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标签： Dominica

多米尼克

  • UPDATE: Police officer charged with murder of missing teen; investigation reveals alleged cover-up

    UPDATE: Police officer charged with murder of missing teen; investigation reveals alleged cover-up

    The weeks-long search for a missing teenage girl in Dominica has concluded in devastating tragedy, with law enforcement officials confirming 16-year-old Portsmouth resident Jerbiah Paul was murdered, and a former serving police officer has been formally charged in connection with her killing.

    Jean Luc-Rudy Langlais, who previously served with the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF), appeared before the Magistrate’s Court this Thursday to face a single count of murder. Immediately following the filing of charges, Langlais was dismissed from the police service and remanded into custody at the State Prison, where he will remain as the legal process moves forward.

    The murder charge comes after an intensive, multi-agency investigation launched when Paul was reported missing on July 24. Search teams located her remains on Wednesday, August 12, dumped on a steep precipice in Dominica’s Capuchin region.

    Due to the severe decomposition of the body, initial identification efforts were delayed. When the remains were first found, Police Public Relations Officer Acting Assistant Superintendent Fixton Henderson told reporters that investigators had recovered the body of an apparent female dressed in a blue top, but the remains were too degraded to confirm identity immediately. “DNA testing will be required to formally confirm who the remains belong to,” Henderson stated in an earlier media briefing, adding that authorities released early details to prevent widespread unfounded speculation amid the ongoing search for Paul.

    Prior to formal confirmation, law enforcement sources had already connected the remains to the missing teenager, who was last seen wearing a dark blue shirt the day she disappeared. On Thursday, Police Chief Lincoln Corbette officially confirmed that the remains belonged to Paul and that Langlais had been charged with her murder, while stressing the investigation remains active and ongoing.

    Speaking at a formal press conference, Corbette expressed deep sorrow over the killing, noting the case is uniquely distressing because the accused was a member of the public institution trusted with protecting Dominican citizens. “This is still an active investigation, so I cannot share extensive details at this time to avoid jeopardizing the upcoming prosecution,” he explained. Speaking both as the head of the national police force and as a father himself, Corbette extended sincere condolences to Paul’s family, calling her death “truly heartbreaking.” He also issued a public pledge that investigators would leave no avenue unexplored to secure justice. “No stone will remain unturned,” Corbette said. “We will ensure that anyone involved in Jerbiah’s murder faces the full extent of the law.”

    National Security Minister Rayburn Blackmore also shared his profound sorrow over the tragic circumstances of Paul’s death, acknowledging the deep seriousness of the accusation that a serving police officer killed a young resident. While calling the allegations deeply disturbing, Blackmore urged rank-and-file police officers not to let the actions of one individual weaken their commitment to serving the Dominican public. He emphasized that the vast majority of the country’s police officers continue to carry out their roles with professionalism and accountability, and appealed to the public not to lose trust in the entire police institution because of the actions of one accused person.

    Blackmore also reaffirmed that Dominican law enforcement treats all missing person reports with the highest priority, and called on media outlets and members of the public to practice restraint and responsibility throughout the criminal investigation process.

    As investigators continue to map out the timeline of events leading up to Paul’s death, they have uncovered what they describe as a sophisticated plot to cover up the crime. According to lead investigators, after Paul was killed, Langlais and other unidentified co-conspirators created fake social media accounts, which they used to post messages designed to trick the public and investigators into believing the teenager was still alive. Authorities say the deceptive scheme was intended to mislead search teams, disrupt the search effort, divert public attention, and delay the discovery of Paul’s remains.

    Investigators have not ruled out the possibility of additional charges being filed against other people who allegedly assisted in the cover-up or otherwise obstructed the ongoing investigation.

    The case has sent shockwaves across the small Caribbean nation of Dominica, driven both by the brutal killing of a teenage girl and the fact that the person accused of her murder was a sworn police officer tasked with protecting the country’s citizens.

