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  • The MAEC is deploying a special mission to the Haitian Embassy in Chile

    The MAEC is deploying a special mission to the Haitian Embassy in Chile

    On August 22, 2026, a peaceful demonstration organized by Haitian citizens living in Chile outside their country’s embassy in Santiago escalated into serious violent unrest. Just two days after these regrettable clashes, Haiti’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship (MAEC) announced it had deployed a specialized on-site mission to address longstanding pent-up demand for critical administrative services from the Haitian community based in Chile.

    The core mandate of this special deployment is to remove long-standing barriers that have prevented Haitian nationals in Chile from accessing time-sensitive, essential official documents. These high-demand documents include Certificates of Good Conduct, which are required for work, residency, and legal purposes internationally, as well as national identification cards that serve as the primary proof of citizenship for Haitians living abroad.

    The mission is staffed by a cross-functional team of experienced personnel: senior officials from the MAEC’s Legal Affairs Directorate and trained representatives from Haiti’s Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ). The team has established close coordination with embassy leadership to streamline application processing, cut wait times, and deliver more accessible services directly to the Haitian diaspora in Chile.

    In response to far higher demand for services than initial projections anticipated, MAEC officials have confirmed the mission’s on-site duration will be extended to accommodate as many applicants as possible. All mission personnel have remained fully mobilized to process backlogged applications and meet the ongoing needs of the community.

    To prevent overcrowding at the embassy compound, improve the overall applicant experience, and eliminate opportunities for exploitative middlemen to charge excessive fees, MAEC is strongly urging all Haitian citizens seeking services to book a free appointment exclusively through the official online portal hosted on the Haitian Embassy in Chile’s official website. The ministry has stressed that no third-party intermediaries are authorized to assist with appointment booking, and applicants face no additional costs to schedule their visit.

    In a formal statement, MAEC reminded all Haitian citizens residing in Chile to only rely on official communications and channels published by the ministry and the embassy for up-to-date, accurate information about service availability, application requirements, and appointment booking.

    Acting in line with explicit directives from Haiti’s Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Raina Forbin has publicly reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding access to critical services for Haitian citizens living overseas. Forbin emphasized the administration’s goal of delivering accessible, efficient, and locally available consular support by working collaboratively with all relevant Haitian national institutions.

  • AL96 Has 70% Chance of Development as System Moves Across Atlantic

    AL96 Has 70% Chance of Development as System Moves Across Atlantic

    ST. JOHN’S, Antigua — Meteorological agencies across the Atlantic are closely tracking a nascent tropical disturbance that carries a significant probability of strengthening into a named cyclone over the coming days, though the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda faces no immediate impacts from the system as of Tuesday’s latest updates.

    Designated Invest AL96 by weather tracking systems, the low-pressure system is currently situated hundreds of miles south-southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands, off the western coast of Africa, according to official data from the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service.

    The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reports that the disturbance formed around a broad tropical wave, and currently generates scattered, disorganized bands of showers and thunderstorms across the eastern tropical Atlantic. Forecasters note that prevailing atmospheric and oceanic conditions are primed to support slow but steady strengthening of the system over the next 48 hours. As it drifts westward and west-northwestward across the eastern and central portions of the tropical Atlantic, AL96 is on track to develop into a formal tropical depression within the next one to two days.

    As of Tuesday morning, the NHC assigned a 70% probability of tropical cyclone formation both within the 48-hour window and over the full seven-day forecast period. However, conditions are projected to become less conducive to further growth by the end of the week, forecasters added.

    In its 9 a.m. public tropical weather update, the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service emphasized that the disturbance has not caused any impacts to the nation’s territories as of the latest report. Meteorological teams from both the local service and the NHC will continue round-the-clock monitoring of AL95 as it traverses the Atlantic basin, updating projections and risk assessments as new data becomes available.

  • OP-ED: We tell mothers to breastfeed but do we make it possible?

    OP-ED: We tell mothers to breastfeed but do we make it possible?

