标签： Antigua and Barbuda

Authorities and community members have launched a widespread search for Mahalia Camacho, a 14-year-old girl who was last seen in the Martin’s Village area approximately 24 hours ago. The teenager was reported missing after she failed to return home yesterday afternoon around 2:00 PM, prompting immediate concern from family and local officials.

Camacho possesses a clear skin complexion and distinctive long black hair styled in single plaits at the back. Her front plaits are pulled back and tied into two sections, creating a unique identifying feature. At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing a white shirt paired with navy blue pants and brown Birkenstock sandals.

Law enforcement agencies have issued a public appeal for assistance, urging residents throughout the region to remain vigilant and report any potential sightings or information that might aid in locating the missing minor. The case has generated significant community response across social media platforms, with thousands sharing the description and photographs in hopes of bringing Camacho home safely.

Investigators emphasize that any information, no matter how seemingly insignificant, could prove crucial to the investigation. Special hotlines have been established for tips, and authorities are conducting door-to-door inquiries while reviewing available surveillance footage from the area where she was last seen. The community continues to organize search parties as concerns grow over the teenager’s wellbeing.

In a profoundly hopeful New Year’s address to the community of St. Paul’s, a visionary roadmap for 2026 was unveiled, centered on empowering the younger generation and fostering collective progress. The message, delivered with spiritual reverence and community solidarity, framed the new year not as a mere calendar change but as fertile ground for shared promise.

The cornerstone initiative declared 2026 the ‘Year of the Youth,’ recognizing young people not as future leaders but as a present force to be unleashed. This commitment will be materially supported by the soon-to-be-completed Leroy ‘Billy’ Tonge Technical Center in Liberta, hailed as a beacon for vocational training in cosmetology, architecture, and building trades. The center is presented as an inheritance for the youth to actively claim and shape their destinies.

Beyond youth empowerment, the address outlined a multi-faceted community development plan. This includes advancing home ownership programs, fueling local entrepreneurship to strengthen the economic soul of St. Paul’s, and nurturing spiritual roots to maintain unity. The message also emphasized honoring elders with unwavering support while ensuring every child has access to educational resources and opportunities.

The community’s recent upgrades, including health facilities in Liberta and Cobbs Cross, were reframed not as distant infrastructure but as monuments to shared well-being, entrusted to the people for their use and protection. The address also acknowledged the ongoing work to renew roadways and water services, requiring collective patience.

A special tribute was paid to local athletes, whose discipline and victories are celebrated as pathways to inspire others and lift community spirit. The speech concluded with a powerful call for a chorus of commitment rooted in deep mutual love and biblical hospitality, urging residents to be their brothers’ and sisters’ keepers in building a community renowned for compassion, opportunity, and unshakeable faith.

Antigua & Barbuda’s Ministry of Works has characterized 2025 as a year of exceptionally intense infrastructure development, with comprehensive road, curb, and drainage enhancement projects continuing across numerous communities throughout December. In its year-end review, the ministry reported that construction operations proceeded at a consistent and vigorous pace during the final month, attributing this sustained delivery to the collaborative efforts of its internal teams, external contracting partners, and allied government agencies.

Looking forward to 2026, the ministry has announced ambitious plans to significantly amplify the scale of community road works. This expansion will be facilitated by two major capital investments: the commissioning of a new crusher unit at the Public Works Quarry and the installation of three additional cement storage silos at the government’s concrete processing plant. Ministry officials emphasized that these strategic infrastructural upgrades are designed to concurrently bolster both the national road construction agenda and public housing initiatives.

Substantial advancements were also reported on key transportation corridors, with the next phase of development on the critical All Saints Road moving forward alongside persistent enhancements to local community roadways. To mitigate public inconvenience, authorities confirmed that targeted traffic diversion protocols will be enacted in areas undergoing active construction.

The ministry formally acknowledged the pivotal support received from Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Works Minister Maria Vanessa Browne, the Project Implementation Management Unit, lead contractor C.O. Williams, and partner agencies including APUA and ABTB, while also extending gratitude to the general public for their continued patience.

Positioning the upcoming year as the next pivotal chapter in a sweeping national infrastructure transformation, the Ministry of Works concluded its update with New Year’s greetings to all residents.

Antigua and Barbuda’s future food security champions were celebrated at the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue Economy’s (MOALFBE) inaugural World Food Day Poster Competition Awards Ceremony on December 30th. The event, held at the Fisheries Conference Room, spotlighted young creative talents addressing critical national issues through artistic expression.

Mrs. Denise Matthias-Thomas, Principal Assistant Secretary, set the tone by emphasizing the Ministry’s foundational belief in early education’s role in building resilient food systems. “Our young people are indispensable partners in crafting a food-secure future for our nation,” she stated, highlighting the strategic integration of agriculture, fisheries, and environmental education.

The competition, conceptualized by Communications Head Mrs. Carol-Faye Bynoe-George, engaged government primary and secondary schools with the 2025 World Food Day theme “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future.” Students translated complex concepts of sustainable agriculture, fisheries, and blue economy principles into visually compelling artworks that demonstrated remarkable conceptual understanding.

Despite being a pilot initiative with participation from three institutions—All Saints Secondary School, Sir Novelle Richards Academy, and Simon Bolivar Primary School—the quality of entries exceeded expectations. Judging criteria encompassed theme alignment, creative originality, message clarity, national relevance, and visual impact, with Mr. Gregory Bailey, Director of Agriculture, presenting participation certificates to all young artists.

Top honors were awarded to Shaniyah Francis (T.N. Kirnon Primary) in the primary category, while Gabriella Eusebe claimed first place in the secondary division from All Saints Secondary School, followed by schoolmates Keairra Smith (second) and J’Shorna Appleton from Sir Novelle Richards Academy (third). Winners received gift certificates alongside their placement awards.

The ceremony concluded with Ms. Emerald David’s vote of thanks, acknowledging collaborative efforts across ministry leadership, educators, parents, and organizers. “These students remind us why youth engagement remains fundamental to sustainable development,” she noted, before a photographic showcase captured the intersection of artistic achievement and agricultural innovation.

The twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda will inaugurate the new year of 2026 with its customary National Service of Thanksgiving and Prayer, reinforcing a cherished tradition dedicated to fostering national solidarity and contemplative gratitude. Scheduled for the morning of Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 9:00 AM, the event will be hosted at the St. John’s Pentecostal House of Restoration Ministries, situated on Lauchland Benjamin Drive.

This significant gathering is set to draw a distinguished assembly of national leaders and citizens alike. Prime Minister Gaston Browne, alongside his Cabinet ministers and senior government officials, will be in attendance. The service is organized in collaboration with Bishop Stephen Andrews and the congregation of the hosting church, underscoring a partnership between the state and religious institutions. The event symbolizes a collective moment of pause at the year’s dawn, encouraging societal harmony and spiritual reflection among the populace.