Carib Scope

标签： Antigua and Barbuda

安提瓜和巴布达

  • Antigua Records Third-Driest May Since 1928 as Drought Intensifies

    Antigua Records Third-Driest May Since 1928 as Drought Intensifies

    A newly released climate assessment from the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service has confirmed that 2026 will go down in the archipelago’s weather history books, after Antigua logged its third driest May since systematic rainfall tracking began nearly a century ago in 1928. The official Monthly Climate Summary, published in June to review May’s conditions, paints a stark picture of sustained dry conditions that have rapidly intensified drought across both islands of the Caribbean nation.

    Across the entire island of Antigua, the average rainfall recorded for May amounted to just 17.5 millimeters, or 0.69 inches. At the V.C. Bird International Airport monitoring site, one of the archipelago’s longest-running weather stations, only 14.2 millimeters (0.56 inches) of rain fell throughout the entire month, placing this May as the fifth driest on record for that location since 1928.

    Meteorologists analyzing the data note that drought conditions have grown steadily more severe across the country over recent months. The Standardized Precipitation Index, a widely used global metric for measuring dryness relative to long-term averages, classified northern Antigua as facing severe drought, while the rest of the island fell into the moderate drought category for May. This dry pattern did not emerge suddenly: the three-month period from March through May 2026 was also categorized as severely dry across the entirety of Antigua, and the dry spell stretches back even further. For the six-month window from December 2025 through May 2026, northern Antigua remains in severe drought, with the rest of the island still classified as moderately dry.

    Notably, temperatures across the archipelago remained close to the long-term seasonal average for May, despite the near-complete lack of rainfall. At V.C. Bird International Airport, the average daily mean temperature clocked in at 26.9 degrees Celsius (80.4 degrees Fahrenheit), with an average daily high of 29.9 degrees Celsius (85.8 degrees Fahrenheit). The hottest temperature recorded at the airport for the month hit 30.4 degrees Celsius (86.7 degrees Fahrenheit) on May 31. Island-wide, the average temperature for Antigua settled at 27.4 degrees Celsius (81.3 degrees Fahrenheit), and the highest temperature recorded anywhere on the island reached 34.7 degrees Celsius (94.5 degrees Fahrenheit) at the Five Islands coastal location, also measured on May 31.

    Rainfall, when it did occur, was extremely unevenly distributed across Antigua, with the southern and southwestern regions recording the bulk of the limited precipitation. The Donkey Sanctuary monitoring site in St. Paul recorded the highest total monthly rainfall across the island at 83.8 millimeters (3.30 inches), while Cobbs Cross saw the single wettest 24-hour period, when 30.7 millimeters (1.21 inches) fell on May 25.

    For the neighboring island of Barbuda, official monitoring recorded just 15.8 millimeters (0.62 inches) of total rainfall throughout May. The island saw only five days with measurable precipitation, and endured a continuous 14-day dry stretch during the month. At the Sir McChesney George Secondary School monitoring station, the average daily mean temperature for May was 27.5 degrees Celsius (81.5 degrees Fahrenheit). While limited on-the-ground monitoring data prevents meteorologists from issuing a definitive drought classification for Barbuda, satellite-based precipitation estimates indicate the island is facing dry conditions nearly identical to those impacting Antigua, the report confirmed.

  • Government Warns Vandalized Bus Stops Could Lead to Prosecution

    Government Warns Vandalized Bus Stops Could Lead to Prosecution

    Authorities in Antigua and Barbuda are advancing a broad national initiative to upgrade and preserve community public assets, with new plans to ramp up surveillance and pursue legal consequences against people who intentionally vandalize shared infrastructure such as bus stops. The policy outline was revealed during a post-Cabinet media briefing held Thursday, where government officials also unveiled a nationwide package of infrastructure improvements including renovated bus stops, updated road signage, and refreshed road markings.