  • Atkinson Primary school strengthened through OECS Climate Resilience Project

    Atkinson Primary school strengthened through OECS Climate Resilience Project

    Against a backdrop of rising climate uncertainty and more frequent extreme weather events, two Eastern Caribbean countries have wrapped up a landmark initiative designed to boost disaster preparedness at schools serving climate-vulnerable indigenous communities. Led by the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission and funded by the New Zealand High Commission Fund for the Caribbean, the 12-month project has delivered tangible infrastructure upgrades, life-saving emergency equipment, and targeted hands-on training to two participating institutions: Atkinson Primary School in Dominica’s Kalinago Territory and Sandy Bay Government School in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

    Implemented through the OECS Commission’s Education Development Management Unit (EDMU), the initiative ran from July 1, 2025, through July 20, 2026. Beyond serving core educational functions, both schools act as critical community gathering spaces and official emergency shelters during hurricanes and floods, making their resilience a top priority for regional safety planning.

    At Dominica’s Atkinson Primary School, the project addressed long-standing climate-related hazards that disrupted learning and threatened safety. A custom 100-foot drainage system was installed to eliminate chronic flooding that regularly submerged the schoolyard during heavy rain events. Additionally, reinforced custom wooden doors were constructed and fitted to withstand the powerful hurricane-force winds that regularly impact the Eastern Caribbean. Both participating schools received standardized emergency response packages, including portable gasoline generators, solar-powered lighting systems, and public address equipment. These tools are designed to keep the schools operational during widespread power and communication outages, allowing them to continue hosting displaced community members even when critical infrastructure fails across surrounding areas.

    Organizers prioritized capacity building as much as physical upgrades, recognizing that lasting resilience depends on trained local stakeholders. Two-day interactive workshops, led by local disaster management experts Joian Coipel in Dominica and Dr. Idelia Ferdinand in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, adapted regional disaster risk reduction guidelines into actionable, site-specific emergency procedures. Participants also ran full simulation exercises to test existing school disaster response plans, identifying gaps and refining protocols for real-world events.

    In total, 36 key stakeholders including school administrators, teachers, support staff, and local indigenous community leaders completed the training. Post-project assessments measured a 15.5% average increase in disaster risk management knowledge among participants, with 90% of trainees reporting significantly higher confidence in their ability to coordinate a safe emergency response at their school.

    Muriel John, Principal of Atkinson Primary School, welcomed the transformative impact of the project, noting that it addressed decades of unmet safety needs while uniting staff and community members around a shared goal of preparedness. “The training reminded us that resilience is something we build together as a community long before disaster strikes,” John said. “Where we once felt vulnerable, we are now better equipped; where once we could only react, we now know how to prepare.” She extended formal gratitude to all participating partners, adding: “You have not only built a more resilient school, but also strengthened the spirit of a people who have always known how to endure and now feel supported in that endurance. We are grateful, stronger and ready.”

    Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS Commission, framed the initiative as a core part of the regional body’s ongoing commitment to building climate resilience across vulnerable small island developing states. “By empowering our indigenous school communities in Dominica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines with both fortified infrastructure and critical local expertise, we are not just protecting our students; we are establishing a vital blueprint for regional safety,” Jules explained.

    Linda Te Puni, New Zealand High Commissioner to the Caribbean, emphasized that the project’s centering of indigenous knowledge and community leadership aligned closely with New Zealand’s core development values. “It is especially important that this initiative places indigenous knowledge, community ownership, and inclusive development at its centre. These values are important to New Zealand,” she said.

    Building on the successful outcomes of this pilot project, the OECS Commission plans to expand the model to similar resilience-building initiatives in Grenada and Saint Lucia in coming years. Project outcomes are also integrated into the regional Climate Smart Education Systems Initiative, which aims to embed climate resilience into education policy and infrastructure planning across the Eastern Caribbean to deliver long-term, widespread benefits for vulnerable communities.

