标签： Antigua and Barbuda

A public letter signed “A Voice for the Voiceless” has exposed a growing crisis in Antigua and Barbuda’s maternal healthcare sector, where dozens of fully trained newly graduated midwives have been stuck for months without the professional licenses required to practice, even as the nation publicly acknowledges a critical shortage of midwifery staff.

The affected cohort of midwifery students began their specialized training in January 2024. Over 18 months, they navigated the dual challenge of rigorous academic coursework and hands-on clinical requirements, logging hundreds of hours assisting in deliveries to meet the strict eligibility criteria for their final certification exams. After completing the program in August 2025, the group sat for their licensing exams that December and received preliminary passing results in January 2026. All successful candidates submitted their formal licensure applications shortly after, but more than four months later, no licenses have been issued, and no official timeline has been provided to clear the backlog.

The situation is even more uncertain for graduates who needed to retake portions of their exams earlier this year. To date, these candidates have not received any examination results at all. Repeated inquiries from the midwives to the Antigua and Barbuda Nursing Council and the Ministry of Health have gone unanswered or generated only unhelpful, vague responses, leaving the newly trained professionals feeling disrespected and abandoned. Many are forced to continue working lower-paying roles as general registered nurses, unable to put the advanced specialized skills they spent a year and a half mastering to use.

This administrative logjam extends beyond first-time license applicants, too. Currently practicing midwives who submitted applications for license renewal are also facing lengthy, unexplained delays, putting additional unnecessary strain on an already stretched maternal healthcare system. The letter also highlights longstanding structural flaws in the current licensing framework: outdated paper permits that degrade quickly, calling for a shift to durable, standardized plastic identification cards aligned with other professional licensing standards, such as driver’s licenses, to better reflect the professionalism and critical importance of the midwifery field.

What makes the current gridlock especially concerning, the letter argues, is that a new cohort of midwifery students has already begun their training. The writers question how regulators can justify recruiting and investing in new midwives when the system has failed to move forward with qualified candidates who have already completed all requirements. At present, the thousands of hours of hard work, personal sacrifice from the graduates, and public investment in their training are going unused, at a direct cost to the nation’s healthcare capacity.

The letter frames the issue as far more than a routine administrative backlog. Delays in getting new midwives into practice and keeping existing practicing midwives actively licensed directly undermines the quality of care that expectant mothers and newborns across Antigua and Barbuda can access. Quoting the biblical proverb that “Hope deferred makes the heart sick,” the writers note that the graduates’ hope of a smooth, timely transition into their dream profession has been worn down by ongoing silence and delay.

In closing, the letter calls on regulators and government officials to act immediately: to release full public transparency around the licensing backlog, publish the outstanding examination results for retake candidates, and speed up processing of all pending first-time and renewal midwifery licenses to address both the needs of the qualified professionals and the national demand for more maternal healthcare staff.

The Rotary Club of Antigua is gearing up to host the 17th iteration of its marquee fundraising event, Colours: Welcome to Smurf Village, scheduled for Saturday, July 4, 2026, at the iconic Coolidge Cricket Ground.

Organizers have rolled out a refreshed lineup of changes for 2026, headlined by adjusted event hours running from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM. This new timing is crafted to guide attendees through a smooth transition from golden-hour sunset to starlit evening, building a immersive, atmospheric experience that sets the event apart from previous years.

For nearly two decades, Colours has served as the backbone of the Rotary Club of Antigua’s annual community outreach efforts. Every year, the gala unlocks vital funding for a wide range of public service programs spanning the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. Proceeds from ticket sales go directly to high-priority initiatives, including the Meals on Wheels food assistance program, youth leadership and development projects, scholarship and classroom resource support for local students, and community-wide public health outreach campaigns.

The 2026 theme, Welcome to Smurf Village, was intentionally chosen to center the core value of collective community care. The concept leans into the idea of shared responsibility to lift up vulnerable community members, with the “village” framing serving as a metaphor for unity and coordinated collective action. The playful, Smurf-inspired concept adds a creative, approachable twist to the event’s serious philanthropic mission, reinforcing the simple message that strong, resilient communities rely on every member showing up for one another.

Attendees will get to enjoy a full all-inclusive experience throughout the evening, held in the open-air grounds of the Coolidge Cricket Ground. The event package includes access to premium crafted beverages, a spread of high-quality local and international cuisine, and a carefully curated lineup of musical acts tailored to keep guests entertained from start to finish.

To lean into the 2026 theme, organizers encourage guests to build outfits around the iconic Smurf color palette of blue, red, and white. They also invite attendees to add playful personal touches, from floral patterns to whimsical village-themed accents, but note there are no strict costume requirements. Personal style and self-expression remain front and center for all guests.

