Carib Scope

标签： Dominica

多米尼克

  • OPEN LETTER: Gregor Nassief to the Prime Minister on the simple, practical way to reset the Electoral Commission

    OPEN LETTER: Gregor Nassief to the Prime Minister on the simple, practical way to reset the Electoral Commission

    A prominent Dominican figure has reignited public debate over the integrity of the country’s electoral system with a scathing open letter calling for immediate leadership changes at the Electoral Commission, amid widespread allegations that the body has failed to uphold its constitutional independence and accountability.

    In the public correspondence addressed to the Prime Minister of Dominica, Gregor Nassief lays out a series of damning failures that he argues have eroded public trust in the commission’s ability to oversee free and fair elections, framing the current situation as a fundamental threat to the island nation’s democratic process.

    Nassief opens by noting a broad consensus across Dominican society that the current commission lacks perceived impartiality and requires a full reset to restore credibility. He pushes back against claims that the Prime Minister lacks the constitutional authority to facilitate this change, pointing out that under Section 119(3) of Dominica’s constitution, both the commission chair Duncan Stowe and the sitting Chief Elections Officer can voluntarily submit their resignations to the President, clearing the way for new, independent appointments. Nassief argues that the Prime Minister’s own history of interfering in commission affairs undermines any claim that he cannot act to prompt these resignations. He cites the recent case where the Prime Minister directly instructed the commission to reinstate birth certificates as a valid form of voter identification – a step many Dominicans supported in outcome, but one that Nassief acknowledges was procedurally unconstitutional.

    This contradiction, he argues, goes to the heart of the current crisis: because the commission has failed to assert its constitutionally mandated independence, the Prime Minister has repeatedly stepped outside his own constitutional bounds to intervene in its work. It is therefore inconsistent for the Prime Minister to now hide behind constitutional limits to avoid pushing for leadership changes, Nassief contends.

    The letter lays out specific changes Nassief is calling for: the reinstatement of Ian Michael Anthony as Chief Elections Officer, in line with a unanimous 2024 commission recommendation that has never been acted on, and the voluntary resignation of current chair Duncan Stowe. Nassief notes he has already privately shared with the Prime Minister a shortlist of widely respected potential candidates to lead the commission, candidates he argues would be broadly accepted across Dominican society and mark a critical first step toward reasserting the body’s independence. The leadership change is especially urgent, he adds, because key structural reforms recommended by Sir Dennis Byron to address the commission’s inherent imbalance have also been ignored.

    Nassief then outlines five core failures that make a reset non-negotiable:
    First, the commission violated the constitution when it suspended voter registration for more than a full year. To date, neither the chair nor the chief elections officer has held a public press conference to acknowledge the breach, apologize to the public, or explain how the suspension was allowed to happen.
    Second, the commission refused to publicly admit the obvious: the year-long suspension would have disenfranchised new voters and impacted outcomes of recent town and village council elections – a fact the Prime Minister himself also shockingly denied at a public press conference.
    Third, the commission has again violated the intent and spirit of electoral law by failing to issue a single voter ID card, eight full months after the voter confirmation and registration process launched. Once again, no public explanation or apology has been offered by the commission’s leadership for the delay.
    Fourth, the Prime Minister has repeatedly overstepped his constitutional authority by interfering in the commission’s independent mandate: speaking on its behalf, acting on its behalf, arranging unsolicited external assistance for it, issuing direct orders to adjust its regulations, and dismissing the voter registration suspension as inconsequential “water under the bridge.” Neither the Prime Minister nor the commission has acknowledged this extreme interference as a violation of constitutional separation of powers and a direct undermining of the commission’s independent authority.
    Fifth, the Prime Minister has publicly set an October 14, 2026 deadline for the conclusion of the voter confirmation process, despite knowing that the law grants the independent commission full authority to extend the deadline if needed. He has never apologized for this additional overreach that further erodes the commission’s constitutional autonomy. Nassief notes the deadline is even more problematic because both the Prime Minister and the commission knew full well that the commission was completely unprepared when the new electoral bills were rushed into law in March 2025, a lack of preparation that created the unprecedented chaos plaguing the current process.