  • BREAKING NEWS: Police officer charged with murder of Jerbia Paul

    BREAKING NEWS: Police officer charged with murder of Jerbia Paul

    In a morning press conference Wednesday, Lincoln Corbette, chief of policy for the regional law enforcement agency, made a stunning announcement: active-duty police officer Jean Langlais has been formally charged with the murder of Jerbia Paul, a resident of Portsmouth.

    Corbette opened his remarks by voicing deep regret that such a violent, unlawful killing has been tied to a member of the police force, an institution built on the public promise to protect and serve community members. “This is a failure that cuts to the core of what we stand for,” he noted, acknowledging the breach of public trust that comes with a case of this nature.

    The police leader emphasized that the investigation into Paul’s death is still active and evolving. To protect the integrity of ongoing investigative work and avoid compromising potential evidence or court proceedings, he declined to disclose most specific details about the case, including the alleged motive and timeline of the killing.

    While he confirmed that only limited information can be released to the public at this stage, Corbette pledged transparency moving forward, promising to share all appropriate updates as the case progresses toward trial. Speaking both as a law enforcement leader and a parent, he extended heartfelt condolences to Paul’s family, describing the killing as an unimaginable tragedy that has shaken the entire local law enforcement community.

    Corbette closed his statement with a firm commitment to accountability, saying investigators would leave no stone unturned in building the case. He guaranteed that every individual connected to Paul’s murder will face the full consequences of their actions under the law.

  • NCCU rolls out new strategies to tackle loan delinquency and reward responsible borrowers

    NCCU rolls out new strategies to tackle loan delinquency and reward responsible borrowers

    The National Co-operative Credit Union (NCCU) has announced a pair of targeted reforms to its loan management framework, aiming to lift repayment rates while incentivizing consistent, responsible borrowing behavior among its member base. The first policy change, which received formal approval from voting members during the credit union’s 16th Annual General Meeting held on June 3, grants the institution authorization to publicly disclose the identities of members who persist in defaulting on their outstanding loan balances.

    Institution leadership has emphasized that this public disclosure step will not be implemented hastily. It will only be triggered after the credit union has exhausted all attempts to reach the borrower directly and negotiate a feasible, mutually acceptable repayment arrangement that resolves the delinquency.

    Acting NCCU Chief Executive Officer Suzanne Joseph-Piper noted that the organization acknowledges unforeseen financial hardships can impact any member at any time. She urged members who are already struggling to meet their repayment obligations to reach out to the credit union for support proactively, before their accounts fall into severe delinquency. Joseph-Piper also clarified the broader impact of persistent unpaid loans on the entire NCCU membership: when large volumes of loans go uncollected, the total pool of funds available for new lending to other members drops, alongside potential dividend payouts and planned investments to upgrade NCCU member services.

    Beyond the new policy on persistent default, NCCU has rolled out a series of internal changes to strengthen its collections process. The organization has upgraded its core collections technology, launched targeted support programs for members with overdue accounts, and restructured its internal Collections Department to boost both operational efficiency and the level of support offered to members navigating financial difficulty.

    Complementing these enforcement and operational changes, NCCU is also introducing a new Patronage Refund Programme that delivers direct financial rewards to members who consistently meet their loan repayment commitments on time. Eligible refund payments under the new program are scheduled to begin distribution in 2027, with the size of each member’s refund calculated based on the total amount of interest they have paid on their loans throughout the eligibility period.

    NCCU officials state the program is designed to encourage healthy, responsible financial management among the membership, while reinforcing the critical role that timely loan repayment plays in sustaining the credit union’s ability to serve all its members. The organization has reiterated its call for any members facing challenges with their loan obligations to open a line of communication with NCCU staff as early as possible to work out a solution.