    The air in a delivery room falls still, broken only by the raw, distinctive cry of a newborn entering the world. Moments after birth, the infant is laid skin-to-skin on their mother’s chest, tiny fingers unfurling as they acclimate to the unfamiliar space outside the womb. Driven by innate instinct, the child slowly moves toward the breast to take their first feed, drinking in colostrum — the thick, golden “first milk” packed with critical nutrients and disease-fighting antibodies that shield this fragile new life. This carefully documented, life-setting window is known as the “golden hour”: the first 60 minutes after birth, when immediate skin-to-skin contact and early breastfeeding lay the foundation for strong parent-child bonding and give infants a healthy, sustainable beginning. While this practice may seem like a universal, natural right, it remains out of reach for far too many mothers across the Caribbean region.

    Every year from August 1 to 7 since 1992, global communities mark World Breastfeeding Week, an initiative first launched by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) to draw global attention to the transformative health benefits of breastfeeding for growing infants. For 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) has selected the theme “Breastfeeding is a sustainable start to life: strengthen what works”, underscoring the practice’s irreplaceable role in supporting lifelong healthy development. Beyond its well-documented benefits for infants — including boosted immunity, reduced risk of childhood infections, lower rates of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and secure emotional bonding between mother and child — breastfeeding also delivers significant advantages for birthing mothers. It lowers maternal stress levels, deepens the early parent-child connection, supports postpartum recovery through stimulating uterine contractions, and aids healthy gradual weight loss after birth.

    However, 2023 data from UNICEF reveals a stark gap in breastfeeding access and uptake across Latin America and the Caribbean: just 4 out of 10 infants under six months old are exclusively breastfed in the region, falling far short of the global average of 65%. This figure is deeply worrying, even as governments and health organizations across the region — including Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Health, which has run extensive public awareness campaigns — have worked to highlight breastfeeding’s wide-ranging benefits. Public health advocates are now pressing for answers to a critical question: why do breastfeeding rates remain so low across much of the Caribbean? Possible root causes range from a lack of dedicated, accessible spaces for breastfeeding in public and workplaces, lingering cultural stigma around public breastfeeding, to persistent gaps in public understanding of the long-term health benefits of the practice for both mothers and children.

    Public health experts have outlined several evidence-based solutions to address this gap. One key intervention is expanding dedicated breastfeeding support centers in maternal health wards, building on the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) long-running Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative. This program is already active in 35 countries across the Americas, including Caribbean nations Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Guyana and Grenada, with a core mission to protect, promote, and support comprehensive breastfeeding care for new mothers. Another critical step is expanding in-person awareness campaigns targeting isolated rural communities, ensuring that information and support reach all demographic groups, not just urban populations with easy access to digital and printed health resources. Finally, expanded ongoing support from community health nurses is needed across the region to address post-discharge barriers, particularly workplace challenges that force many mothers to stop breastfeeding soon after returning to work from maternity leave.

    As global stakeholders mark World Breastfeeding Week 2026, public health advocates across the Caribbean emphasize that breastfeeding is a foundational public health intervention that benefits both maternal and child health. Closing the region’s breastfeeding gap will require targeted, inclusive strategies that reach all groups of mothers, removing structural and social barriers to ensure every infant can get the strong, sustainable start to life that breastfeeding provides.

  • VS zet wereldwijd druk om Iran economisch te isoleren

    VS zet wereldwijd druk om Iran economisch te isoleren

    On August 25, the United States took a major step in its long-running pressure campaign against Iran, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announcing a sweeping new round of sanctions codenamed “Operation Economic Outcast.” The explicit goal of this action is to fully isolate Iran from the global financial and trading system by cutting off all remaining economic lifelines connecting the Iranian government to international markets.

    Under the terms of the new sanctions framework, nearly 60 entities, individual actors and vessels have been added to the US sanctions blacklist. The administration has also expanded secondary sanctions, which penalize third-party entities that do business with sanctioned parties, to cover key sectors of Iran’s economy including shipping, gold trading, aviation, technology and digital assets. In parallel with the formal announcement, former President Donald Trump has been personally contacting global leaders to request that they end all commercial trade with Iran, though the administration has declined to name specific countries targeted by the request or set a formal deadline for compliance.