    Nassief addresses personal pushback he has received since raising these concerns, noting that some of the Prime Minister’s supporters have questioned his motives, asking what grievance he holds against the Prime Minister, while others have suggested he must choose between working as a businessman and engaging in public affairs. Nassief recounts a conversation with mutual friend Floyd Capitolin, who raised that question, to which he responded by asking the same in return, with Capitolin acknowledging “it’s a fine line.” Despite claims from the Prime Minister that Nassief is acting out of malice, Nassief says most members of the public have thanked him for speaking out publicly about the crisis.

    He then lays out his clear, public intentions for the push for reform, which he frames as entirely focused on strengthening Dominica’s democracy, not advancing personal or partisan interests. His four core goals are:
    1. Establishing an impartial, fully independent Electoral Commission to oversee all electoral processes, so that public trust in future election results can be rebuilt.
    2. Mobilizing a unified call across all political parties and civil society – including the private sector, trade unions, academia, and religious groups – to encourage all eligible voters to complete the confirmation and registration process, resulting in a credible, accurate voter list of more than 55,000 eligible voters that is accepted by all sides.
    3. Encouraging strong candidates, from both established parties and independent backgrounds, to contest the next election and debate competing visions for Dominica’s future development.
    4. Securing an election outcome that is universally accepted as free and fair, overseen by an independent, impartial commission, and that accurately reflects the free will of the Dominican people.

    Nassief concludes by acknowledging that current political conditions favor the Prime Minister winning re-election in the upcoming vote. He poses a critical choice to the Prime Minister: will he allow the election to proceed with the current flawed commission, resulting in a victory clouded by public disillusionment and widespread doubts about the fairness of the process? Or will he seize the opportunity to implement a reset, securing a victory backed by renewed public confidence in Dominica’s democratic institutions?

    “As the arbitrator of all things in Dominica, the reset is entirely in your hands,” Nassief writes. “I appeal to you to act.”

    The letter carries a disclaimer that the views expressed are solely those of author Gregor Nassief, and do not necessarily reflect the position of Duravision Inc., Dominica News Online, or any of their subsidiary brands.

  • COMMENTARY: Reimagine beyond the world we know

    COMMENTARY: Reimagine beyond the world we know

    For billions of people around the world, the ocean feels like a distant, disconnected entity—an endless expanse separate from everyday routines, too often taken for granted. But this long-held narrative could not be further from the truth. The ocean is woven into every corner of human existence: it fills the air we breathe, feeds billions, and regulates the climate that makes life on Earth possible. Each year on June 8, the United Nations’ World Ocean Day brings millions of advocates across more than 180 countries together to shine a spotlight on the ocean’s irreplaceable role in sustaining global life and drive collective action to protect fragile marine ecosystems.

    Covering more than 70% of Earth’s surface, the ocean is the planet’s primary life support system. It generates at least 50% of the world’s oxygen, hosts 80% of all global biodiversity, and serves as the main source of protein for more than one billion people. Beyond supporting natural ecosystems, the ocean is a foundational pillar of the global economy: projections estimate that ocean-based industries will employ 40 million people worldwide by 2030, acting as a critical source of livelihood for coastal communities across the globe.

    Yet decades of overexploitation have pushed marine ecosystems to a breaking point. Today, 90% of global large fish populations have been depleted, and half of the world’s coral reefs—one of the most biodiverse habitats on the planet—have already been destroyed. We have extracted far more from the ocean than it can replenish, creating an unsustainable imbalance that threatens both marine life and human survival.

    Against this urgent backdrop, the 2026 theme for World Ocean Day, “Reimagine”, calls on people, governments, and global institutions to fundamentally reshape how we interact with and protect our blue planet. This shift toward renewed stewardship comes as the United Nations marks a historic milestone in global ocean governance: the entry into force of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, the world’s most groundbreaking regulatory framework for high seas conservation to date.

    This legally binding UN treaty governs the two-thirds of the world’s ocean that lie outside national borders, known as the high seas, and the international seabed. It establishes new, science-backed rules for marine resource management, the creation of protected marine areas, and mandatory environmental impact assessments for commercial activities in international waters. Designed to ensure the high seas are managed collectively for the benefit of all humanity, the BBNJ Agreement is also the first legally binding ocean instrument to center inclusive governance, with explicit provisions mandating the engagement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, as well as requirements for gender balance in decision-making. It strengthens the existing international legal framework built on the 1994 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, often called the “constitution for the oceans”, which has guided global maritime rules for three decades.

