address by thanking God, his family, and his teachers for the steady support that allowed him to thrive. He left his classmates with a clear mantra: even when faced with obstacles, hard work, consistent determination, and unwavering self-belief are the keys to unlocking long-term success. Salutatorian Akari Thomas delivered the ceremony’s vote of thanks, extending gratitude to school staff, local sponsors, donors, and community members whose contributions made both the academic year and the graduation celebration possible. She encouraged her peers to stay focused on their goals as they adjust to the demands of secondary school.

    Beyond the speeches, the ceremony featured a full awards program recognizing a wide range of achievements. In addition to naming Jacobs as valedictorian and Thomas as salutatorian, organizers awarded academic subject prizes, leadership honors, and citizenship awards to standout students. Liani Burton received the coveted Citizenship Award, Tyrese Joyce was recognized as the cohort’s Most Improved Student, and Azara John took home the Leadership Award. The event closed with a formal prayer for the graduates, asking for guidance and protection as they prepare to begin their secondary education journeys.

  • Fisheries Division to Host Safety at Sea Training for Fishers

    Fisheries Division to Host Safety at Sea Training for Fishers

    A new mandatory maritime safety training initiative for local fishing workers will open for participation next year, organized by the government’s Fisheries Division as a core component of its ongoing Fisher Professional Development Training Programme. The half-day Safety at Sea training session is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, running from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the meeting facility housed within the Point Wharf Fisheries Complex, located on Lower North Street.

    In an official public notice signed by Chief Fisheries Officer Ian Horsford, the division clarified that this safety training is not an optional workshop—it is a formal regulatory requirement for all local fishers seeking to maintain or renew their operating licenses. For trainee fishers working toward full professional fisher certification, completing the course is also a non-negotiable prerequisite to advance their status in the industry.

    While the training is prioritized for two key groups: newly registered fishers who have never completed mandatory safety training, and veteran working fishers who have not yet fulfilled this requirement, organizers have confirmed that any licensed fisher in the region is eligible to attend, provided that there is enough open space in the venue to accommodate additional participants.

    To secure a spot in the upcoming 2026 session, interested fishers must complete registration by calling the dedicated contact line at 462-1372. Participants are required to have their official Fisher ID on hand when they call to register, to verify their eligibility and speed up the reservation process.

  • Another Saint Lucian reaches 100 mark

    Another Saint Lucian reaches 100 mark

    On July 8, Saint Lucia welcomed a new member to its growing community of centenarians, as family, friends, and government officials gathered to mark the 100th birthday of Virginia Philip — known affectionately to nearly everyone in her circle as Hettie. Over a lifetime shaped by adversity and quiet purpose, Philip has emerged as a shining example of the core values that anchor Saint Lucian society: unwavering resilience, selfless sacrifice, deep-rooted faith, and sustained service to those around her.

    Born in Garrand, Babonneau, on July 8, 1926, to parents Lydia Philip and Anthony Beharry, Philip has borne first-person witness to a century of transformative change across the island nation, watching small communities grow and national progress reshape daily life across decades. In her later years, she settled permanently in Marchand, Castries, where she built her family legacy and still resides today.

    A devoted mother of seven, Philip’s influence extends across four generations: she leaves an enduring legacy through 14 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. Raising her seven children alone as a single mother, Philip leaned on relentless hard work and quiet determination to provide for her family, holding positions over decades at three prominent local businesses: M&C, JQ Charles Supermarket, and Elwin Supermarket.

    Beyond her professional work, Philip carved out a beloved role in her local community as a skilled traditional herbalist. Guided by her deep Christian faith, she viewed her healing knowledge as a divine calling, freely sharing her expertise with any community member in need of care. For her, faith has remained a steady anchor through every season of life, carrying her through hardship and amplifying joy in times of blessing.

    To honor this extraordinary centennial milestone, the Older Persons Unit under Saint Lucia’s Department of Equity, Social Justice, Gender and Older Persons joined Philip’s loved ones for the July 8 celebration. The small, heartfelt ceremony centered on Philip, with agency representatives presenting her with commemorative gifts and formal notes of appreciation for her decades of perseverance, quiet dignity, and service to the nation.

    In a statement following the celebration, the Older Persons Unit emphasized that centenarians like Philip are more than just historical witnesses — they are living embodiments of the values that bind and strengthen Saint Lucian society. Her life story serves as a powerful reminder of the irreplaceable role older adults play in shaping national identity, and the importance of honoring the wisdom, lived experience, and enduring legacy they pass down to younger generations.

