标签： Antigua and Barbuda

In the early hours of Friday, May 29, 2026, the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda launched a rapid response to an urgent report of an ongoing break-in at a commercial store on Lower All Saints Road, Saint John’s. The official media release, issued the following day by the force’s Office of Strategic Communications, detailed the sequence of events that unfolded after officers arrived at the scene.

When law enforcement personnel reached the location just after 3:00 a.m., they spotted three male suspects, all clad in dark clothing, emerging from the targeted building. Descriptions released to the public note two of the men are roughly six feet tall, while the third stands approximately five feet eight inches tall. Upon seeing police, the trio split up and fled the area in different directions, managing to temporarily evade immediate capture.

According to investigators, the suspects had looted a range of electronics and power equipment from the business premises, including eleven 43-inch JVC televisions, one 32-inch Royal brand television, two handheld drills, a complete tool kit, and one powered vacuum cleaner. In a breakthrough for responding officers, all of the stolen property was recovered intact in the immediate area outside the targeted building shortly after the suspects fled.

The case remains open and active, with the Criminal Investigations Department continuing to pursue leads to identify and apprehend the three at-large suspects. Law enforcement is issuing a public call for assistance from anyone who may have been in the Lower All Saints Road area in the early hours of May 29, or anyone who holds additional information that could advance the investigation. Members of the public with relevant details can contact the Criminal Investigations Department directly at 462-3913 or 462-3914, or submit anonymous tips through the Crimestoppers hotline at 800-TIPS (8477).

Law enforcement officials in Antigua and Barbuda are calling on local residents to boost their personal safety awareness and adopt extra protective measures after a spike in jewelry snatchings targeting unsuspecting community members. The official public warning was issued by the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda’s Office of Strategic Communications on Saturday, May 30, 2026, one day after two distinct armed-free robbery cases were logged by the force’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

The first incident unfolded just after 1:00 p.m. on Friday along Campbell Road in the Ottos neighborhood. According to official reports, a female victim was out walking when an unidentified male suspect approached her abruptly, seized her wrist, and ripped off two gold wristbands estimated to be worth a combined 4,000 Eastern Caribbean dollars. The attacker immediately fled the scene on foot. Investigators have released a description of the suspect: he is light-skinned, has a slim frame, and was wearing a black hat at the time of the robbery.

Roughly two hours later, a second jewelry theft took place in the Sutherlands area. In this case, a male victim had just stepped out of his residence and was walking toward his parked car when two unknown male suspects stole a 14-karat gold chain valued at around 5,000 Eastern Caribbean dollars from his neck before running away. Investigators have shared detailed descriptions for both suspects in this case. The first is approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall, brown-skinned, of medium build, and has short, low-cut hair. The second stands around 5 feet 7 inches, has a dark complexion, weighs roughly 170 pounds, and was dressed in a black T-shirt and multicolored shorts at the time of the incident.

Beyond urging everyday residents to stay alert, the police force has issued a targeted advisory for local business owners that handle precious metals. Store operators and managers at jewelry outlets, pawn shops, and other precious metal buying and selling enterprises are told to maintain a high state of vigilance for any attempted sales of potentially stolen gold. They are instructed to vet all transactions for gold jewelry carefully and contact law enforcement immediately if any suspicious activity is flagged.

For members of the public who own valuable jewelry, the police offered a series of practical safety tips: avoid wearing high-value pieces in crowded public areas when possible, keep constant awareness of people and movement around you, refrain from openly displaying expensive jewelry unnecessarily, and contact emergency services right away if any unusual or suspicious behavior is observed.

Law enforcement is asking any resident who may have information relevant to either of the two active investigations to come forward with details. Tips can be submitted directly to the CID at 462-3913 or 462-3914, sent anonymously via the Crimestoppers hotline at 800-TIPS (8477), or reported through a direct call to 911 emergency services. In closing the official advisory, the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda’s administration expressed gratitude for the ongoing public cooperation and support that helps the force fight crime and hold offenders accountable under the law.

On a Thursday marked by both celebration and sorrow, the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) found itself balancing two monumental moments: the official opening of its expanded headquarters at Antigua and Barbuda’s V.C. Bird International Airport, and the somber announcement of the passing of one of the region’s most respected aviation professionals, Simon Lewis.

The opening ceremony, which brought together senior government officials, key aviation industry stakeholders, and regional diplomatic representatives, was paused to honor Lewis’ decades of service to Caribbean aviation. In a quiet act of collective remembrance, all ECCAA staff in attendance pinned gold and black ribbons to their clothing, and the entire room bowed their heads for a minute of silence to celebrate his life and legacy.