    Beyond global policy, the article highlights a critical, often overlooked dimension of ocean conservation: its deeply gendered landscape. Across the world, women make up roughly half of the global workforce in informal nearshore harvesting, fish processing, and aquaculture, even as men dominate commercial offshore fishing. Yet their contributions to marine stewardship are frequently marginalized. Traditional gender roles that assign women primary responsibility for household food security and water management in coastal communities also mean they bear the brunt of ocean degradation and climate change-driven disruptions to marine ecosystems. Even in academic and leadership spaces, women remain underrepresented: while many pursue advanced degrees in marine biology, they make up a small minority of senior researchers, lead principal investigators, authors in top peer-reviewed journals, and high-level fisheries policy decision-makers. This exclusion weakens global conservation efforts, erasing the on-the-ground expertise of half of the marine workforce.

    One of the most pressing emerging threats to ocean health today is deep-sea mining, a destructive industrial practice driven by excess demand from Global North economies that is pushing oceans closer to collapse. The practice involves extracting rare minerals—including manganese, nickel, and cobalt—that have formed into potato-sized deposits on the deep seabed over millions of years. Gigantic mining machines heavier than blue whales scrape these deposits from the seafloor, thousands of meters below the ocean surface, before pumping the material up to surface vessels and dumping mining waste, including sediment, sand, and excess rock, back into the water column. This practice destroys irreplaceable deep-sea ecosystems and disproportionately harms vulnerable coastal communities in the Global South, who face the worst impacts of ecological damage despite contributing the least to overexploitation.

    Regulation of deep-sea mining falls to the International Seabed Authority (ISA), established in 1994 under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica, which governs all commercial activity on the international seabed.

    As the world marks World Ocean Day 2026, the call to reimagine our relationship with the ocean demands action at every level—from individual behavior to national policy and global cooperation. Individuals can step into active stewardship by joining local coastal cleanups, supporting grassroots ocean conservation organizations, and reducing single-use plastic consumption that clogs marine ecosystems. For global leaders and governments, the priority must be to halt the expansion of destructive industries, including restricting new deep-sea mining licenses that put already vulnerable ecosystems at irreversible risk.

    This World Ocean Day, it is time to move beyond the narrative of the ocean as an infinite resource for extraction and unite the global community around a new vision: one of sustainable, inclusive stewardship that restores the ocean’s vibrancy and secures its benefits for generations to come. Happy World Ocean Day.

  • UWP leadership extends olive branch amid internal discord, calls for unity and focus on Dominica’s future

    UWP leadership extends olive branch amid internal discord, calls for unity and focus on Dominica’s future

    Against a backdrop of simmering internal divisions that have drawn public scrutiny across Dominica’s traditional and social media spaces, the leader of the opposition United Workers Party (UWP), Dr. Thomson Fontaine, has launched a public push for reconciliation, calling on party members and the broader Dominican public to set aside disagreements and refocus on solving the country’s pressing economic and social challenges.

    In a comprehensive public statement addressing recent unrest within the party, Fontaine acknowledged that divergent opinions are a natural and healthy component of any democratic political organization. But he stressed that the current moment, which he described as a critical crossroads for the island nation, demands an end to infighting that distracts from national priorities. “I welcome differing views as part of a healthy democracy,” Fontaine noted in his address. “However, I will not allow distraction, division, or misrepresentation to derail the serious national conversation we must now have.”

    With the current ruling administration having held power for more than 25 years, Fontaine argued that Dominica has grown stagnant, with widespread economic hardship, missed development opportunities, and a political culture that prioritizes incumbents’ survival over public good. He positioned the UWP as a responsible, solution-focused opposition ready to govern, rather than merely criticize government policy. The UWP leader emphasized that the opposition is prepared to offer tangible, actionable fixes for the challenges that hold the country back.