  • LIVE: Police Press Conference

    LIVE: Police Press Conference

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  • Caribbean jurists condemn Antigua PM’s criticism of High Court judge; Browne responds

    Caribbean jurists condemn Antigua PM’s criticism of High Court judge; Browne responds

    A growing regional constitutional dispute has emerged in the Caribbean after Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne pushed back against widespread condemnation from regional judicial leaders, rejecting claims that his public criticism of sentencing practices constitutes an attack on judicial independence. Instead, Browne has put forward a concrete, evidence-based proposal to establish an independent regional committee to examine systemic sentencing gaps for firearm-related and other serious violent crimes.

    The conflict ignited after Browne made public comments on August 10 questioning what he and many members of the public and law enforcement community view as unduly lenient sentences handed down in some high-profile serious criminal cases, including firearm offenses and statutory rape. Those remarks drew a rare unified rebuke from the heads of judiciary across seven Caribbean jurisdictions: Barbados, The Bahamas, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. The regional judicial leaders also raised alarm over the unauthorized disclosure of confidential internal court correspondence, reaffirming their unwavering commitment to the independence of regional judiciaries and the institutional integrity of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), a foundational regional judicial body.

    In their joint statement, the judicial heads stressed that public trust in the authority of courts depends entirely on widespread confidence in judges’ independence, impartiality, integrity and professional competence. While they declined to weigh in on the substance of allegations involving individual judges or internal administrative matters, they emphasized that breaches of judicial confidentiality pose a serious threat to institutional stability.

    Responding publicly on Thursday, Browne pushed back against the regional pushback, clarifying that he fully upholds the core principles of judicial independence and separation of powers. He argued, however, that these foundational democratic principles do not grant judges immunity from reasoned, legitimate public scrutiny of sentencing outcomes.

    “Judicial independence is essential to democratic government. However, it does not place judicial decisions or the administration of justice beyond reasoned public criticism,” Browne stated.

    The prime minister emphasized that an elected government has a responsibility to address public concerns, noting that his comments were prompted by growing unease among residents and law enforcement over rising firearm violence and sentences that diverge from the penalties set out in national legislation. Antigua and Barbuda’s current law allows for custodial sentences of up to 15 years for serious firearm offenses, and Browne claimed some judicial officers have shown “indiscretion and deliberate disregard” for these statutory provisions. He stressed that his remarks were never intended to interfere in ongoing individual cases, reverse finalized rulings, or undermine court orders, nor has his administration ever taken steps to remove, reassign or deport any judicial officer in violation of constitutional rules.

    Browne also rejected the argument that the judicial appeal process is the only legitimate avenue to address sentencing concerns. While he acknowledged that appeals remain the proper mechanism to correct improper sentences in individual cases, he noted that appeals cannot resolve broader systemic issues, including inconsistent sentencing patterns, gaps in statutory penalties, the lack of clear sentencing guidelines, failures to address repeat offending, systemic delays, and coordination breakdowns between police, prosecutors, courts and correctional services. He added that Antigua and Barbuda has granted the Director of Public Prosecutions the authority to appeal sentences since 2004, a power that has been used successfully, but all appeal decisions remain within the independent constitutional authority of that office.

    To move the debate forward in a constructive, constitutionally compliant manner, Browne revealed he had written to Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Chief Justice Margaret Price Findlay on August 12 to propose the immediate launch of an independent sentencing review committee. The panel will analyze sentencing data, assess whether there is a significant gap between the legislative intent of Antigua and Barbuda’s parliament and actual sentencing outcomes, identify root causes of inconsistencies, and recommend actionable reforms to the criminal justice system.

    Browne has proposed former CCJ President Justice Adrian Saunders to chair the committee, pending his willingness to accept the role. He also confirmed that two other prominent regional judicial figures – former CCJ President Sir Dennis Byron and CARICOM High-Level Representative on Law and Criminal Justice Justice Godfrey Smith, SC – have already agreed to contribute to the review. The prime minister has invited regional judicial leaders to support the initiative and help launch it without delay.