    This new escalation comes against a backdrop of two decades of sustained Western sanctions on Iran. Over that period, Tehran has progressively pivoted its trade relations away from Europe, shifting the bulk of its commercial activity to a smaller network of Asian and regional partner economies. The most recent full-year trade data from 2024 illustrates the current structure of Iran’s global trade ties, which the new US sanctions are designed to disrupt.

    In 2024, Iran exported approximately $56 billion worth of goods to at least 112 countries and territories. Its top five export partners were China, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Afghanistan, each accounting for a critical share of Iranian export activity:
    – China led the list at $14.58 billion, and remains the world’s largest buyer of Iranian crude oil, handling more than 80% of all seaborne shipments of Iranian oil. Most of this oil is sold at a steep discount and transported via unregistered “shadow fleets,” meaning very little of the trade appears in official customs statistics.
    – Iraq ranked second with $11.7 billion in Iranian imports. Iran supplies large volumes of natural gas to Iraq for power generation, as well as electricity to Iraq’s southern provinces, and is also a key supplier of food, construction materials and industrial goods to its neighbor.
    – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) came third at $7.16 billion, having long served as a key financial and re-export hub for Iranian trade, accounting for roughly 13% of total Iranian exports. However, Abu Dhabi recently implemented an unlimited trade embargo on Iran following unproven allegations that Iran launched rocket attacks on UAE territory – claims Tehran has repeatedly denied.
    – Turkey followed with $6.1 billion in Iranian imports. Iran supplies pipeline natural gas to Turkey via the Tabriz-Ankara pipeline, alongside petrochemical products, food and construction materials.
    – Afghanistan rounded out the top five at $2.3 billion. Iran supplies Afghanistan with fuel, food and construction materials, while Afghanistan relies heavily on Iranian ports and overland trade routes to access global markets.

    On the import side, Iran purchased roughly $68.5 billion worth of goods from 87 countries and territories in 2024. Its top import partners reflect the critical supply routes that keep the Iranian economy functioning:
    – The UAE topped the list at $21 billion, accounting for more than 30% of all Iranian imports. Most of these goods are re-exports that give Iran indirect access to Western-produced machinery, electronics and consumer goods. Abu Dhabi’s recent full trade embargo has now closed this key supply route entirely.
    – China ranked second at $17.8 billion, and is now Iran’s largest supplier of industrial machinery, electronics, vehicles and industrial components. China has become Iran’s most important economic partner following the collapse of most trade with Western economies.
    – Turkey came third at $11.1 billion. Its shared border and long-standing commercial ties have made it a critical overland supply route for Iran, providing machinery, chemicals, vehicles and industrial products. Two-way trade between the two countries has already declined significantly since recent regional escalations.
    – The European Union followed at $6.1 billion. Current EU trade volumes are only a small fraction of pre-2018 levels, and are now almost entirely limited to pharmaceutical products, medical equipment and industrial machinery.
    – India rounded out the top five at $1.6 billion. Bilateral trade between Iran and India has fallen sharply in recent years, with New Delhi maintaining limited commercial ties focused largely on agricultural goods such as rice and tea, plus pharmaceutical products.

    Analysts note that this new round of sweeping US sanctions represents one of the most aggressive efforts to date to cripple Iran’s international trade, with unpredictable ripple effects for global energy markets and regional diplomatic relations.

  • Auguste ruled out of Kings squad for medical reasons

    Auguste ruled out of Kings squad for medical reasons

    In an official announcement released on Monday afternoon, Caribbean Premier League franchise Saint Lucia Kings confirmed that 22-year-old top-order batsman Ackeem Auguste will miss the upcoming 2026 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) tournament, citing unspecified medical reasons for his withdrawal.

    Auguste, who was retained by the franchise ahead of the 2026 edition, had been pegged as a key contributor to the Kings’ batting lineup ahead of the new campaign. The young batsman has already featured in one match for the side this tournament, notching up an impressive 63 runs against Barbados Royals – a performance that came despite the Kings falling to defeat in that fixture. Immediately following that match, Auguste was forced to sit out the team’s next fixture, sparking speculation about his fitness status ahead of Wednesday’s critical fixture.