    A core priority of Fontaine’s address was healing long-simmering rifts within the UWP itself. He revealed that party leadership has spent months working behind the scenes to bridge internal divides and rebuild collaborative relationships between factions. In a direct appeal to disaffected party members, Fontaine extended an olive branch, inviting those who have grown alienated to return to the fold and work through outstanding disagreements openly. Acknowledging his own imperfections as a leader, he emphasized his commitment to centering all productive ideas in the party’s mission to serve the Dominican public. “I do not pretend to be a perfect servant, but I am a public servant committed to taking all ideas on board,” he said.

    To outline the party’s vision for national progress, Fontaine highlighted the UWP’s signature policy platform: the “Ten Pillars to Shared Economic Prosperity for all Dominicans.” The plan centers on five key priorities: reviving Dominica’s struggling agriculture sector, expanding domestic manufacturing to create new jobs and reduce import dependence, unlocking commercial potential in the country’s water resources, reforming the national tax system to create greater fairness, and delivering immediate relief to households grappling with skyrocketing cost of living.

    Fontaine urged UWP supporters to remain calm and disciplined, avoiding provocations that could further deepen divisions. He stressed that the party’s long-term success depends entirely on unity, shared purpose, and constructive engagement with all segments of Dominican society, rather than performative political conflict. He extended his call for collaboration beyond party ranks, appealing to all Dominican citizens regardless of political affiliation to set aside personal and partisan ego for the national good.

    Describing the current moment as a rare opening for national renewal, Fontaine framed collective action as the only path to building a stronger, more prosperous Dominica that delivers opportunity for all residents, particularly young people. “This is not a moment for political gamesmanship. This is a moment for national renewal,” he said, closing his statement with a call for collective wisdom and shared commitment to advancing the country’s development.

  • CARICOM Secretariat hosts Guyana Defence Force Senior officers for eecurity Engagement

    CARICOM Secretariat hosts Guyana Defence Force Senior officers for eecurity Engagement

    In a move designed to deepen ties with regional security bodies across the Caribbean, the CARICOM Secretariat recently hosted a cohort of senior military leaders from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) participating in the 20th iteration of its Senior Command and Staff Course (SCSC #20).

    The official visit, held on June 4, centered on a structured knowledge-sharing workshop organized by the Secretariat’s specialized Crime and Security Programme, according to an official statement released by CARICOM. The interactive session was designed to give participating GDF officers firsthand, nuanced insight into how CARICOM operates to advance and synchronize cross-border security initiatives across the Caribbean bloc.

    Leading the discussion were two senior leaders from the CARICOM Crime and Security Programme: Sherwin Stephenson, the programme manager, and Mareesha Stephens, the programme’s project officer. Over the course of the workshop, participants engaged in open dialogue and collaborative problem-solving, exploring the CARICOM framework for tackling both longstanding and newly emerging crime and security risks that impact countries across the region. Attendees also received a detailed briefing on how the regional bloc facilitates functional cooperation between its 15 member states and specialized regional institutions, with the goal of building more robust, coordinated collective responses to shared security threats.

    Beyond the technical policy discussions, the GDF delegation took part in a guided tour of the CARICOM Secretariat headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana. The tour gave officers the chance to gain a clearer understanding of the organization’s governing structure, core mandates, and overarching mission to drive deeper regional integration and cross-sector cooperation across the Caribbean. As a formal gesture of gratitude for the Secretariat’s hospitality and the opportunity for engagement, Captain Stephion Gordan of the GDF delegation presented a commemorative plaque to Stephens, in a moment captured by CARICOM Communications photographers.

    CARICOM officials emphasized that the visit underscores the critical value of sustained, intentional partnership between the regional bloc and national defense and security agencies across the Caribbean. It also reaffirmed the organization’s longstanding commitment to developing aligned, collective strategies that strengthen cross-border crime prevention, deepen security cooperation, and uphold lasting stability for all CARICOM member states.