    Framing the review as a evidence-based response to a pressing national crisis, Browne warned that unaddressed firearm violence poses a multifaceted threat to Antigua and Barbuda: it endangers public safety, inflicts lasting harm on victims and their families, stretches law enforcement resources thin, erodes public trust in state institutions, and risks undermining the stable social and economic environment that attracts investment, supports employment and sustains the vital tourism sector.

    While Browne acknowledged that sentencers must properly weigh a range of statutory and case-specific factors – including appellate guidance, guilty pleas, aggravating and mitigating circumstances, criminal history, time spent on remand, and the totality of offenses – he argued that legitimate public concerns about sentencing should be examined objectively rather than dismissed out of hand.

    “Judicial independence and institutional accountability are not opposing principles,” Browne said. “Our Government seeks no control over the decision of any court. It does seek a criminal justice system that is lawful, proportionate, transparent, consistent and effective in protecting the public.”

    He closed by noting that the people of Antigua and Barbuda are entitled to both core democratic pillars: an independent judiciary and a criminal justice system that responds credibly and effectively to the growing threat of serious violent crime.

  • Giraudel farmer harvests more than 250 pounds of seasoning pepper under ministry programme

    Giraudel farmer harvests more than 250 pounds of seasoning pepper under ministry programme

    The Caribbean island nation of Dominica’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy is celebrating promising early outcomes from its newly launched Mini Seasoning Pepper Programme, after a South Region farmer delivered an impressive maiden harvest that validates the initiative’s strategic approach.

    Clint Pemberton, a grower based in Giraudel, has become the first participant in the programme to bring his crop to harvest, pulling more than 250 pounds of seasoning pepper from his plot. His successful yield comes as a tangible early proof of concept for the government-backed project, which is designed to lift local agricultural production by delivering targeted support to small-scale domestic producers.

    Unveiled earlier this year, the programme was crafted to address two key gaps in Dominica’s agricultural supply chain: first, to prevent potential seasoning pepper shortages for local agro-processors ahead of the annual Independence season celebrations, when demand for processed local goods spikes, and second, to boost consistent supplies of fresh seasoning pepper at DEXIA’s public fresh produce markets that serve local consumers.

    To set participating farmers up for success, the ministry provided each enrolled grower with 432 young seasoning pepper seedlings, alongside complimentary fertilizer to support healthy plant establishment and growth through the critical early development stages. Originally, the initiative set out to support 10 farmers to cultivate a combined total of one acre of pepper crops. However, following program adjustments to better align with farmer capacity and on-ground conditions, the target was revised to five farmers cultivating a total of half an acre.

    Ministry officials emphasize that Pemberton’s substantial first harvest is far more than a personal win for the grower: it demonstrates how targeted, strategic government support can empower local producers to scale their output, boost household incomes, improve livelihoods for farming communities, and strengthen Dominica’s broader food and nutrition security. As the country continues to build more self-reliant agricultural systems, this early success signals the value of small, targeted interventions in driving meaningful progress.

    The ministry also extended public recognition to the technical team that supported the programme’s rollout: Junior Officer Abna James, and Senior Officers Brent Symes and Delroy Williams, all of whom provided consistent on-ground technical guidance to participating farmers throughout the planting and growing process. Officials noted that the Mini Seasoning Pepper Programme is just one component of the government’s broader national strategy to expand local food production, reduce reliance on imported agricultural goods, and build a more resilient, climate-ready agricultural sector that can meet the needs of Dominica’s people for generations to come.

  • NCCU encourages scholarship recipients to make the most of educational opportunities

    NCCU encourages scholarship recipients to make the most of educational opportunities

    On the Caribbean island of Dominica, the National Co-operative Credit Union (NCCU) has reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to accessible secondary education during its 2026 annual scholarship ceremony, held at the Dominica Public Service Union building in the capital city of Roseau.

