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标签： Dominica

多米尼克

  • OECS launches ‘PEARL Legacy’ campaign to sustain education transformation across the region

    OECS launches ‘PEARL Legacy’ campaign to sustain education transformation across the region

    As the official implementation phase of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Programme for Educational Advancement and Relevant Learning (PEARL) approaches its June 30, 2026 end date, regional education leaders are shifting focus to cementing the initiative’s decades of progress and embedding transformative change into local education systems across the Eastern Caribbean.

    To guide this critical transition, the OECS Commission has announced the launch of a new Communication for Development (C4D) initiative named “The OECS PEARL Legacy.” The campaign marks a deliberate shift away from centralized regional project management, moving into a new era centered on local ownership and community-led progress for education across the bloc’s eight participating member states.

    Over the course of PEARL’s implementation, the programme delivered sweeping improvements to education across the Eastern Caribbean. Key achievements included targeted investments in school infrastructure, comprehensive updates to outdated curricula, landmark policy reforms for early childhood education (ECE) and special education needs (SEN) support, and the rollout of regional digital learning infrastructure to boost classroom teaching and remote learning access.

    The PEARL Legacy campaign is built on the foundation of these gains, with a core goal of transferring long-term stewardship of the programme’s improvements from regional project teams to national and local education stakeholders. The initiative engages a broad cross-section of the education ecosystem, from cabinet-level policymakers and school administrators to classroom teachers, parents, and primary caregivers, to mobilize continued action at every level of the system.

    Beyond simply preserving existing progress, the campaign frames its work as advancing “educational regeneration” — a long-term vision that lets local leadership, community innovation, and broad public participation drive continuous evolution of regional education systems. To advance this mission, the initiative centers on six clear priority areas designed to strengthen PEARL’s lasting impact:

    First, the campaign will support regional education leaders to translate overarching PEARL policy frameworks into actionable national education policies and on-the-ground initiatives. Second, it will prioritize educator wellbeing, pushing for the elimination of non-essential administrative tasks that contribute to widespread teacher burnout across the region.

    Third, the campaign will expand the role of the OECS Learning Hub, home to the bloc’s Harmonized Primary Curriculum. Leaders are positioning the platform as a culturally responsive, locally tailored alternative to generic global AI learning tools, designed specifically to meet the unique needs of OECS students and classrooms.

    Fourth, the initiative advocates for sustained long-term public and private investment in three core areas: early childhood education, special education needs programming, and curriculum and assessment infrastructure, to guarantee equitable access to opportunity for all students across the region. Fifth, it aims to reframe public perception of national and regional diagnostic assessments, shifting the narrative from these tools being seen as high-stakes evaluations to diagnostic “educational health checks” that drive student growth and systemic improvement. Sixth, the campaign will highlight the value of the MyPD teacher professional development platform, demonstrating how ongoing upskilling for educators directly translates to broader social and educational progress across the Eastern Caribbean.

    To reach diverse stakeholders across the region, the OECS Commission has developed a full suite of multi-channel outreach tools and engagement activities, including branded posters, data infographics, explanatory videos, live virtual broadcasts, stakeholder surveys, regular newsletters, and press updates. The three-month campaign will run through June, July, and August 2026, leveraging a mix of traditional and digital channels: from in-person community meetings and regional broadcast programming to social media, email campaigns, and local print newspapers, to ensure broad public access and participation.

    The launch of the PEARL Legacy initiative coincides with the upcoming OECS PEARL official close-out conference, scheduled to take place in Saint Lucia from June 24 to 26, 2026. The OECS Commission is encouraging education stakeholders and members of the public to follow official social media channels of the Commission and national education ministries across the region for the latest updates. It has also extended an open invitation to media organizations and community members to join this historic transition from a time-bound regional project to permanent, community-owned education transformation across the Eastern Caribbean.

  • CDB launches regional initiative to explore Caribbean renewable energy grid integration

    CDB launches regional initiative to explore Caribbean renewable energy grid integration

    The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has officially launched a groundbreaking regional technical assistance initiative designed to transform the Caribbean’s energy landscape by scaling up renewable energy adoption and integrating national electricity grids across neighboring nations. Dubbed the Caribbean Regional Electricity Grid Interconnection and Renewable Energy Scaling Technical Assistance Project (CREGI-RES), the effort marks a critical turning point in the region’s decades-long fight to break free from costly, carbon-intensive dependence on imported fossil fuels.

    At the project launch ceremony, key stakeholders including Dr. Sherine Ibrahim, Sustainable Energy Specialist at CDB, and Kyle Farnum, Energy Programme Manager for the European Union, gathered to mark the start of what planners hope will become a blueprint for sustainable energy transition across the small island developing states of the Caribbean. L. O’Reilly Lewis, Director of CDB’s Projects Department, emphasized that collective regional action is the only viable path to solving shared energy challenges that no single nation can tackle alone. “Regional cooperation through this Technical Assistance unlocks opportunities individual countries cannot achieve alone. The potential benefits could be significant and now must be tested through rigorous analysis,” Lewis noted at the event.

    For years, Caribbean nations have faced some of the highest retail electricity prices in the world, a burden directly tied to their overwhelming reliance on imported petroleum and coal to meet domestic power demand. Despite the region holding enormous untapped renewable energy potential—including abundant geothermal reserves, strong offshore wind resources, consistent solar irradiation, and viable hydropower sites—clean energy currently makes up only a small fraction of the region’s total installed generation capacity. CREGI-RES was developed specifically to address this gap by laying the groundwork for coordinated regional action.