    In the franchise’s official statement, the Kings emphasized that Auguste’s health and overall well-being are the organization’s top priority at this time. The franchise confirmed that the batsman will receive all necessary medical care and team support throughout his recovery process. “The Saint Lucia Kings wish Ackeem a full and speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming him back when he is medically cleared to return,” the statement added.

    As the tournament progresses, the Kings are preparing to face off against Trinbago Knight Riders at Queen’s Park Oval this Wednesday. Both sides enter the fixture in desperate need of a win to boost their tournament standing, with Trinbago Knight Riders currently struggling for form this season. As of Monday’s announcement, it remains uncertain whether Auguste will be able to make a return to the squad later in the 2026 CPL campaign, with no further details released about the nature of his medical issue.

  • Caribbean Airlines cuts Barbados-Tobago route amid continued regional withdrawal

    Caribbean Airlines cuts Barbados-Tobago route amid continued regional withdrawal

    BASSETERRE, St Kitts – State-owned Caribbean Airlines, headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago, has unveiled another round of cuts to its regional route network, announcing Tuesday that it will end all direct flights between Barbados and Tobago starting September 2. The move marks the latest in a series of regional service withdrawals for the carrier, which is grappling with soaring operating costs and persistent financial headwinds across its network.

    In an official public statement released August 25, the airline confirmed that it will terminate operations on direct flights BW212 and BW213 as part of what the company frames as a broader network schedule optimization strategy to cut operational expenses and align its services with current travel demand. While direct service between the two islands will end, the carrier noted that it will maintain connectivity between Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago through its existing scheduled routes, offering passengers multiple connecting itineraries across the three markets.

    Travelers who hold existing reservations for the discontinued flights will be automatically rebooked onto alternative same-day services operated by Caribbean Airlines, according to the company. Spokespersons for the airline added that all affected passengers will be contacted directly with full details of their adjusted travel plans, and urged customers to verify that the contact information linked to their bookings is up to date to ensure they receive timely communications about schedule changes.

    The discontinuation of the Barbados-Tobago route is not an isolated adjustment: it follows a pattern of regional retreat for the carrier that unfolded earlier in 2026, when Caribbean Airlines announced its full withdrawal from the St Kitts-Nevis and Dominica markets. The company explicitly cited sustained operating losses on both routes to justify those cuts. For the St Kitts-Nevis route alone, public reports indicate losses surpassed $1.6 million US dollars before the service was scrapped.

    In May 2026, St Kitts and Nevis Tourism Minister Marsha Henderson revealed that the government was not given advance notice of Caribbean Airlines’ withdrawal from its market, leaving officials with no opportunity to propose financial concessions or policy adjustments to keep the route operating. Despite the sudden pullout, Henderson emphasized that the federation would not be left without critical regional air links. At the time of the initial withdrawal, St Kitts and Nevis already maintained connections to Barbados via rival regional carriers InterCaribbean Airways and Winair, which also offer connecting service to Trinidad and Guyana. Both countries are key source markets for tourism to the federation, making southern Caribbean connectivity a high priority for local officials.

    Henderson added in May that the St Kitts and Nevis government had entered into discussions with an unnamed potential carrier to restore direct air service between the federation and Trinidad and Tobago, noting that factors beyond simple ticket sales and route profitability may have driven Caribbean Airlines’ exit from the market.

    Caribbean Airlines, which has been reeling from the impact of rising fuel costs and broader inflation-driven increases to operating expenses across the region, has defended its incremental cuts as a necessary step to stabilize its financial position. Even as it scales back its network, the carrier says it remains committed to preserving air connections between major Caribbean destinations. However, industry analysts note that repeated route withdrawals are putting growing strain on regional air connectivity, leaving smaller island economies scrambling to fill gaps in service and maintain critical travel links that support their tourism-dependent economies.

  • Residents: Enough patching; resurface the roads

    Residents: Enough patching; resurface the roads

    For years, residents of Silver Sands, Barbados, have endured crumbling, pothole-ridden local roads held together only by repeated temporary patchwork repairs that fail to stand up to the island’s heavy rainfall. Now fed up with unfulfilled government promises, the community is publicly calling for the long-promised full resurfacing work to finally get underway.