Lewis, who most recently held the role of operations officer for aerodromes at ECCAA, passed away in the early hours of that same Thursday, bringing to a close a career in civil aviation that stretched across more than 50 years. ECCAA Director General Anthony Whittier delivered the official tribute during the opening event, sharing that the entire organization was grieving the loss of a beloved colleague and foundational leader.

“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of our colleague, Mr. Simon Peter Lewis, who served the Eastern Caribbean aviation community with unwavering dedication and distinction,” Whittaker told the assembled crowd.

Lewis’ journey in aviation began in 1971, when he started his career working dual roles as an air traffic controller and a meteorological officer. Over the course of his early career, he worked his way up to leadership, eventually taking on the position of air traffic department manager at Grenada’s Maurice Bishop International Airport. It was in this role that he first earned widespread recognition across the region for his steady leadership and unmatched technical expertise.

His impact extended far beyond Grenada’s national borders, as he took on key regional and international roles to advance Caribbean aviation. From 2001 to 2006, he served as chairman of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Eastern Caribbean Working Group, where he played an instrumental role in building cross-border cooperation, aligning regional safety standards, and expanding air connectivity across the Eastern Caribbean.

Even after officially retiring from full-time public service, Lewis continued to contribute to the industry he loved. He joined the ECCAA team on July 1, 2012, where he supported aviation development initiatives across all of the authority’s 10 member states. Whittier emphasized that Lewis remained actively involved in on-the-ground assignments right up until his death, noting that Lewis had completed an official ECCAA inspection and outreach mission to Dominica as recently as last month.

“He generously shared his vast knowledge and experience, providing comprehensive guidance and support that significantly contributed to the improvement of civil aviation across our member states,” Whittier added.

Colleagues across the region remembered Lewis not just for his professional contributions, but for the personal qualities that made him a beloved mentor and friend. Working remotely from his home in Grenada, Lewis was known as a consistently responsive, supportive colleague who was always willing to drop his own work to help a teammate facing a challenge. Professionally, he was widely described as dedicated, dependable, meticulous, punctual, and hardworking in every project he took on.

Beyond his work ethic, Lewis will be remembered for his warm, approachable personality. “Simon was known by his colleagues as dedicated, dependable, punctual, hardworking, and meticulous in all of the work that he undertook,” Whittier said, adding that he was also “jovial, approachable, and warm.”

In a statement following the tribute, ECCAA leadership confirmed that Lewis’ decades of work have left an indelible mark on every corner of Eastern Caribbean civil aviation. His legacy, the organization noted, will live on through the hundreds of aviation professionals he mentored, the regional cooperation frameworks he helped build, and the improved safety standards that will benefit the region for decades to come.

On a sunny Sunday in late May 2026, a groundbreaking new initiative for young women took root at Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Environment Conference Room, as the Caribbean Female Empowerment Movement (cFEM) welcomed dozens of girls from across local communities to its first ever Bloom and Become Girls Day Camp. What unfolded over the day was far more than a routine community gathering: it was a transformative experience built on intentional learning, joyful connection, deep self-discovery, and targeted empowerment for a generation of young girls ready to step into their power.

Founded by Dominican-born counselor, educator and renowned youth advocate Nicola Reefe-Babb, cFEM’s girls program was built to address a critical gap in youth development: providing dedicated, safe spaces where girls can build the foundational confidence, practical life skills and growth-oriented mindsets needed to thrive through life’s challenges, while fully embracing the unique potential each participant brings to the table. Unlike generic youth programs, the Bloom and Become camp centers the specific needs of growing girls, creating a judgment-free supportive environment where attendees are encouraged to chase big dreams, nurture trusting healthy relationships, and practice leadership from a young age.

The day’s schedule was carefully crafted to balance education, engagement and fun, with a diverse lineup of activities tailored to different interests and growth goals. Girls took part in interactive group discussions, hands-on creative projects, collaborative team-building challenges, and targeted empowerment workshops focused on core life skills: building sustainable self-esteem, navigating personal growth, setting actionable long-term goals, building resilience in the face of setback, and making intentional positive decisions for their futures. Every session circled back to a core message: every girl has inherent worth, her individuality is a strength, and she deserves the confidence to pursue every personal and academic goal she sets.

Speaking after the event, Reefe-Babb shared heartfelt gratitude for the collective effort that made the inaugural camp a success, thanking the volunteer facilitators, participating parents, community sponsors, and the girls themselves who brought energy and enthusiasm to every activity. She went on to outline the long-term vision that drives cFEM’s girls chapter: to build recurring, meaningful programs that support girls and young women across the region to overcome systemic and personal barriers, unlock their untapped potential, and grow into confident community leaders.

