Carib Scope

标签： Dominica

多米尼克

  • Contestant Sheraine Mills receives full sponsorship for Miss Dominica pageant 2026

    Contestant Sheraine Mills receives full sponsorship for Miss Dominica pageant 2026

    In a significant development for the upcoming Miss Dominica 2026 National Queen Pageant, contestant Sheraine Mills has received a major sponsorship endorsement. Republic Bank (EC) Limited has committed EC$25,000 in financial support through a partnership with the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) and the Dominica Festivals Committee (DFC).

    The sponsorship was formally announced at a sash presentation ceremony where Mills, designated as contestant number 3, expressed profound gratitude for the backing. She simultaneously unveiled her substantive advocacy platform focused on women’s health: ‘Breaking the Stigma: Empowering Women Confidently Confronting PCOS.’

    Mills, who personally lives with polycystic ovarian syndrome, articulated her mission to become a vocal advocate for the condition she describes as ‘common yet often misunderstood.’ Her platform aims to foster greater awareness, understanding, and empowerment for women navigating life with PCOS, whom she refers to as ‘silent warriors.’

    Republic Bank’s Country Manager, Mrs. Sharlene Polydore-Pascal, framed the sponsorship as an extension of the bank’s commitment to employee development and national talent. ‘By supporting Sheraine, we are sending a clear message: our people matter, our youth matter and Dominican talent deserves to shine on the biggest stages,’ Polydore-Pascal stated, highlighting Mills’ embodiment of the ‘strength, intelligence and ambition of today’s Dominican professionals.’

    The Discover Dominica Authority publicly commended the bank’s investment, characterizing it as an initiative that ‘sets a high standard and inspires others to invest in excellence, empowerment, and Dominican pride.’ The DDA’s statement concluded with an open call for additional partners to support the 2026 pageant, signaling the importance of corporate sponsorship in national cultural events.

  • CARICOM IMPACS joins forces to facilitate major drug bust in USVI

    CARICOM IMPACS joins forces to facilitate major drug bust in USVI

    In a decisive strike against transnational narcotics trafficking, a sophisticated multinational operation has culminated in the interception of a massive 772-kilogram cocaine shipment and the apprehension of six suspects in the territorial waters of the Virgin Islands. The high-impact mission, executed between December 8 and 9, 2025, exemplifies the potency of cross-border law enforcement collaboration.

    The operation was spearheaded by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), which facilitated critical intelligence sharing. This coordinated effort united the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF), His Majesty’s Customs, and United States Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) personnel.

    Authorities initiated the interdiction following actionable intelligence reports indicating suspicious maritime movements within the Virgin Islands’ jurisdiction. The precise intelligence exchange enabled targeted surveillance and subsequent interception of the vessel involved, leading to the successful seizure and arrests.

    Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director of CARICOM IMPACS, emphasized the strategic significance of the operation: “This achievement stands as a profound testament to regional and international cooperation in safeguarding our shared maritime domains. The seamless coordination and real-time intelligence flow among all partners reflect our steadfast resolve to dismantle criminal networks jeopardizing Caribbean security.”

    Acting Interim Police Commissioner Richard Ullger lauded the operational team’s professionalism and rapid response, acknowledging the inherent dangers of such missions. He underscored the damaging impact this seizure inflicts on organized crime syndicates operating across the region.

    The six individuals in custody now face serious charges including drug importation and possession with intent to supply. They remain detained pending proceedings before a Magistrate’s Court.

  • The Dominica Calypso Association publishes results of December 13 Calypso Eliminations show

    The Dominica Calypso Association publishes results of December 13 Calypso Eliminations show

    ROSEAU, DOMINICA – The Dominica Calypso Association has officially released the roster of artists progressing to the next stage of the national competition following a decisive elimination show held on December 13, 2025. The announcement marks a pivotal moment in the island’s prestigious cultural calendar, setting the stage for the upcoming performances.

    The twelve qualifying calypsonians, announced in a randomized listing to maintain competitive impartiality, are: Haxey, Jerd, Mighty D, Royette, Sandy, Mystrie, Jamma B, Liberator, Redz, Mighty Omee, Kalpha P, and Inoah. This diverse group of performers will now advance to compete for the highly coveted calypso crown.

    Furthermore, the Association has designated three reserve artists to ensure the seamless continuation of the competition should any unforeseen circumstances arise. The reserve performers, listed in order of priority, are Myka, Lulu, and Nini. This structured approach highlights the organization’s commitment to a well-managed and professional event series.