    When a reporter from Barbados TODAY visited the district last week, the poor state of the infrastructure was immediately obvious. Many motorists had resorted to dangerous workarounds to navigate the damaged roads: some drivers pulled into the opposite lane to avoid large, deep potholes, while others slowed their vehicles to a crawl to minimize the risk of tire blowouts, suspension damage, or other costly mechanical issues.

    Multiple residents told reporters that some stretches of road in Silver Sands have not undergone a full resurfacing in more than three decades. They added that the temporary patchwork repairs that crews repeatedly carry out rarely last more than a few weeks, as heavy tropical rain often washes the loose filler away, leaving the road in even worse condition than before the work was done.

    One local resident described a confusing repair job he recently witnessed, saying crews dug up sections of pavement before refilling the trenches with loose stone, a fix that he says does nothing to address the underlying road damage. “They just dig up; I don’t know what they digging up for,” he explained. “They just digging up, throw in back the marl, then further down digging up looking for something and going down all the time so. I don’t know if they checking the mains.”

    This resident confirmed the government has long promised to complete full resurfacing along the corridor from Oistins to Silver Sands, including Hopewell Road. “I know this is the plan, to get resurfaced; there’s a plan to come right up from Oistins and come up,” he said. But he noted that unfinished, haphazard work has already left new hazards: “Before it had a little hump; now you dropping in it cause they just digging out and throw the thing one side there so and left a hole.”

    A female resident echoed the frustration, emphasizing that many key roads across the district have never been resurfaced at all in her lifetime. “There are other important roads that have never been touched; now who’s in charge of these operations cause it’s not making sense,” she said, adding that even when resurfacing work is started, crews leave gaps and unfilled holes behind before abandoning the project.

    Longtime Silver Sands resident Carol Trotman summed up the community’s mood, describing the current road conditions as “terrible” and arguing that temporary patchwork fixes are no longer sufficient. “The roads are so, so bad and they keep patching, you know you put on a plaster and when the plaster start to roll off, you gotta put on a fresh one, but it need resurfacing,” she said.

    Trotman explained why temporary pothole patching never lasts in the island’s climate. “You know this is rainy season now, then when the road keeps beating down the hole, then the hole gets worse- because when the plaster pulls out, it pulls out a whole set of everything, and then it gets deeper,” she said. She added that driving after dark is particularly dangerous, as rainwater fills potholes and hides their depth from drivers. “At night, it rains, and it’s full of water, and you drop in; what’s gonna happen now?”

    Like many in the community, Trotman said she is exhausted by repeated unkept promises from elected officials. “They need to do their work and stop promising; a promise is a comfort to a fool… It’s not only about you; it’s about us cause us is who put you here in the first place, and you can’t do things just to suit yourself. I think you need to work for the people,” she said.

    Trotman called for full resurfacing across the entire Silver Sands area, stretching from Ealing Park to the Eggabout and down to Sayers Court. She also criticized the fragmented nature of past repair work, noting that after crews resurface a stretch of road, utility teams often dig up the new pavement to carry out water or natural gas work, leaving new potholes and uneven surfaces behind with no follow-up repairs.

    When asked about the Pearly app, launched earlier this year to allow Barbados residents to report potholes and other infrastructure issues directly to the government, Trotman said she prefers direct communication with officials rather than using a digital tool. “I prefer talk because those things don’t actually let you speak what’s on your mind,” she said, adding that she also avoids calling into popular radio talk shows to share complaints, after past experiences where her comments were cut off when she criticized officials. “What the sense I have issues but when I start to say the truth they gone cut me off, I don’t need that nonsense. I prefer to talk to you one on one and say what I have to say.”

    As of press time, attempts by Barbados TODAY to contact Silver Sands’ Member of Parliament and the Minister of Transport and Works for comment on the residents’ complaints have not received a response.