    The conversation around harsher anti-vandalism measures followed repeated incidents of deliberate damage to public bus shelters, which have left many existing facilities in a state of severe disrepair that requires costly major repairs. Maurice Merchant, the country’s Director General of Communications, explained that the administration is currently evaluating a range of strategies to deter further destruction of facilities built and maintained using public taxpayer funds.

    “Surveillance represents one key strategy to make sure these facilities stay intact and accessible for public use,” Merchant noted in his remarks to reporters. He confirmed that constructive discussions are already ongoing between government officials and national law enforcement agencies to establish processes for identifying and prosecuting anyone found guilty of intentional public property damage. “Conversations are already underway with the law enforcement community to target these individuals who recklessly destroy public assets for no discernible reason,” Merchant added.

    Under the proposed new accountability framework, people found responsible for damaging public infrastructure will be held financially liable for the cost of repairs. Merchant clarified that this requirement already applies to damage caused by reckless driving, and will be extended to cases of intentional vandalism: “If public property is destroyed, those responsible will be required to repay the full cost of repairs.”

    The broader infrastructure rehabilitation project, which includes the installation of new directional, road and traffic signs, is being funded through the national Tourism Fund, and will bring upgrades to bus stops across both islands of the nation. In addition to formal enforcement measures, Merchant issued a public call for greater collective responsibility to protect shared community assets, urging residents to embrace a greater sense of national pride. He questioned why any member of the public would seek to destroy facilities designed for the benefit of the entire community.

    As of the briefing, the government has not yet released a specific timeline for the rollout of new surveillance measures, but officials confirmed that stricter enforcement and clearer personal accountability for damage will be core components of the ongoing national effort to upgrade and maintain public infrastructure across Antigua and Barbuda.

  • OECS Marks 45 Years of Regional Integration and Cooperation

    OECS Marks 45 Years of Regional Integration and Cooperation

    On June 18, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) celebrated a major milestone: four and a half decades of advancing cross-border cooperation and unity across the Eastern Caribbean. The 45th anniversary festivities and official reflections centered on the chosen theme, “One Vision, One Voice: Navigating Challenges, Shaping Our Future,” a slogan that underscores the bloc’s core commitment to collective problem-solving.

    The anniversary itself commemorates the 1981 signing of the Treaty of Basseterre, the foundational agreement that formally established the OECS as the institutional successor to the earlier West Indies Associated States Council of Ministers. From that starting point 45 years ago, the organization has grown dramatically, expanding both its membership and the scope of its collaborative work across the region. Today, OECS coordinates joint action among member states across a wide range of critical policy areas, from inclusive economic development and public health system strengthening to educational advancement, transnational security, environmental sustainability, and aligned foreign policy.

    In an official statement released to mark the occasion, the OECS framed the anniversary as both a moment to celebrate past gains secured through regional unity and an opportunity to reaffirm the bloc’s commitment to tackling emerging shared challenges together. “For 45 years, the OECS has championed regional integration, strengthening the bonds that unite our Member States and advancing a shared vision for a resilient and prosperous future,” the statement read.

    The anniversary theme was intentionally crafted to highlight the urgency of solidarity at a time when Eastern Caribbean nations face overlapping systemic pressures, including global economic volatility, accelerating climate change impacts, and repeated destructive natural disasters, all of which demand coordinated cross-border solutions.

    Looking back at the OECS’s 45-year evolution, the organization highlights several key transformative milestones beyond its 1981 founding. Most notably, member states signed the Revised Treaty of Basseterre in June 2010, which entered into force the following January. This updated agreement established the OECS Economic Union, deepening economic integration and reinforcing institutional cooperation across all participating nations.

    The OECS has also steadily expanded its membership to reflect growing interest in regional collaboration across the Eastern Caribbean. After its original founding group, Martinique joined as a member in February 2015, followed by Guadeloupe in March 2019, and most recently Saint Martin in March 2025. Regional officials frame these new accessions as clear proof of the expanding appeal and proven benefits of coordinated collective action across the subregion.