    At the event, Delix St. Hilaire, NCCU’s Human Resources Assistant and a former scholarship recipient himself, addressed this year’s award winners, urging them to seize every opportunity created by the organization’s Secondary Scholarship Programme. St. Hilaire encouraged students to maintain consistent focus and pursue academic excellence throughout their secondary school careers, noting that the financial aid provided through the initiative has meaningfully reduced the educational cost burden that weighs on most parents and guardians across the island.

    What many attendees may not know is that NCCU’s investment in Dominican youth extends more than 16 years back. Since launching the programme, the credit union has awarded approximately 240 scholarships to deserving students across the country. For the 2025/2026 academic year alone, the institution allocated just over $136,000 to fund its scholarship sponsorship efforts, demonstrating its ongoing dedication to growing educational access for local communities.

    Today, the programme supports secondary students across all grade levels, with a longstanding naming tradition that dates back to 2011. Each scholarship is named in honor of an individual who made extraordinary contributions to the growth and development of Dominica’s credit union movement, preserving the legacies of key community leaders while supporting the next generation.

    St. Hilaire’s personal connection to the programme added a deeply personal touch to this year’s ceremony. Back in 2012, he was himself an NCCU Secondary Scholarship recipient. After receiving the financial support he needed to complete his secondary education, he went on to pursue higher education, and ultimately returned to work for the very institution that helped him achieve his academic and professional goals.

    His full-circle journey is held up by NCCU as a powerful example of how targeted educational support can empower young people to pursue their personal and professional ambitions, and in many cases, create opportunities for them to give back to their local communities through skilled, purpose-driven work. As the credit union continues to expand its programme year over year, it remains focused on its core mission of lifting up Dominican families and investing in the island’s future through education.

  • OP-ED: Fidel at 100 – A legacy of dignity, solidarity and resilience

    OP-ED: Fidel at 100 – A legacy of dignity, solidarity and resilience

    On August 13, 2026, the Caribbean region pauses to mark a historic milestone: the 100th anniversary of the birth of Fidel Castro, the iconic founding leader of the Cuban Revolution. This day is far more than a ceremonial tribute to a political figure; it is a collective reflection on the life, ideals, and lasting global impact of a man who redefined Cuba’s national identity and inspired solidarity movements across the Global South.

    For Cubans, the centenary offers a moment to revisit the foundational values that Fidel Castro embedded into the Cuban project after the 1959 revolution. Under his leadership, the Cuban government positioned national independence, territorial sovereignty, and self-determination as non-negotiable pillars of public life, alongside core social commitments to universal public education, free healthcare, scientific advancement, and human dignity. Unlike many nations that frame access to basic services as market-dependent privileges, Cuba enshrined education and healthcare as inalienable human rights for all citizens. This vision led to the total eradication of illiteracy within years of the revolution, the construction of one of the world’s most accessible universal public health systems, and the training of generations of skilled medical professionals and scientists that have extended Cuba’s humanitarian reach far beyond its borders.

    One of the most tangible manifestations of this solidarity legacy can be found in the small Caribbean nation of Dominica. When Dominica achieved full independence in 1978, its leadership turned to the international community for support to build out its domestic public services, and Fidel Castro’s Cuba was among the first to answer that call. Just one year later, the first cohort of Dominican students departed for Cuba to pursue higher education. In the decades since, more than 400 Dominican students have graduated from Cuban universities and technical institutions, with over 130 earning degrees in medicine. Beyond education, Cuban development cooperation has supported Dominican progress across key sectors including public health infrastructure, school construction, and community development projects.

    This year holds double significance for the two Caribbean nations: alongside Fidel Castro’s centenary, they are also celebrating 30 years of formal diplomatic relations. But officials on both sides emphasize that the fraternal bond between Cuba and Dominica predates formal diplomatic recognition, forged through decades of mutual solidarity rooted in shared experiences of colonialism and a commitment to South-South cooperation.