  • CARPHA and CAOH join forces to strengthen cancer care across Caribbean

    CARPHA and CAOH join forces to strengthen cancer care across Caribbean

    As the Caribbean braces for a dramatic 55% surge in new cancer cases by 2050, two leading regional health bodies have joined forces in a landmark five-year collaboration to ramp up the region’s capacity to prevent, treat and control the disease.

    Projections from regional health planners show that annual new cancer diagnoses across the Caribbean will jump from 123,884 in 2024 to 191,997 by mid-century, creating an urgent need for coordinated, cross-regional action to address the expanding public health challenge. It is against this critical backdrop that the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Caribbean Association for Oncology and Hematology (CAOH) have formalized their new partnership through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), announced in a joint press statement issued by the organizations.

    The agreement outlines a broad scope of work, prioritizing key areas including enhanced cancer surveillance, expanded professional training for oncology and hematology practitioners, joint clinical and public health research, public outreach on nutrition and healthy lifestyles, and improved access to safe, quality-assured cancer medications across the region.

    “Regional collaboration has always stood as one of the Caribbean’s greatest strengths,” noted Dr. Lisa Indar, Executive Director of CARPHA, at the MoU signing ceremony. “This partnership creates a vital opportunity to unify technical expertise, regional population data, and coordinated public health action to boost prevention efforts, expand early detection, strengthen national cancer control systems, and improve access to reliably tested, quality cancer medicines.”

    Dr. Marisa Nimrod, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of CAOH, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the partnership will unlock new opportunities for professional growth and collective impact across the Caribbean’s oncology community. “Through this alignment with CARPHA, our member clinicians and researchers will gain access to joint programming, cross-regional training initiatives, collaborative research opportunities, and expanded professional networks,” Nimrod explained. “It also creates clear pathways for our community to contribute to stronger cancer surveillance systems and advance the development of evidence-based Caribbean cancer policy and public health programs.”

    To deliver on the agreement’s commitments, CARPHA will leverage existing institutional resources across three of its key departments: the Chronic Disease and Injury Department, the Caribbean Regulatory System, and the Medicines Quality Control and Surveillance Department. Additional priorities of the partnership include expanding the completeness and accuracy of regional cancer registry data, rolling out public education campaigns to promote cancer-preventive healthy lifestyles, improving workplace safety protocols for staff handling hazardous cancer treatments, and strengthening pharmacovigilance and post-market monitoring frameworks for oncology medications.

    The collaboration marked its first public joint activity at CAOH’s 14th Annual Scientific Conference, held July 17, 2026 at the Trinidad Hilton. CARPHA officials Dr. Chantelle Bailey and Nicole Ennis led a hybrid technical panel focused on advancing medicine quality assurance, pharmacovigilance, and post-market surveillance in oncology care, which drew in-person and virtual participants from across the region. Panel discussions covered a range of pressing challenges including the spread of substandard and falsified cancer medications, the role of laboratory testing in verifying drug quality, cross-border regulatory cooperation, streamlined systems for adverse drug reaction reporting, and the implementation of risk-based monitoring frameworks for oncology treatments.

    Looking ahead, CARPHA officials note that the sustained partnership will support the delivery of safer cancer care and help build stronger, more resilient public health systems across all 19 CARPHA Member States, positioning the region to better manage the projected growth of cancer burden in the coming decades.

  • New PAHO/WHO representative brings 25 years of public health experience to Eastern Caribbean

    New PAHO/WHO representative brings 25 years of public health experience to Eastern Caribbean

    A public health leader with a quarter-century of global experience has stepped into a key regional leadership role for the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization, taking on the position of PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. Dr. Eva Jané Llopis, whose career spans academic, intergovernmental, and policy sectors across Europe and the Americas, officially began her new assignment this month, bringing a diverse skill set tailored to address the region’s most pressing health challenges.

    Per an official press statement from PAHO, Dr. Jané Llopis’s core mandate will center on leading the organization’s technical collaborative work with governments, health ministries, and cross-sector partners across 13 jurisdictions in the region. Her coverage area includes Barbados, the six independent member states of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines), three British overseas territories (Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, and Montserrat), and four French Caribbean territorial departments: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Saint Martin.