  • Belizeans Share Mixed Views as Sargassum Crisis Worsens

    Belizeans Share Mixed Views as Sargassum Crisis Worsens

    July 10, 2026 — A growing environmental emergency is unfolding along Belize’s coastal edges, where massive accumulations of sargassum seaweed continue to wash ashore, sparking fierce public debate over how the Central American nation should address the escalating crisis.

    While invasive sargassum blooms have long plagued Belize’s shorelines, residents across the country agree the current buildup has reached unprecedented levels that demand immediate, coordinated intervention. After local outlet News 5 shared coverage of the crisis across its social media platforms, hundreds of viewers weighed in, laying out a wide spectrum of concerns, innovative proposals, and growing frustrations with official handling of the issue.

    A large bloc of social media commenters argued that the country should reframe the sargassum surplus from a costly waste problem to an untapped economic resource, rather than simply disposing of collected seaweed. Proponents have put forward a range of practical, revenue-generating uses for the organic material, including land reclamation, natural compost and agricultural fertilizer, biofuel production, and the development of new commercial industries that could create much-needed local jobs.

    One online commenter went so far as to frame the influx as a hidden benefit for Belize City, suggesting that harvested sargassum could serve as a low-cost landfill material to fill in unstable swampy areas for development. Other contributors pointed to successful international projects that have turned sargassum into marketable goods, from eco-friendly building materials to sustainable agricultural inputs, as replicable models for Belize to follow.

    Beyond repurposing, many residents have pushed for proactive preventative strategies to cut down on the volume of sargassum that reaches populated shorelines. Top proposals include deploying floating barriers, containment booms, and intercepting nets in high-risk offshore areas to catch the drifting seaweed before it can wash up onto public beaches and into residential communities.

    Public health risks have also emerged as a core point of worry for local communities. Many residents have raised alarms about the hazards posed by large, rotting piles of sargassium stored near residential areas, particularly the toxic hydrogen sulfide gas released by decomposing seaweed and the elevated risk of chronic respiratory problems for people living nearby.

    Yet for all the proposed solutions, a significant share of public feedback has centered on anger at perceived government inaction. Dozens of residents, especially those living in long-affected regions including multiple cayes and coastal communities in southern Belize, have lashed out at what they call a months-long delay in responding to the bloom.

    In a typical rebuke shared online, one commenter questioned the sudden urgency among officials, writing: “Oh so NOW you scramble? After it’s already done its damage for 5 months on the cayes?”

    As the sargassum continues to drift ashore and degrade popular coastal ecosystems that power Belize’s key tourism industry, the public remains deeply divided: one faction frames the crisis as an unexpected opportunity to drive green innovation and economic growth, while the other demands urgent, large-scale intervention to mitigate the immediate environmental, economic, and public health damage of the ongoing bloom.

  • Codrington Trust defends $18M reparations project amid community concerns

    Codrington Trust defends $18M reparations project amid community concerns

    In the College Land neighborhood of St John, Barbados, decades of unresolved historical injustice have erupted into public calls for urgent change, as local residents and tenant descendants push for a seat at the table shaping an $18 million initiative meant to redress the wrongs of the island’s colonial plantation era. The Codrington Estate, once a sprawling sugar operation worked by thousands of enslaved African people, is at the center of a growing national conversation about reparative justice, pitting long-simmering community demands against the incremental 15-year framework laid out by the project’s steward, the Codrington Trust.

  • DOMLEC investigating island-wide power outage

    DOMLEC investigating island-wide power outage

    Residents and businesses across the Caribbean nation of Dominica faced a sudden, complete disruption of electrical service Thursday, after an unexplained outage left the entire island without power. Local utility provider Dominica Electricity Services (DOMLEC) has since confirmed it has launched a full investigation to pinpoint the root cause of the widespread blackout.

    In an official update posted to the company’s public Facebook page Thursday afternoon, DOMLEC formally acknowledged the total loss of power affecting all customers across the country. The statement confirmed that specialized technical teams have already been deployed to assess the grid and identify what triggered the system-wide failure.

    As of the latest update, the investigation remains active, with no confirmed timeline for full power restoration or a public disclosure of the outage’s cause. DOMLEC has committed to releasing additional information to the public as soon as new details are confirmed, and urged all customers to monitor the company’s official social media and communication platforms for real-time updates on the situation.