    To mark the 45th anniversary, the OECS has organized a series of public engagement activities open to residents across all member states. The organization encourages local communities to participate in events and share public photos showcasing the OECS’s official colors: yellow, white, green, and navy blue. A public commemorative fun walk is also scheduled to take place in Antigua and Barbuda as a centerpiece of the celebrations.

    In closing, the OECS emphasized that the anniversary is far more than a retrospective celebration of past progress. It is also a collective call to action, urging member states to continue building a stronger, more resilient, and more prosperous Eastern Caribbean through sustained cooperation, shared strategic purpose, and coordinated collective action.

  • Number Portability Set for July Rollout in Antigua and Barbuda

    Number Portability Set for July Rollout in Antigua and Barbuda

    Consumers across Antigua and Barbuda are on the cusp of a long-awaited shakeup to the country’s telecommunications market, as the government confirms a July rollout for mobile number portability — a policy that will let mobile users switch between local service providers without surrendering their existing phone numbers.

    When fully implemented, the reform will extend number portability rights to customers of the nation’s three major mobile and internet providers: Flow, Digicel, and APUA Inet. Officials argue that eliminating the requirement to change phone numbers when switching networks will deliver tangible benefits to consumers, unlocking greater choice for users and injecting healthier competition into a relatively concentrated local telecommunications sector.

    Maurice Merchant, Director General of Communications, outlined the government’s timeline during a post-Cabinet media briefing held Thursday, confirming that the long-delayed system is on track to go live next month. “Government believes that this should become effective in July of this year,” Merchant stated, clarifying the core function of the policy for consumers: “If you wish to switch from APUA Inet to Flow, you can take your number with you. That’s what number portability is.”

    The upcoming launch comes years after the national legislature passed legislation to enable number portability, with implementation held up for an extended period by persistent coordination challenges between the competing telecom operators. When pressed about the years-long delay, Merchant explained that cross-firm collaboration between market rivals has been the biggest barrier to progress. “We must recognize that they are competitors in this field and so collaboration sometimes is not the easiest thing and hence it has taken a while,” he said.

    Merchant also highlighted that the policy has the potential to reshape the dynamics of Antigua and Barbuda’s telecom market by lowering the barrier to exit for customers unhappy with their current provider’s service or pricing. “It may mean good for certain providers and it may not, because there may be an exodus of individuals from any particular service provider to another,” he noted.

    The number portability plan formed part of a broader Cabinet review of Antigua and Barbuda’s national communications infrastructure, which also covered progress updates on the country’s ongoing subsea cable project and ongoing government efforts to attract new internet service providers to the twin-island nation. All these linked initiatives are designed to boost network reliability for local users, expand competition across the sector, and strengthen the country’s digital communications backbone to support long-term economic development.

    Additional details on the rollout schedule, customer registration process, and any associated fees are expected to be announced by Utilities Minister Melford Nicholas in the coming weeks.

  • Female Labour Force Participation Across CARICOM Ranges From 45% to 71%

    Female Labour Force Participation Across CARICOM Ranges From 45% to 71%

    Female labor market engagement stands as one of the most fundamental catalysts for expanding national economic output and boosting household earnings across the globe. Within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), however, this critical metric shows greater divergence between member states than almost any other key economic indicator, according to the latest 2025 data. When measuring the share of women aged 15 and above who are either actively employed or searching for work, figures span from a low of 44.9% in Suriname to a regional high of 70.7% in The Bahamas. To put this gap in perspective, less than one out of every two adult women participates in the formal labor market in Suriname, while nearly seven out of 10 do so in The Bahamas.

    Across the 10 CARICOM member states tracked, six nations record female labor force participation rates above 58%, with The Bahamas claiming the top spot followed closely by Jamaica and Saint Lucia. The remaining four member states fall into a tight cluster between 45% and 49%, with Guyana emerging as a notable success story of gradual growth. Once sitting in the upper 30% range back in 1990, Guyana has lifted its female participation rate to 47% today, marking meaningful progress over three and a half decades.