  • CDB annual meeting ends with call to turn commitments into action

    CDB annual meeting ends with call to turn commitments into action

    After five days of high-level dialogue in Nassau, The Bahamas, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has formally closed its 56th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors, leaving attendees united on a clear mandate: move beyond conversation and deliver measurable, transformative progress for the Caribbean’s 44 million residents. Held under the overarching theme “Forging the Caribbean’s Future: Strategic Solutions for Uncertain Times”, the gathering brought together a cross-section of stakeholders, from regional Heads of Government and Finance Ministers to representatives of global development institutions, private sector leaders, civil society groups, and emerging youth voices, all converging to address the region’s most pressing barriers to inclusive growth. In his closing address to delegates, CDB President Daniel M. Best stressed that the true value of the conference would not be measured in the pledges made in Nassau, but in the outcomes delivered long after the meeting adjourned. Throughout the week of negotiations and discussions, Board of Governors members repeatedly pushed for a sharpened focus on execution over planning. Key priorities emphasized included deepening cross-regional collaboration, streamlining the rollout of development projects, and building more effective, mutually beneficial partnerships between public bodies, multilateral agencies, and the private sector to amplify impact. Best responded by reaffirming the CDB’s unwavering commitment to driving regional development, noting that the institution was already prepared to align its cross-border initiatives, speed up decision-making processes, and roll out context-specific, practical solutions to turn policy frameworks into tangible progress for communities. A core thread running through all the meeting’s working sessions was the growing set of interconnected challenges facing Caribbean small island developing states in today’s volatile global landscape. Delegates conducted deep dives into the compounding impacts of climate-driven extreme weather events, disruptive geopolitical tensions, chronically constrained national fiscal space, and prolonged post-pandemic economic slowdown, while collaborating to design targeted strategies to boost national and regional resilience and advance long-term sustainable development. The dialogue also extended to the parallel Youth FIRE Forum, where young Caribbean delegates pressed policymakers and multilateral institutions to embed intergenerational equity into current development planning, ensuring that ongoing initiatives open pathways to meaningful economic opportunity for the region’s youth, who will shape the Caribbean’s future. Additional working groups explored actionable pathways to unlock larger volumes of private sector investment across the region, expand equitable access to global climate finance, support small and medium-sized enterprise entrepreneurship, and leverage innovative financing mechanisms to stimulate inclusive economic growth and strengthen climate resilience. Attendees also highlighted that reliable, disaggregated data, continuous innovation, and cross-border knowledge sharing are non-negotiable foundations for effective development planning and successful on-the-ground implementation. Before closing the meeting, Best extended formal gratitude to the Government and people of The Bahamas for their warm hospitality and successful hosting of the 2026 gathering, and urged all delegates to carry forward the momentum built during the week of dialogue. “As we bring this 56th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors to a close, we do so knowing that our work does not end here. If anything, it begins anew, carrying forward the ideas we shared, the partnerships we strengthened, and the commitments we made to build a stronger future for the Caribbean together,” Best said. He closed his remarks with a rousing call for urgent, unified action across the region. “Let us create a path where we will be remembered not as the generation that managed uncertainty, but as the generation that forged possibility—together. It is time for us to accelerate results and impact to transform our Caribbean. This is the decade of decision and action.” Looking ahead, the CDB has announced that its 57th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors will be hosted by Belize in June 2027, where stakeholders will gather again to review progress and renew commitments to the region’s development.

  • AgriHub calls for faster action to support women entering agriculture

    AgriHub calls for faster action to support women entering agriculture

    Dominica’s leading agricultural advocacy and development group AgriHub is calling for urgent systemic reforms to boost efficiency and responsiveness in the country’s agricultural sector, after its flagship women-focused SheHarvest initiative uncovered critical delays that threaten to derail women seeking to build careers in commercial farming.

    Funded by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), the SheHarvest Project was designed to remove barriers for women entering the agriculture industry by delivering targeted, practical support: from mechanized land preparation and business development mentorship to training in climate-smart cultivation techniques. At its core, the program aims to support women to move beyond small-scale subsistence farming and build sustainable, commercially oriented agricultural enterprises, according to an official press statement from AgriHub.

    While the project drew overwhelming interest from women eager to enter the sector, the rollout process laid bare deep-rooted operational challenges that continue to undermine productivity, strategic planning, and overall progress for farmers across Dominica, AgriHub officials confirmed.

    Abigail Shillingford, Executive Director of AgriHub, explained that the SheHarvest implementation experience exposed a clear gap between Dominica’s national ambitions for agricultural growth and the on-the-ground support systems meant to deliver on those goals.