  • Belize Completes Training to Strengthen Justice Response for Children

    Belize Completes Training to Strengthen Justice Response for Children

    In a significant step toward reforming its juvenile justice and anti-trafficking frameworks, Belize has concluded a two-day specialized judicial training program focused on strengthening the country’s justice system response to child-involved cases and human trafficking survivors.

    Held from July 9 to 10 2026, the training, officially branded *Promoting Child-Centered Justice: A Judicial Training on Trafficking in Persons, Restorative Justice, and Diversion*, was a collaborative initiative bringing together four key national stakeholders: Belize’s Ministry of Human Development, Family Support and Gender Affairs, the national Anti-Trafficking in Persons Council, the Child Justice Committee, and the Judicial Education Institute of Belize’s Senior Courts.

    The event gathered sitting judges, judicial officers and cross-sector justice stakeholders from across the country, with the core goal of deepening participants’ expertise in four critical areas: child protection protocols, recognition and response to human trafficking cases, restorative justice practices, and child-first decision-making that prioritizes the inherent rights and holistic well-being of minor victims and offenders.

    During the official opening ceremony, Chief Justice Louise Esther Blenman emphasized the non-negotiable responsibility of the national judiciary to guarantee vulnerable children and trafficking survivors access to a fair, compassionate and responsive judicial process. Over the course of the training, attendees engaged in interactive deep dives into a range of high-priority topics, including trauma-informed adjudication strategies, victim-centered case management, culturally sensitive judicial practice, and the evolving role of judicial officers within Belize’s emerging child justice framework.

    Practical working sessions also focused on unpacking the principles of restorative justice, the design and implementation of effective child diversion programs, and actionable strategies to break down silos and improve inter-agency coordination for institutions that work with at-risk and vulnerable children. To enrich discussions, the program invited expert practitioners from across Belize and the wider Caribbean region, including trauma clinicians, senior legal professionals, sitting judges and veteran child justice specialists, who shared on-the-ground insights and regional best practices from decades of frontline work.

    The completed training marks a key milestone in Belize’s ongoing efforts to align its justice system with international child protection standards, and addresses long-standing calls for more responsive, child-focused approaches to cases involving minors and trafficking survivors.

  • Scholarship announcement: 2027–2028 Ireland Fellows Programme

    Scholarship announcement: 2027–2028 Ireland Fellows Programme

    A transformative educational opportunity has opened for aspiring leaders in Grenada, as the Ireland SIDS Fellows Programme partners with the Government of Grenada to launch full-funded graduate scholarship applications for the 2027–2028 academic year. This strategic initiative is designed to equip emerging local changemakers with advanced master’s-level education at Irish higher education institutions, while directly strengthening Grenada’s domestic capacity to advance its national Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Unlike partial funding schemes, the programme covers all associated costs of graduate study in Ireland, aligning with a broader global focus on investing in human capital for small island developing states (SIDS) to tackle pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. By cultivating a new cohort of homegrown leaders, the collaboration aims to create long-term, sustainable impact that benefits communities across Grenada after scholars complete their studies and return home.

    To be eligible for the competitive scholarships, applicants must meet clear, structured criteria. First, candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree that was awarded no earlier than 12 years before the application deadline. Second, applicants cannot already hold a master’s degree or any higher-level academic qualification. Third, candidates are required to have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a standard 4.0 grading scale. Finally, all applicants must provide official verification that their English language proficiency meets the programme’s required standards, completed through an approved English language testing assessment.

    The application process follows three key steps that interested candidates must complete in order. First, prospective applicants must initiate the process by sending an email to [email protected] to request the official catalogue of eligible academic programmes and university-specific entry requirements. Second, after receiving the programme list, candidates must carefully review all application procedures and instructions outlined on both the official Ireland Fellows Programme website (available at https://www.ireland.ie/en/ireland-fellows-programme/) and the official programme flyer. Third, once all application materials are prepared, candidates must submit a full, complete copy of their application packet to Grenada’s Ministry of Education for internal review and official government nomination, a mandatory step for consideration.

    All application materials must be submitted by the deadline of 26 July 2026; late submissions will not be considered for review. For candidates with additional questions, or those seeking access to official application forms or the full programme list, inquiries can be directed to the Scholarship Desk at the Human Resource Development Division of Grenada’s Ministry of Education. Interested candidates can reach the division by telephone at (473) 417-9762, or via email at [email protected].

    This announcement is published by NOW Grenada, which notes that it does not take responsibility for opinions, statements, or third-party media content shared by programme contributors. Users can report any suspected abusive content related to this announcement through official channels.