    The calypso elimination show is a traditional and critical fixture in Dominica’s entertainment landscape, serving as a platform for artistic expression and social commentary through music. The Association has encouraged public engagement and inquiries, providing dedicated contact numbers (1-767-235-0573 and 1-767-618-3794) for further information on the event schedule and ticket availability.

  • Dominica appoints four CARICOM Youth Ambassadors

    Dominica appoints four CARICOM Youth Ambassadors

    The Government of Dominica has officially unveiled its newly appointed representatives to the Caribbean Community’s Youth Ambassador program following an extensive selection process. Four exceptional young leaders have been chosen to serve as CARICOM Youth Ambassadors for the 2025-2027 term, marking a significant step in regional youth engagement.

    Abigail Christmas has been designated as the primary female ambassador, while Eamon Clifford Gibbons will serve as the male ambassador. Supporting them will be alternates Jonathan Eddison Lewis Jones (male) and Angel S. Joseph (female). Their two-year tenure will commence on August 1, 2025, extending through July 31, 2027.

    The selection initiative, administered by the Ministry of Culture, Youth, Sports, and Community Development through its Youth Development Division, attracted substantial interest from across the island nation. Over thirty aspiring young Dominicans submitted applications during the July 2025 application window, demonstrating remarkable enthusiasm for regional leadership and Caribbean integration.

    Candidates underwent a rigorous two-tier evaluation process beginning with a written application assessment based on predetermined criteria including leadership capabilities, community involvement, communication proficiency, and advocacy skills. This initial screening identified ten semifinalists who advanced to interview rounds conducted in September 2025 by a specially appointed ministerial panel.

    The interview phase thoroughly evaluated candidates’ readiness through situational judgment scenarios, regional awareness assessments, public speaking demonstrations, and problem-solving exercises. Particular emphasis was placed on diplomatic acumen and comprehension of CARICOM’s youth development objectives.

    Following the successful completion of all evaluation stages, the Permanent Secretary formally issued appointment letters to the four selected ambassadors on November 14, 2025. The newly appointed ambassadors will receive comprehensive training and technical support coordinated by the CARICOM Secretariat to effectively execute their duties, represent youth interests, and contribute meaningfully to regional policy dialogues and youth-focused initiatives.

    The Ministry has extended congratulations to the successful candidates while reaffirming its dedication to empowering young people as essential partners in both national and regional development endeavors.

  • Dry Season Climate Outlook Forum bolsters agricultural preparedness in Dominica

    Dry Season Climate Outlook Forum bolsters agricultural preparedness in Dominica

    Dominica’s agricultural producers have gained critical preparedness tools for the upcoming dry season through the successful Dry Season Climate Outlook Forum held December 8-9, 2025. The collaborative event, organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy with support from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), marked a significant advancement in climate resilience planning for the island nation.

    The forum represented a key component of the broader initiative ‘Enhancing the Effectiveness of Early Warning Systems to Build Climate Resilience,’ which aligns with the Gender-responsive Climate-smart Food and Agriculture Systems in the Caribbean (GCAF) program funded by Global Affairs Canada. This gathering built upon previous climate outlook forums conducted earlier in the year, specifically focusing on dry season challenges facing farmers, fishers, beekeepers, and aquafarmers.

    During the opening ceremonies on December 9, senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, FAO, and the Dominica Meteorological Office emphasized the transformative potential of data-driven agricultural planning. Permanent Secretary Ryan Anselm articulated the forum’s core mission: “These climate outlook forums ensure our agricultural producers become informed decision-makers rather than passive recipients of climate data. By strengthening connections between early warning systems and farming practices, we’re building national resilience and protecting livelihoods.”

    FAO Disaster Risk Management Specialist Raisa Spencer highlighted the collaborative framework: “Effective early warning systems require institutional and sectoral cooperation. This forum demonstrates how meteorological data, agricultural expertise, and community engagement can combine to support anticipatory action, reduce climate-related losses, and integrate gender-responsive considerations throughout value chains.”

    Marshall Alexander, Senior Meteorological Officer, stressed communication efficacy: “Seasonal climate outlooks achieve maximum impact when clearly interpreted and effectively communicated to end users. We’re strengthening the vital connection between scientific climate information and practical decision-making during dry season challenges.”