    “There is no question that Dominica has bold, clear ambition to grow its agricultural sector,” Shillingford stated. “The critical question we must answer is whether our day-to-day operational systems are keeping pace with that ambition. If we want to draw more women and young people into agriculture as a viable career, the systems that support them have to become far more responsive, practical, and focused on getting things done.”

    AgriHub’s project data revealed that land preparation support alone took more than 12 weeks to progress from initial planning to on-the-ground execution. Such extended delays do not just disrupt timing: they directly throw off critical planting schedules, cut potential crop yields, erode farmer confidence, and severely damage participants’ ability to generate consistent income, the organization noted.

    Shillingford added that a large share of AgriHub’s work throughout the project was devoted to helping women navigate tangled administrative and operational bottlenecks, just to keep participants engaged and on track.

    “As an organization, we have had to consistently coordinate, follow up, and push stalled processes forward just to keep our participants motivated and able to continue their work,” she emphasized. “Without that constant extra intervention, many women would have become discouraged and dropped out before they even planted their first crop.”

    Despite the systemic challenges, the CFLI funding allowed the project to mitigate many of the most pressing barriers to production readiness. One key intervention the team rolled out was expanding access to mechanized land preparation via portable tillers, which cut the time women spent preparing plots and dramatically improved cultivation efficiency.

    Stephanie Sprott, Counsellor at the High Commission of Canada in Bridgetown, reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to the initiative and praised its work expanding women’s meaningful participation in the regional agricultural sector.

    “We are pleased to support AgriHub’s work to help women farmers enter the agricultural system, succeed within it, and sustain their growing enterprises,” Sprott said. “Through the project, participants have gained access to practical tools and equipment, business and financial management training, hands-on skill demonstrations, and stronger connections to key financial and agricultural stakeholders.”

    She added: “Canada is proud to stand with regional partners to strengthen food security, build resilience in local food systems, and expand sustainable economic opportunities for farmers across the Caribbean.”

    In its press release, AgriHub stressed that building a robust, inclusive agricultural sector requires far more than high-level strategic planning and policy dialogue. The organization argued that equal priority must be given to cutting implementation timelines, improving cross-stakeholder coordination, and upgrading the practical on-the-ground systems that directly shape farmers’ ability to produce harvests and build successful businesses.

    The SheHarvest Project is part of AgriHub’s wider organizational strategy to grow women’s participation in Dominica’s agricultural sector through hands-on production support, climate-smart farming training, business planning assistance, and expanded connections to commercial market opportunities.

  • New vehicle expected to improve response times and visibility in Delices

    New vehicle expected to improve response times and visibility in Delices

    In a formal ceremony held on Friday, June 5, 2026, Dominican Police Commissioner Lincoln Corbette formally transferred ownership of a newly purchased police service vehicle to the Delices area Police Station. Per an official release issued by the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF), the keys to the vehicle were accepted by Constable Dave Robinson, a serving officer assigned to the Delices outpost.

    The official statement framed the handover as tangible proof of the current government’s track record of fulfilling its public commitments. It underscored that this addition to the station’s fleet is part of the Skerrit administration’s sustained pledge to ensure every law enforcement outpost across the island nation has the full set of resources required to deliver efficient, responsive public service to local communities.

    CDPF officials outlined three core improvements the new vehicle will bring to local policing. First, it will cut down response times to emergency calls and incident reports, allowing officers to reach scenes far faster than with outdated, unreliable transport. Second, it will boost regular police presence across the Delices service area, increasing visibility that both deters potential crime and reassures local residents. Finally, the enhanced mobility will strengthen ongoing law enforcement work to protect the well-being and security of both Dominican citizens and international tourists visiting the region.

    The statement closed by reaffirming the CDPF’s long-term commitment to collaborative partnerships with local communities and cross-sector stakeholders, with the shared ultimate goal of building a safer, more secure Dominica for every person who lives and travels in the country.