Reefe-Babb emphasized that the one-day camp was never meant to be a standalone event. “This camp is not just a one-off gathering — it is an investment in the future of our region’s girls,” she explained. “Our goal is for every girl who leaves here to carry this certainty with her: she is capable, she is valuable, and she is born for greatness.”

The sold-out, successful first camp marks a major milestone for cFEM, which is working to expand its mission of nurturing personal growth, leadership development, and systemic empowerment for young girls across Antigua and Barbuda and the wider Caribbean. Local communities across the region have already expressed enthusiastic support for the organization’s work, with many anticipating more impactful programming in the years ahead. As cFEM continues its work, it aims to turn girls with big dreams into women with clear vision — women who will go on to shape a more equitable, prosperous future for the Caribbean and the world beyond.

As the officially recognized collective bargaining body for CIBC Caribbean workers based in Antigua and Barbuda, the Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union (ABWU) has formally responded to the recently announced acquisition proposal from Bermuda-based lender The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Limited. The global financial firm has tabled a plan to purchase CIBC’s controlling 91.7% stake in CIBC Caribbean Bank Limited, a deal that remains contingent on gaining necessary regulatory clearances from regional authorities, with both acquiring and target firms indicating they anticipate no major disruptions to daily operations once the transaction closes under new ownership.

While the union has acknowledged the preliminary statements from both financial institutions regarding operational continuity, the ABWU has moved quickly to lay out non-negotiable requirements for how the ownership transfer must proceed to protect local workers. In a formal correspondence addressed to CIBC leadership, ABWU General Secretary David Massiah has underscored that all corporate acquisition activity impacting Antigua and Barbuda-based employees must align strictly with the nation’s existing labor laws, which outline clear protections for employment contracts, collective bargaining rights, continuous service tenure, severance pay entitlements, and mandatory consultation requirements between employers and worker representatives.

Massiah’s letter explicitly references two key pieces of national legislation that govern this type of corporate ownership change: the 2019 Antigua and Barbuda Labour Code (Amendment) Act No. 9, and the accompanying 2015 amendment to Section 176(g) of the nation’s Banking Act. These regulatory changes explicitly clarify that workers cannot be forcefully transferred to a new employer without first exercising their legally guaranteed right to make an active election about their future employment status.

Under the updated labor framework spelled out in Sections C40 and C44 of the amended Labour Code, workers are now eligible to receive severance pay not only in cases of traditional redundancy, but also during scenarios involving the sale of business assets, transfer of company shares, handover of business operations, or any other disposal of a business to a successor employer. Massiah outlined the two clear options that every affected worker is legally entitled to choose from.

The first option allows employees to accept a severance payout from the current, pre-acquisition employer, which would formally end their employment relationship with the existing entity. Any continued work for the new Butterfield-led ownership would then require a brand new employment offer negotiated under current labor standards. The second alternative permits workers to decline the offered severance and retain their employment with the successor institution. In this scenario, all existing employment benefits, accrued rights, job privileges, tenure, and continuous service records must be fully preserved and transferred intact to the new employer.

Complementing these labor code provisions, the amendment to the Banking Act adds an additional layer of protection for finance sector workers: any employee that chooses to continue their employment with the acquiring bank must retain employment terms and conditions that are at least as favorable as those in place immediately before the ownership transfer is completed.

A core demand put forward by Massiah is that every impacted worker must receive a clear, genuine, and reasonable window of opportunity to make their informed election between the two options: accepting severance and ending their current employment, or retaining their role with the new owner without taking a severance payout. The General Secretary has pushed for CIBC to fully adhere to the existing statutory framework, and most critically, to formally notify every affected worker in writing of all their legal rights and available options under both the Labour Code and Banking Act.

Massiah reiterated that the ABWU expects full transparency, good-faith consultation with union leadership, and timely ongoing communication at every stage of the proposed acquisition. This includes all matters that impact the union’s collective bargaining units as well as both statutory and collective bargaining rights held by workers. He emphasized that the worker protections codified in these laws were intentionally passed by the Antigua and Barbuda Parliament specifically to prevent workers from losing their hard-earned accrued rights and benefits when a business or financial institution is sold or transferred to new ownership.

“In closing, the Union therefore expects full compliance with both the spirit and letter of the legislation throughout this entire transaction process,” Massiah wrote in the formal letter. Moving forward, the ABWU has confirmed it will maintain close ongoing monitoring of all developments related to the proposed acquisition to ensure that the rights, interests, and professional dignity of every affected worker are fully protected through the completion of the deal.