The Rotary Club of Antigua has publicly emphasized its gratitude for the consistent backing of event sponsors and community partners, whose annual contributions have been instrumental in growing Colours into one of Antigua’s most enduring and impactful charitable fundraisers. The organization also extended recognition to its long-term supporters, including major corporate partners, local media outlets, and cross-sector community stakeholders, whose work each year makes the event possible.

Now marking its 17th year, Colours has evolved far beyond a simple social gathering. It serves as a bridge connecting local residents and visitors to a greater philanthropic purpose, turning a night of celebration into tangible support for communities across Antigua and Barbuda. Tickets for the 2026 event are currently available for purchase via the TickeTing mobile application, with every ticket purchase directly funding ongoing and future Rotary Club service projects across the islands.

More than 20 years after last welcoming the event, Antigua and Barbuda is preparing to step into the regional spotlight in June 2026 as the official host of the Rotaract District 7030 Annual Conference. Organized under the distinctive theme “Linked in Wadadli” – a local name for Antigua that nods to the island nation’s cultural identity – this year’s flagship gathering is being spearheaded by the Rotaract Club of Antigua, marking a historic milestone for the country’s youth development community.

Running from June 25 to 29 at the scenic Pineapple Beach Club, the five-day conference is expected to draw roughly 200 emerging young leaders and industry professionals from across the Caribbean region. For attendees, the event will offer a dynamic mix of programming centered on three core goals: deepening leadership capacity, fostering cross-territory collaboration, and facilitating immersive cultural exchange between neighboring island communities.

Rotaract District 7030 encompasses a sprawling network of 47 local clubs spread across 16 Caribbean territories, including Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Curacao, Dominica, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, Montserrat, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. As the district’s marquee annual gathering, the conference has long served as the leading regional platform for youth skills training, professional networking, and the co-development of youth-led solutions to pressing shared challenges across the Caribbean.

The 2026 theme “Linked in Wadadli” was chosen to emphasize three core priorities: meaningful cross-sector connection, celebration of local cultural identity, and deeper regional integration. It frames Antigua and Barbuda as a welcoming central hub where Caribbean young people can build durable cross-territory partnerships, exchange innovative ideas, and strengthen collective leadership capacity to address shared concerns.

Attendees can expect a diverse schedule of programming, ranging from intensive skill-building leadership training sessions and panel discussions led by industry and civil society experts, to hands-on innovation workshops and structured community service projects. The event will also feature dedicated cultural showcases highlighting the rich diversity of Caribbean heritage, along with targeted networking opportunities designed to help participants build long-lasting professional and personal connections that outlast the conference itself.

For decades, the annual Rotaract District 7030 Conference has rotated between member territories, drawing an average of 150 to 200 participants each year. Beyond leadership development, the recurring event delivers tangible benefits to host communities, boosting local tourism and hospitality economies while cultivating a growing pipeline of skilled, service-oriented leaders across the region.

overseeing the 2026 conference planning and execution is District Rotaract Representative Crystal Mohammed, from the Rotaract Club of San Fernando South, supported by local co-chairs Sherwyn Greenidge and Dr. Namadi Belle, both members of the Rotaract Club of Antigua.

Beyond workshops and networking, the 2026 event has a clear actionable mission: to equip Caribbean young people with practical, job-relevant leadership skills, strengthen formal and informal ties between regional youth groups, and drive measurable positive impact in local communities through service projects aligned with global sustainable development priorities.

Organizers have extended an open invitation to all members of the public, non-governmental organizations, private sector stakeholders, and other interested parties that wish to support the conference’s work advancing Caribbean youth leadership and regional integration to reach out to the organizing team for partnership opportunities.

On April 11, 2026, the highly anticipated Sir Richie Richardson Charity Golf Day concluded with resounding success, bringing together hundreds of stakeholders from across North America, Europe and the Caribbean to support community-focused causes. Former cricket executive and golf advocate Sir Richie Richardson has publicly extended his sincere gratitude to every sponsor, participant and volunteer that contributed to the event’s positive outcomes.

Unlike standard competitive golf tournaments, this annual gathering was designed to combine friendly on-course competition with collective charitable action, drawing amateur and semi-professional golfers from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, St Kitts and Antigua, alongside corporate partners and local community supporters. Over the course of the day, attendees built new connections, enjoyed world-class Caribbean golf courses, and advanced a shared mission of lifting up marginalized and promising young people across the region.