    Disparities are also stark when comparing labor force engagement between women and men within individual CARICOM countries. In two nations, The Bahamas and Barbados, women’s probability of participating in the labor market comes almost level with that of men. The World Bank has highlighted that the gender gap in both countries is actually smaller than the average gap recorded across the world’s group of highest-income economies. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Belize shows one of the widest gender gaps globally, with men far more likely to participate in the labor force than their female counterparts.

    Uniquely among all CARICOM member states, The Bahamas achieves two standout milestones: it boasts not only one of the highest female labor force participation rates in the entire region, but also one of the smallest gender participation gaps among all its member nations.

  • Bees Relocated and Tree Removed in Safety Operation at St. Joseph’s Academy

    Bees Relocated and Tree Removed in Safety Operation at St. Joseph’s Academy

    A collaborative safety and environmental initiative at St. Joseph’s Academy has successfully resolved a growing public safety threat while protecting a vulnerable local insect population, through the coordinated work of government bodies and independent environmental stakeholders. The risk originated from a huge beehive that had taken root inside the trunk of a mature flamboyant tree on the school’s campus, which sits frequented by hundreds of students, staff, and local community members daily. For weeks, local officials had flagged the overgrown hive as a major safety hazard, noting that unexpected disturbances to the colony could lead to dangerous stinging incidents that put passersby at severe risk.

    To address the issue without unnecessary harm to the bee population, authorities assembled a multi-partner team that brought together complementary skill sets: enforcement and logistical support from the National Solid Waste Management Authority, tree removal resources from the Ministry of Public Works, and specialized apiculture expertise from Davina Joyce, a veteran local beekeeper and active member of the Antigua and Barbuda Bee Keepers Cooperative. Before the diseased and structurally unstable tree was taken down, Joyce and her team conducted a meticulous extraction of the entire hive, carefully moving hundreds of live bees to a new, remote location where the colony can thrive without posing a risk to nearby people.

    Following the completion of the operation, the Ministry of Public Works released a statement emphasizing that the successful outcome was a direct product of intentional cross-sector collaboration. Rather than opting for a fast but destructive approach that would have eliminated the bee colony entirely, the team prioritized both public safety and environmental stewardship, balancing the needs of the school community with the ecological value of local pollinator populations. Officials framed the operation as a replicable model for communities across the region, proving that proactive public safety management does not require trading off the protection of local wildlife. By aligning the goals of government agencies and environmental stakeholders, the project delivered a positive result that serves both people and the local ecosystem.

  • Saharan Dust Pushes Air Quality to Moderate Levels Through Weekend

    Saharan Dust Pushes Air Quality to Moderate Levels Through Weekend

    Residents of Antigua and Barbuda are bracing for three days of reduced air quality after national weather officials issued an official alert for an incoming surge of Saharan dust, set to impact the islands from Thursday morning through Saturday. The warning, published by the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service at 9:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday, marks the 13th significant Saharan dust event to reach the twin-island nation so far this year. The incoming dust cloud is projected to drive up concentrations of fine particulate matter, pushing the country’s Air Quality Index into the moderate range, between 51 and 70 on the standard measurement scale. This reading activates the national Alert Level II for air quality.

    While the overall public health risk remains low for the general population, vulnerable groups face increased potential for mild to moderate health impacts, meteorologists have emphasized. At-risk populations include individuals living with chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma, those with pre-existing heart disease, older adults, and young children. Health and weather officials are urging people who fall into these sensitive categories to keep a close watch on updated air quality forecasts, and to take proactive steps to limit exposure during the event.

    Even though moderate air quality is still classified as broadly acceptable for most residents, a small subset of people with heightened sensitivity to air pollution may still experience adverse health effects, the bulletin clarified. Official guidance advises active children and adults, along with anyone diagnosed with a respiratory illness, to cut back on extended outdoor physical activity for the duration of the dust event.

    Saharan dust surges are a predictable annual occurrence for Caribbean nations, including Antigua and Barbuda, during the Northern Hemisphere summer months. Large plumes of fine desert dust are carried westward across the Atlantic Ocean by steady trade winds, and when they reach the Caribbean basin, they often bring widespread hazy skies and temporary dips in regional air quality. Seasonal monitoring systems track these events as they travel across the ocean, allowing local officials to issue advance warnings to at-risk communities.