    The centenary commemoration comes at a moment of extraordinary economic and social strain for Cuba, as the decades-long United States economic, commercial, and financial blockade has been intensified in recent years, with new restrictions severely limiting the country’s access to global fuel supplies. Fuel scarcity is not merely an energy issue for Cuba: it directly undermines the functioning of core public services, cutting electricity to hospitals, interrupting cold chain storage for life-saving medications, reducing access to clean drinking water, slowing domestic food production, and disrupting the daily operations of nearly every sector of society.

    Data presented at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly on July 7, 2026, underscores the staggering human and economic cost of the blockade. Between March 1, 2025, and February 28, 2026, total damages from the sanctions reached a record high of $8.083 billion at current market prices, representing a 7% increase from the previous year’s total. That averages out to $22 million in economic losses every single day. Cubans often describe the ongoing blockade as a “permanent hurricane”: a constant, unrelenting force designed to wear down the population and make daily survival untenable. But as Dominicans, who have faced their own share of devastating Atlantic hurricanes, understand well, communities can withstand extreme hardship, rebuild stronger after crisis, and emerge more united than before.

    Cuban leaders and citizens alike affirm that they will follow that same path, drawing strength from the legacy of the revolution and the achievements they have built over decades, rooted in the principles Fidel Castro helped establish. A little-known, defining detail of Fidel Castro’s legacy also shaped this year’s commemorations: per his explicit request before his death, no public statues, monuments, or buildings bearing his name dot Cuba’s public landscape. He insisted that his legacy should not be carved into stone or bronze, but instead live on in the Cuban people, in their collective values, and in their daily actions to defend the revolution’s gains.

    One hundred years after his birth, that legacy remains vibrantly alive across Cuba, carried by generations of citizens who continue to prioritize human dignity and national sovereignty. In Dominica, that legacy lives on too: in the hundreds of Dominican professionals whose lives and careers were shaped by Cuban educational support, in the Cuban-trained doctors who serve Dominican communities across the country, and in the unbreakable fraternal bond between the two Caribbean nations.

    Today, the most enduring monument to Fidel Castro is not a structure built of hard materials: it is a people that remembers its history, resists external pressure, and continues to believe in the vision of a more just and sovereign world. As the two nations mark this centenary, leaders reaffirmed their commitment to preserving and growing the solidarity between Cuba and Dominica for generations to come, closing with a collective tribute: Happy 100th birthday, Fidel!

  • UPDATE: Police confirm body found in Capuchin; DNA testing needed for identification

    UPDATE: Police confirm body found in Capuchin; DNA testing needed for identification

    Authorities in Dominica have launched an identification process after severely decomposed human remains were discovered in a remote precipice in the Capuchin region this week, prompting police to move quickly to address public speculation around a recently missing local teenager.

    In an official statement released late Wednesday, Acting Assistant Superintendent of Police and Public Relations Officer Fixton Henderson confirmed that law enforcement personnel had recovered the partial human remains from the steep cliff location. Henderson detailed that the remains match the general description of an adult female, who was found wearing a blue top at the time of discovery. Due to extensive decomposition that has left the body completely unrecognizable, police confirmed forensic DNA analysis will be required to formally confirm the individual’s identity.

    Henderson emphasized that the update was shared proactively with the public to curb unfounded rumors, stopping short of officially confirming whether the remains belong to 16-year-old Jerbia Paul, a teenager who has been listed as missing since July 24, 2026. Multiple unnamed police sources had previously told local outlet Dominica News Online earlier the same day that the recovered body was that of Paul, who was last seen wearing a dark blue shirt – a detail that aligns with the clothing description of the remains found.

    To provide full transparency to the public and Paul’s family, law enforcement has scheduled an official press conference for 9:00 a.m. local time on Thursday at the Dominican Police Headquarters, where officials will share new details on the investigation, initial forensic findings, and next steps in the identification process.