Thanks to widespread generous donations and enthusiastic participation from all groups involved, the tournament exceeded its initial fundraising goals, bringing in both critical financial support and widespread public awareness for four key community initiatives. All proceeds from the 2026 event have been allocated to programs focused on youth empowerment and educational advancement. Two core beneficiaries are the Striving for Excellence Golf Academy, a training program that supports young Caribbean golfers, and the Kiwanis Bright Minds Project, a regional education initiative that provides scholarships and learning resources to low-income students.

A portion of funds has also been allocated to support Kimesha Anthony, Antigua and the Caribbean’s former top-ranked women’s golfer, a move that reinforces the event’s longstanding commitment to nurturing homegrown athletic talent across the region.

In a statement following the tournament, Sir Richie Richardson emphasized the transformative impact of continued community partnership. “Your partnership and generosity continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of many,” he said. “We are truly grateful and look forward to your ongoing support as we work together to strengthen our community.”

One of the most memorable highlights of the 2026 tournament came from the final results, which saw two academy trainees take the top overall team prize. As President of the Striving for Excellence Golf Academy, Sir Richie shared that he was deeply moved by the outcome. “I was overwhelmed with emotion when it was announced that the overall winning team included 15-year-old Clairmont Carringt and 16-year-old Lovanjo Weekes, both of whom are under the tutelage of Coach Bobby James,” he reflected.

The 2026 event’s success underscores the power of cross-regional collaboration and shared purpose to drive tangible community change. Organizers have already begun planning for the 2027 Charity Golf Day, with plans to expand participation and increase funding for the supported initiatives in the coming year.

A rising legal professional from Antigua and Barbuda, Kelton Mich Dalso, is set to reach a landmark career milestone in April 2026 when he is formally called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court’s St. Lucia Circuit, based in the country’s capital city of Castries.

Dalso’s qualification to practice across the Caribbean regional court system comes through the framework of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), anchored in the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. This foundational treaty established the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), an integration agreement that Antigua and Barbuda has officially signed onto, allowing eligible legal practitioners from member states to practice across participating jurisdictions.

This upcoming call to the regional Eastern Caribbean bar follows Dalso’s recent admission to practice in the United Kingdom. As first reported by The Times of London on 28 November 2025, Dalso was among the new practitioners admitted to the Bar of England and Wales during the traditional Michaelmas Call ceremony and reception held at London’s prestigious Gray’s Inn, one of the four historic Inns of Court that regulate bar entry in the UK.

Dalso’s path to dual admission has been marked by consistent academic and professional achievement. He earned his Bachelor of Laws with Honours (LLB Hons) in August 2020, before going on to complete the required Bar Training Course at the University of the West of England (UWE), where he graduated with a merit classification, a mark of strong academic performance in the rigorous vocational program for barristers.

Beyond his core qualifications as a barrister, Dalso has built out additional expertise in alternative dispute resolution: he holds professional certifications as a mediator, arbitrator, and advanced negotiator, expanding his capacity to handle a broad range of legal matters both in and out of the courtroom.

Witnessing the upcoming 2026 call ceremony, a momentous and historic occasion for Dalso’s legal career, will be his wife and two of his sons, who will share in the celebration of his years of preparation and achievement.

An act of disregard for construction zone safety has thrown a wrench into ongoing road improvement works in Bathlodge, after a motorist intentionally broke through clearly marked barriers and drove across uncured, freshly poured concrete. The incident has left infrastructure teams dealing with unexpected damage, pushed back project timelines, and driven up costs for the public works initiative.

This road upgrade project forms a small part of a nationwide infrastructure program designed to revitalize road networks across multiple communities. From the start of works in Bathlodge, construction teams put in place clear warning signage and physical barriers to block off the section of fresh concrete, which needs sufficient time to fully harden before it can bear vehicle weight.

In an official public statement, local authorities confirmed that the motorist deliberately crossed the restricted boundary, causing irreversible damage to the uncured surface. Construction officials emphasized that even if a newly paved surface appears dry to the naked eye, it has not finished the curing process and cannot withstand vehicle traffic. Relying on visual inspection alone to judge a surface’s readiness, they noted, often leads to preventable damage like the incident in Bathlodge.

In the wake of the damage, road work crews have issued an urgent call to all road users—both motorists and pedestrians—to respect all safety protocols at active construction sites. They are urging the public to stick to clearly marked detour routes, follow all posted road signs, and adhere to instructions from on-site construction workers at all times.

The damage has already forced a delay to the completion of the Bathlodge section of the project, adds unplanned extra costs to the initiative, and disrupts the carefully mapped progress of the wider infrastructure upgrade. Despite this setback, authorities have expressed gratitude for the general public’s ongoing patience and cooperation as they work to complete upgrades that will benefit the community’s road network long-term.