  • Antigua and Barbuda National Olympic Committee prepares for 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games

    Antigua and Barbuda National Olympic Committee prepares for 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games

    As the 2026 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games approaches, the Antigua and Barbuda National Olympic Committee (ABNOC) has finalized plans to dispatch a 16-strong delegation to the centennial edition of the tournament, which will kick off in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, running from July 24 to August 8 2026.

    Widely recognized as the oldest continuous regional multi-sport event on the globe, this year’s milestone CAC Games is projected to welcome more than 6,500 competing athletes across 40 distinct sporting disciplines, drawing top talent from across the Caribbean and Central American region.

    Leading Antigua and Barbuda’s contingent will be Thomas Greenaway, ABNOC’s First Vice-President, who will take on the role of Chef de Mission. Leveraging decades of hands-on experience organizing and managing regional sporting events, Greenaway will oversee the team competing across six sports: Athletics, Swimming, Table Tennis, Beach Volleyball, Weightlifting, and Sailing.

    The 2026 tournament carries special historic meaning for Antigua and Barbuda: it marks the first time the island nation has entered athletes into Olympic-style weightlifting at the CAC Games. For sailing, the country will field competitors across three separate disciplines, while table tennis continues its upward trajectory as a growing part of Antigua and Barbuda’s national sports development program.

    In a statement on the upcoming Games, ABNOC Secretary General Cliff Williams emphasized the unique value the tournament provides for the nation’s emerging athletic talent. “The CAC Games offer an unmatched platform for our athletes to test their skills and gain critical competitive experience against the top competitors across the region,” Williams explained. “We are incredibly proud to field this focused, dedicated team, which includes athletes making historic first-time appearances for Antigua and Barbuda. We are eager to see strong performances from every competitor and to advance the long-term development of all our national sporting programs.”

    One major hurdle organizers and athletes are currently navigating is a direct scheduling overlap between the 2026 CAC Games and the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which falls during the same mid-year window. The conflict is particularly acute for track and field athletes: CAC Games athletics events are scheduled for August 3 to 8, while the Commonwealth athletics competition is held earlier in the same overall period. While this overlap leaves open the possibility for elite athletes to compete in both tournaments, it requires meticulous advanced planning to manage travel, training, and recovery. To address this challenge, ABNOC has been working in close collaboration with athletes, coaching staff, and event partners to coordinate logistics, finalize team selection, and plan recovery protocols, all with the goal of helping every athlete deliver their best possible performance in Santo Domingo.

  • Government Aims to Produce 200,000 Antigua Black Pineapple Plants

    Government Aims to Produce 200,000 Antigua Black Pineapple Plants

    Antigua and Barbuda’s government is ramping up a strategic long-term agricultural initiative to breathe new life into the country’s legendary Black Pineapple industry, targeting propagation of at least 200,000 genetically improved plants to restore the iconic crop’s legacy.

    Details of the industry revival plan were formally unveiled during this week’s post-Cabinet briefing on Thursday, where government officials confirmed that a new shipment of 15,000 tissue-cultured Antigua Black Pineapple seedlings is scheduled to arrive on the island in the coming days.

    Maurice Merchant, Director General of Communications, explained that the incoming batch of cultivated plants will join an existing 15,000 plants already established at the Cades Bay Agricultural Station, the central hub for the entire propagation project. “Another 15,000 tissue cultures will arrive in the coming days and they will be propagated at the Cades Bay Station,” Merchant stated in his remarks to reporters. “The ultimate aim is to have at least 200,000 Antigua Black Pineapple plants propagated and ready for cultivation at this facility.”

    This large-scale expansion is a core component of a broader national program designed to recover and boost production of the fruit, which has long been celebrated as one of Antigua and Barbuda’s most unique and recognizable agricultural exports. For years, local farmers raised growing concerns that decades of cultivation had eroded the crop’s quality, with the fruit failing to reach its signature large size and delivering lower crop yields than in previous generations.