    In remarks following her appointment, Dr. Jané Llopis called the new role a distinct professional privilege. “It is a privilege to begin this new assignment and to work alongside the governments and people of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries,” she said, noting that she plans to prioritize collaborative problem-solving by first listening to local stakeholders, building on longstanding successful partnerships, and supporting regional efforts to develop health systems that are resilient, equitable, and centered on patient and community needs.

    Dr. Jané Llopis brings a rich and varied professional background to the post. Before moving to the Eastern Caribbean assignment, she served as PAHO/WHO Representative in Argentina starting in 2021, where she coordinated closely with Argentina’s national Ministry of Health and health leaders across all 24 of the country’s subnational jurisdictions. Prior to that role, she held senior leadership positions across PAHO, the WHO Regional Office for Europe, and the European Commission, and served as Director of Health Programs at the World Economic Forum. Her academic credentials include an appointment as a professor at Maastricht University and a role as Director of Health and Sustainable Development at ESADE Business School.

    A citizen of Spain, Dr. Jané Llopis holds a PhD in Social Sciences from Nijmegen University in the Netherlands and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Barcelona. She also completed an Executive Master’s in Global Leadership, alongside executive education programs at top global business institutions INSEAD and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Over her career, she has published more than 100 peer-reviewed and scientific works, with research and applied work focusing on primary health care, noncommunicable disease prevention and control, mental health systems, health governance, public-private collaboration for health, and sustainable development across European and Latin American contexts.

    Dr. Jané Llopis succeeds outgoing representative Dr. Amalia Del Riego, who retired from PAHO/WHO in June 2026. Dr. Prabhjot Singh stepped in to serve as interim representative during the leadership transition period.

    Her appointment aligns with PAHO/WHO’s ongoing commitment to supporting Eastern Caribbean nations on a wide range of public health priorities. The organization currently provides technical and operational support to the region in key areas including expanding access to high-quality primary health care, strengthening health security and emergency preparedness, addressing the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases and mental health challenges, expanding the regional health workforce, advancing digital health transformation, eliminating endemic communicable diseases, and building health systems that can withstand the growing impacts of climate change.

  • Warriors win 4th in a row at Loloy youth basketball

    Warriors win 4th in a row at Loloy youth basketball

    After five days of high-energy, skill-driven competition between top youth basketball squads from across the Caribbean, the fifth annual Aloysius “Loloy” Daniel Youth Basketball Tournament concluded Friday at Beausejour Gymnasium, capping off a week of standout athletic play from emerging young talent. Trinidad & Tobago’s New Chapter Academy (NCA) Warriors cemented their status as the region’s dominant youth program, wrapping up an undefeated tournament run to claim their fourth consecutive championship title in decisive fashion. The Warriors delivered a lopsided 120-50 win over host side East Coast Academy (ECA) Lions, who claimed third place in the final tournament rankings.

    From the opening tipoff, the Trinbagonian squad showcased elite defensive intensity and unselfish team play that defined their campaign throughout the week, finishing the tournament with a perfect 5-0 record. Tournament Most Valuable Player Josiah John-Andrew led the squad’s aggressive swarming defense and sparked high-efficiency fast breaks that put the game out of reach for the host Lions in the first half, setting the tone for the championship blowout.

    In other final-day matchups, Antigua & Barbuda’s Pitbulls locked up the second spot on the podium with a commanding 133-27 victory over Saint Lucia’s Basketball For The Future (BFTF) Pitbulls. Guyana’s D-Up Academy closed their tournament campaign on a high note, defeating winless ECA Tigers 71-44 to secure fourth place in the overall final standings.

    Following the conclusion of final games, the tournament announced its official All-Tournament Best Starting Five lineup, headlined by MVP Josiah John-Andrew who claimed the point guard spot. John-Andrew was joined on the elite roster by his NCA Warriors teammate Rannan Howard, who took the center position. ECA Lions standout Nyel Joseph earned the shooting guard slot, while Antigua & Barbuda’s dynamic forward pair Jayden Lewis and Yohhan Nicholas rounded out the starting five as small forward and power forward respectively.