    The two-day program commenced with technical reviews of dry season advisories by meteorological specialists, agricultural officers, and extension teams on December 8. The following day featured formal presentations of these tailored advisories to agricultural producers, ensuring practical application of climate intelligence.

    Through enhanced coordination, interpretation, and dissemination of climate information, the forum advanced Dominica’s proactive risk management approach. The inclusion of GCAF project beneficiaries guaranteed that advisories reflected ground realities, supporting timely decisions and practical adaptation measures before the dry season’s arrival.

  • LIVE NOW: End of Year Press Conference with PM Roosevelt Skerrit

    LIVE NOW: End of Year Press Conference with PM Roosevelt Skerrit

    A groundbreaking environmental technology initiative is transforming forest conservation through artificial intelligence. The ‘Smart Forests’ project deploys an advanced network of AI-driven sensors and imaging systems capable of monitoring ecosystem health in unprecedented detail.

    This innovative system utilizes high-resolution satellite imagery combined with terrestrial sensors to track minute changes in vegetation, soil conditions, and wildlife activity. Machine learning algorithms process this continuous data stream to detect early signs of environmental stress, disease outbreaks, or illegal logging activities that would typically escape human observation.

    The technology represents a significant advancement over traditional conservation methods, which often rely on periodic manual surveys. By providing real-time analytics and predictive modeling, conservationists can now implement proactive measures before critical damage occurs. The system’s neural networks can identify patterns across vast geographical areas, enabling coordinated responses to cross-border environmental threats.

    Researchers emphasize that this approach doesn’t replace human expertise but augments conservation capabilities. Field teams receive automated alerts directing them to areas requiring immediate attention, dramatically improving response efficiency. Early implementation in protected areas has demonstrated a 68% improvement in detecting unauthorized activities and a 45% reduction in response times to environmental threats.

    The project collaboration involves technology firms, environmental organizations, and governmental agencies, creating a new paradigm for ecosystem management. As climate change intensifies environmental pressures, such AI-enhanced conservation methods may become essential tools for preserving global biodiversity and maintaining forest-based carbon sinks.

  • United Progressive Party response to Minister of Tourism press release

    United Progressive Party response to Minister of Tourism press release

    The United Progressive Party (UPP) has issued a scathing critique of the Dominican government’s environmental policies, challenging Tourism Minister Denise Charles-Pemberton’s recent assertions about environmental protection as a “central pillar” of government policy. Opposition figures Joshua Francis and Denise Charles characterize the minister’s statements as demonstrating a “troubling disconnect between rhetoric and reality” that requires immediate correction.

    The UPP’s analysis presents a stark contrast to the government’s narrative, documenting widespread ecological degradation across the Commonwealth of Dominica. The party cites sediment-choked rivers, deteriorating coral reefs, compromised watersheds, indiscriminate forest clearing, and unprecedented assaults on marine ecosystems as evidence contradicting the government’s environmental claims.

    Economic concerns feature prominently in the opposition’s critique, with the UPP arguing that sustainable economic opportunity cannot be built upon the ruins of the nation’s natural resource base. The statement highlights how farmers, fishermen, and tour guides—those whose livelihoods directly depend on healthy ecosystems—are witnessing the real-time destruction of their economic foundations through poorly managed development projects.

    The government’s handling of specific projects comes under particular scrutiny. The UPP dismisses the Prime Minister’s intervention in the Deux Branches project as “reactive scramble masquerading as responsible governance,” emphasizing that proper environmental impact assessments and regulatory compliance should occur before construction begins, not midway through development after environmental alarms have been raised.

    Similarly, the government’s monitoring claims regarding the Mariner development are questioned, with the UPP suggesting that genuine oversight would have prevented the current ecological damage. The party further challenges the government’s citation of the international airport and Cabrits Marina as examples of successful environmental management, noting that relevant assessment reports remain undisclosed to public scrutiny.

    The opposition characterizes the current situation as “devastation wrapped in development language,” where ecosystems that evolved over millennia are being obliterated by foreign bulldozers within months. This systematic destruction of Dominica’s natural assets represents more than abstract environmental concerns—it constitutes the erosion of the nation’s most valuable and irreplaceable resources.