  • CARIBBEAN PREMIER LEAGUE: WCPL fixtures confirmed as Jamaica Empress joins reimagined women’s cricket festival

    CARIBBEAN PREMIER LEAGUE: WCPL fixtures confirmed as Jamaica Empress joins reimagined women’s cricket festival

    The Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) is stepping into a transformative new chapter, with the official match schedule for its 2026 edition now publicly released alongside a groundbreaking strategic overhaul designed to elevate women’s cricket across the entire Caribbean region. Eight of the tournament’s total matches will be hosted at Barbados’ world-famous Kensington Oval, one of the most iconic cricket venues in the West Indies.

    This iteration of the WCPL has been redesigned from the foundation up, built with the explicit goal of creating a dedicated platform that centers and amplifies the unique perspectives of Caribbean women in sport. Organizers emphasize that the talent and influence of female cricketers from the region have long deserved their own prominent spotlight, and the reimagined league delivers exactly that.

    At the core of the refreshed WCPL is a non-negotiable commitment to putting Caribbean women front and center, with a long-term mission to inspire the next generation of female athletes. By establishing a visible, high-profile professional competition, the league aims to demonstrate to young girls across the region that a place at the pinnacle of competitive sport is within their reach.

    The tournament’s updated brand identity is rooted in three foundational values: female empowerment, competitive determination, and deep community connection. These guiding principles are brought to life through the league’s new creative campaign “She’s In”, which will be rolled out across region-wide social media channels focused on women’s audiences throughout the coming months.

    Unlike previous editions, the entire 2026 WCPL tournament will be hosted in Barbados, with all matches condensed into a 10-day cricket festival running through the first half of September. Four franchise teams will compete for the 2026 championship title: the Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Trinbago Knight Riders, and the newly launched Jamaica Empress. The new Jamaica-based franchise was added as part of the league’s expansion and renewed commitment to elevating female athletic excellence across every Caribbean nation, with custom brand assets for the new side available for public download via the league’s official portal.

    More than just a professional cricket competition, every matchday of the 2026 WCPL will double as a vibrant community gathering open to fans of all ages. Attendees will have access to dedicated children’s activity zones, hands-on cricket skills training clinics, free public health and wellness screenings, and a marketplace showcasing products and services from female entrepreneurs from across the Caribbean. Every matchday is intentionally designed to be a celebration of sport, community, and economic opportunity, creating an inclusive space where women and girls can connect with one another, participate in activities beyond match play, and leave feeling inspired.

    “The WCPL is about much more than what happens on the cricket pitch,” shared Pete Russell, Chief Executive Officer of the WCPL. “We are building something far greater than a tournament: we are creating a platform where women are celebrated, regional communities can come together, and young girls can see a clear, accessible pathway to success in sport and every other area of their lives.”

    Hayley Matthews, a star WCPL player, shared her firsthand perspective on the league’s impact across the region. “I’ve seen for myself what the WCPL means to women and girls across the Caribbean. The change it creates is powerful and extends far beyond the boundary rope. It shines a light on the untapped potential in every young girl, giving them not just visibility, but something to believe in and a dream to work toward.”

    With the 2026 match schedule now officially live, cricket fans across the region and around the world can begin planning their attendance for what is set to be the largest and most influential edition of the tournament in its history. This 2026 relaunch is only the first step in the WCPL’s long-term growth: as early as 2027, league officials plan to expand further by inviting competing teams from outside the Caribbean, with the ultimate goal of establishing the WCPL as a leading truly global women’s cricket competition.

    The full 2026 match schedule is as follows:
    – September 5: Barbados Tridents vs Trinbago Knight Riders, 3:00 PM local time
    – September 6: Jamaica Empress vs Guyana Amazon Warriors, 2:00 PM local time
    – September 10: Trinbago Knight Riders vs Jamaica Empress, 10:00 AM local time
    – September 12: Trinbago Knight Riders vs Guyana Amazon Warriors, 10:00 AM local time
    – September 12: Barbados Tridents vs Jamaica Empress, 3:00 PM local time
    – September 13: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Barbados Tridents, 2:00 PM local time
    – September 16: Playoff (2nd place vs 3rd place), 10:00 AM local time
    – September 17: Final (1st place vs Playoff Winner), 2:00 PM local time

    The fixtures are live, the grassroots movement for Caribbean women’s cricket has begun. She’s In. Are You?