    To address these challenges, agricultural officials launched a scientific genetic improvement initiative more than 12 months ago, when roughly 50 original Antigua Black Pineapple samples were sent to research facilities in St. Vincent for tissue culturing and genetic refinement. The scientific process has successfully preserved all the distinct characteristics that make the Antigua Black Pineapple famous, while eliminating genetic degradation and producing high-quality starting material for large-scale propagation.

    “The scientific process cleaned up the genetics so it remains the authentic Antigua Black Pineapple,” Merchant emphasized, confirming that the program has achieved its core goal of retaining the crop’s unique flavor and identity while boosting its productivity.

    All propagation work is being conducted at the Cades Bay agricultural facility, where young seedlings are multiplied in controlled conditions before being distributed to local farmers for commercial cultivation across the island. Merchant cautioned that pineapples have a naturally long growing cycle, meaning consumers will not see expanded supply hit local and international markets overnight. Even with this timeline, however, government and agricultural leaders are confident the initiative will deliver significant growth in available Antigua Black Pineapple in the coming years, ultimately reviving an industry that is a key part of the country’s agricultural and cultural identity.

    “It is anticipated that we should have regenerated growth of Antigua Black Pineapple very soon on the market,” Merchant added.

  • Minister Michael Joseph Meets with Executive Director of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage)

    Minister Michael Joseph Meets with Executive Director of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage)

    Side talks at the 2026 Berlin Climate Mobility Forum have brought critical focus to the disproportionate climate risks facing Small Island Developing States, as senior officials from Antigua and Barbuda and the global Loss and Damage Fund sat down to advance actionable progress for climate-vulnerable nations.

    Michael Joseph, who leads the ministries of Health, Wellness, Environment, and Civil Service Affairs for Antigua and Barbuda, met one-on-one with Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, Executive Director of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, to unpack the cascading challenges that climate change imposes on low-lying island nations. The closed-door discussion zeroed in on the overlapping vulnerabilities SIDS confront across nearly every sector of society: climate impacts are increasingly eroding critical infrastructure, destroying residential housing, straining already stretched public health systems, undermining core livelihoods, and derailing long-term national development plans that many small island states have spent decades building.

    Joseph underscored that Antigua and Barbuda has remained a consistent, unwavering voice in global climate negotiations calling for fair and equitable access to climate finance for frontline nations. For countries that have contributed the least to global greenhouse gas emissions yet face the worst climate outcomes, he stressed, timely and sufficient support to address climate-induced loss and damage is not a favor—it is an existential necessity. The minister went on to outline the unique realities small island states grapple with that are often overlooked in global climate frameworks: even one major extreme weather event can leave long-lasting social and economic scars that stretch far beyond the scope of immediate emergency disaster response. Recovery can take years, if not decades, and derail development gains that communities worked generations to achieve.

    Following the discussion, both Diong and Joseph exchanged constructive perspectives on how to move from global agreement to on-the-ground action. A central point of their talks centered on operationalizing accessible, efficient financing mechanisms that can rapidly meet the needs of countries already experiencing climate loss and damage, ensuring that the most vulnerable populations receive the targeted support they need to recover and rebuild stronger after climate shocks.

    Joseph reaffirmed Antigua and Barbuda’s longstanding commitment to collaborative international climate action, and expressed clear support for ongoing global efforts to strengthen support systems for nations on the frontline of the climate crisis. He was joined at the meeting by Ruleta Camacho-Thomas, Antigua and Barbuda’s Climate Ambassador, who has been a core leader driving the country’s climate advocacy and international engagement on the global stage.

    The 2026 Berlin Climate Mobility Forum serves as a convening point for cross-sector global stakeholders, bringing together heads of government, leaders of international organizations, development finance institutions, and leading climate experts to advance practical, implementable solutions to interconnected challenges including climate-driven human mobility, climate adaptation, community resilience, and inclusive sustainable development.