    The UPP demands fundamental changes in governance approach, calling for transparent environmental review processes, public release of all assessment reports, adequate compensation for displaced persons, halting of environmentally non-compliant projects, and establishment of genuine regulatory oversight with enforcement capacity. The party concludes that Dominica’s identity as the “Nature Island” must transcend marketing slogans to become a tangible commitment reflected in every development decision, project approval, and regulatory action.

  • Thomson Fontaine re-elected political Leader of United Workers Party

    Thomson Fontaine re-elected political Leader of United Workers Party

    In a closely contested internal election, Dr. Thomson Fontaine has been reaffirmed as the Political Leader of the United Workers Party (UWP), securing his position with a narrow margin of 83 votes against challenger Pastor Randy Rodney’s 73 votes. The leadership decision emerged from the UWP Delegates Conference convened earlier this evening, marking a critical moment for the party’s future direction.

    The conference also resulted in the election of several other key officials who will comprise the party’s executive leadership. Claudius Sanford ascends to the role of President, with Birney Ryan elected as Vice President. Nicolas George assumes the responsibilities of General Secretary, supported by Walter Greenaway as Assistant General Secretary.

    Financial stewardship will be handled by Ken Joseph as Treasurer, assisted by Erasmus Laurent as Assistant Treasurer. Glenroy Cuffy has been appointed Public Relations Officer, while Dr. MacDonald Thomas takes on the crucial role of International Secretary, indicating the party’s focus on global engagements.

    Additionally, the conference appointed three Trustees to oversee party governance: Norris Prevost, Jno-Finn, and Vincent Dupuis. This newly formed leadership team faces the immediate task of unifying the party following a competitive election and preparing for upcoming national political challenges.

  • Arrest made in Brown University shooting in US, which left 2 dead, 9 injured

    Arrest made in Brown University shooting in US, which left 2 dead, 9 injured

    Rhode Island law enforcement authorities have apprehended a male suspect in his twenties following a devastating shooting at Brown University that resulted in multiple casualties on Saturday, December 13. The incident, which unfolded during an Economics class lecture, claimed the lives of two students and left nine others wounded.

    According to investigative reports, the alleged gunman entered the academic building in Providence during afternoon hours and opened fire on approximately sixty students attending the lecture. The swift law enforcement response led investigators to a hotel in Coventry, Rhode Island, where tactical operations were conducted in the early hours of Sunday morning.

    Law enforcement officials utilized cellular data tracking to identify and locate the suspect, who was reportedly found in possession of multiple firearms, including a revolver and a compact Glock handgun, within his hotel accommodations. Preliminary information indicates the detained individual originates from Wisconsin, though investigation into motives and circumstances remains ongoing.

    In response to the tragedy, Brown University administration has canceled all remaining academic activities, including final examinations, to prioritize community healing and support services. The City of Providence has organized a community vigil to honor victims and facilitate collective mourning.

    Providence’s mayor, who visited injured victims in local hospitals, expressed profound grief over the incident while drawing solemn comparisons to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that occurred thirteen years prior. Community leaders have emphasized the need for renewed dialogue on campus safety measures and violence prevention strategies.

  • LIVE: St. Gerard’s Chapel Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Bellevue

    LIVE: St. Gerard’s Chapel Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Bellevue

    Meta has officially launched its highly anticipated next-generation Ray-Ban smart glasses, marking a significant advancement in wearable AI technology. The new iteration represents a substantial upgrade from its predecessor, featuring enhanced audio quality, improved camera capabilities, and more sophisticated artificial intelligence integration.

    The redesigned smart glasses maintain the classic Ray-Ban aesthetic while incorporating cutting-edge technological improvements. The updated model boasts a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera capable of capturing higher resolution photos and videos, along with superior audio drivers that deliver clearer sound for both media playback and calls.

    A standout feature of the new generation is the significantly upgraded AI assistant, which now operates without requiring a ‘Hey Meta’ wake phrase for many functions. Users can seamlessly interact with the AI through natural language commands to identify landmarks, translate signs, and access information hands-free. The AI capabilities have been enhanced to provide more contextual and useful responses to user queries.

    Meta has addressed privacy concerns by incorporating a prominent LED indicator that activates whenever the camera or microphone is in use. The glasses also include a physical shutter that can completely disable the camera for additional privacy assurance.

    The smart glasses are positioned as a practical step toward more integrated augmented reality experiences, though they stop short of featuring a display interface. Instead, they focus on audio interactions and visual capture, serving as an always-accessible AI companion that blends seamlessly into daily life while maintaining fashionable aesthetics.