  • Abandoned vehicles removed during coordinated initiative

    Abandoned vehicles removed during coordinated initiative

    In a targeted multi-agency effort to address longstanding public health and safety risks across the island, the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF) partnered with three local government and service entities to carry out a coordinated derelict vehicle removal operation between June 3 and 4, 2026.

    The operation focused on four residential and high-traffic communities: Bath Estate, Goodwill, River Street, and Loubiere, where abandoned vehicles had been reported as a growing nuisance by local residents. Joining the CDPF in the initiative were the National Authorising Office (NAO), the Dominica Solid Waste Management Corporation (DSWMC), and Rapid Response Recovery, a local service group specializing in waste and debris clearance.

    In an official public statement released following the sweep, the CDPF emphasized that this removal drive is not a one-off intervention, but part of a sustained, island-wide initiative. The core goal of the program is to eliminate abandoned and derelict vehicles from public streets and communal spaces, where they have been linked to a range of threats to community well-being.

    The statement outlined the multiple hazards posed by unremoved derelict vehicles. Beyond cluttering public areas and dragging down the visual appeal of neighborhoods, these abandoned cars and trucks often collect standing rainwater, creating ideal breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes. They also attract rodent populations, block emergency and regular traffic lanes, and in some cases have been used as hiding spots for illegal goods and criminal activity.

    As part of its public advisory, the CDPF issued a clear reminder to vehicle owners across Dominica: any unused, derelict vehicle parked on public roads or communal land must be removed immediately by its registered owner. The force confirmed that systematic sweeps to identify and clear abandoned vehicles will continue across every district of the island, as part of a broader collective goal to build cleaner, more secure, and more inviting communities for all residents.

    Closing the statement, the CDPF expressed its sincere gratitude to all participating partner agencies for their coordinated logistical support, as well as to local community members who shared reports of abandoned vehicles and cooperated with the operation team throughout the two-day sweep.

  • Health ministry releases latest Health-Climatic Bulletin for June to August 2026

    Health ministry releases latest Health-Climatic Bulletin for June to August 2026

    Ahead of the 2026 June to August wet and warm season, two government agencies in Dominica — the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services, and the Dominica Meteorological Service — have jointly launched the second edition of the nation’s specialized Health-Climatic Bulletin. This innovative cross-agency publication integrates meteorological data with public health analysis, delivering a comprehensive breakdown of recent climate trends, three-month seasonal forecasts, and actionable guidance to help communities mitigate weather-related health threats.

    The core goal of the bulletin is to demystify the connections between shifting climate conditions and public wellness, boost public awareness of avoidable climate-linked health hazards, and empower residents and local organizations to take proactive preparedness steps before risks emerge. One of the bulletin’s key projections is that Dominica will see above-average temperatures through the June to August window, with a marked rise in the number of consecutive extreme hot days across the island.

    Even though the National Meteorological Service forecasts that the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season will be less active than the historical average, the bulletin still flags flash flooding as one of the most pressing weather-related hazards for the coming months. Health authorities warn that excess rainfall and subsequent flooding create ideal conditions for the spread of two broad categories of illnesses: waterborne diseases spread through contaminated water, and vector-borne diseases carried by insects that breed in standing water. Common conditions expected to see increased transmission include gastroenteritis, leptospirosis, and mosquito-borne viral infections such as dengue fever.

    The bulletin also addresses two underdiscussed climate-related health threats: Saharan dust intrusions and fluctuating weather patterns. These atmospheric conditions can act as triggers for acute respiratory episodes, and worsen pre-existing chronic breathing conditions such as asthma, leading to higher rates of hospital visits and health complications for vulnerable populations.

    Beyond physical health risks, the publication breaks new ground by highlighting the often-overlooked impact of extreme weather on population mental health. Prolonged heat exposure, disruptive flooding, and unanticipated severe weather events place significant cumulative stress on both individuals and entire communities, which can worsen existing mental health conditions and reduce overall quality of life for residents.

    In closing, the Ministry of Health has issued a formal call for all Dominicans to stay updated on real-time weather forecasts through official channels, and to implement evidence-based precautionary measures throughout the June to August period to protect both their physical and mental well-being. The full bulletin is available for public download as a 1.38MB PDF document via the official news portal.