    Over the course of the project, technical teams will conduct a comprehensive feasibility assessment of a range of integrated energy solutions. Key areas of analysis include the potential for cross-border submarine electricity interconnections, targeted upgrades to aging transmission infrastructure, and strategies to speed up the deployment of utility-scale renewable energy technologies across the region. The assessment will also quantify how integrated regional energy systems could deliver tangible benefits to consumers, including lower monthly electricity bills, more reliable power supply, reduced vulnerability to volatile global fossil fuel price swings, and strengthened resilience to extreme climate events that increasingly threaten small island energy infrastructure.

    To guide the initiative, CDB will appoint a dedicated full-time Grid Interconnection and Renewable Energy Scaling Advisor, who will lead the development of a detailed actionable regional roadmap. The roadmap will address core barriers to progress, including inconsistent regulatory frameworks, gaps in institutional capacity, and challenges in building competitive regional power markets. The project will also establish cross-cutting thematic working groups and host a series of inclusive stakeholder engagement activities, including regional workshops and country-level dialogue sessions, to identify and resolve regulatory and policy barriers that have historically deterred clean energy investment. A central priority of these efforts is to create an enabling policy and market environment that can attract large-scale long-term private sector financing for renewable energy and grid projects.

    Total funding for the $1.5 million technical assistance project comes from multiple global development partners, aligned around shared climate and energy goals for the Caribbean. CDB is contributing core financing through its Special Funds Resources, with additional support coming from the European Union Caribbean Investment Facility (EU-CIF) Geothermal Risk Mitigation Programme, France’s Agence Française de Développement, and the Government of Canada through its Sustainable Renewable Energy Generation (SuRGE) programme. Implementation of the project is scheduled to run through early 2028, with the first draft of the comprehensive regional roadmap expected to be released for public consultation in 2027.

    CDB officials note that the ultimate success of the initiative will depend on the findings of rigorous technical, environmental, financial, and social assessments, as well as subsequent buy-in and investment commitments from participating Caribbean governments and international funding partners. If realized, the project’s recommendations are expected to deliver widespread benefits including expanded renewable generation capacity, reduced regional carbon emissions, more affordable electricity for households and businesses, improved climate resilience, and new job opportunities in the fast-growing clean energy sector.

    CREGI-RES is a flagship initiative under CDB’s Accelerated Sustainable Energy and Resilience Transition 2030 (ASERT-2030) Framework, and aligns directly with the development bank’s core strategic priority of expanding green energy investment across all its Borrowing Member Countries. The project also aligns with the broader energy transition agenda of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and supports the region’s collective climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, reinforcing the Caribbean’s ambition to take a leading role in the global transition to low-carbon sustainable energy systems.

  • Castle Bruce Police strengthen community ties through district patrols

    Castle Bruce Police strengthen community ties through district patrols

    Law enforcement teams based at the Castle Bruce Police Station are pressing forward with targeted community-focused programs designed to lift public safety standards and build closer, more collaborative bonds with local residents and business operators across the district.

    A public statement released by the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF) confirmed that two serving officers – Corporal Earl George and Constable Valmond – recently conducted a highly visible uniformed mobile patrol throughout the Castle Bruce area. This patrol formed a key part of the station’s long-term proactive strategy, which prioritizes pre-emptive crime reduction and consistent engagement with the communities it serves.

    Over the course of the patrol, the officers stopped at a wide cross-section of local commercial establishments, ranging from retail stores and casual dining spots to local bars and independent street vending operations. They held face-to-face discussions with business owners and on-site managers to address a range of safety concerns, walk proprietors through practical enhanced security protocols, and refresh operators on the mandatory operating hours outlined in their official business licenses.

    In a move to strengthen long-term partnerships between police and local commercial stakeholders, the officers distributed up-to-date emergency contact details to every business they visited. This step ensures that proprietors can reach law enforcement directly and without delay should a critical incident or emergency arise on their premises. Beyond community outreach, the team also provided critical operational support to two bailiffs from the neighboring Roseau District, Bailiff Emmanuel and Bailiff Hector. The assistance included helping to locate individuals named in court documents, serving official legal summonses, and executing a series of outstanding warrants within Castle Bruce’s jurisdictional boundaries.

    The CDPF reported that the proactive outreach effort was met with overwhelmingly positive responses from the local business community. The majority of proprietors who interacted with the officers welcomed the increased visible presence of law enforcement in the area, and openly expressed their gratitude for the ongoing support and consistent engagement from the Castle Bruce Police Station.

    Per the police force’s official statement, initiatives of this kind deliver far-reaching benefits to the entire district. They create a solid foundation for ongoing cooperation between law enforcement agencies and members of the public, help cultivate mutual trust between police and community members, and contribute to measurable improvements in overall public safety for everyone who lives, works, and visits Castle Bruce.

  • DAA to hold elections for club and school representatives on June 20

    DAA to hold elections for club and school representatives on June 20

    The Dominica Athletics Association (DAA) Inc. has formally launched preparations for a key electoral process to fill critical governance positions, announcing that voting for new Club and School Representatives will take place before the end of this month.

    Per the official scheduling released by the governing body, the election will commence at 10:00 a.m. local time on Saturday, June 20, 2026, hosted in the conference facility of the Dominica Olympic Committee. The association confirmed in a public statement that the nomination period for all open positions formally concluded at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 11, 2026, with a robust slate of qualified candidates successfully securing spots on the ballot for the available roles.

    Four contenders are in the running for the multiple open Club Representative seats, each hailing from one of Dominica’s active local athletic clubs. The candidates include Natasha Jervier-Carbon, representing the Aithons Athletics Club; Smith Telemacque, nominated by the Wesmar Rangers Athletics Club; Caryl Andrew from the Aspirers Athletics Club; and Charles Joseph, put forward by the Striders Athletics Club.

    In contrast, the single open School Representative position has already been finalized without contest. Joel Hamilton, a representative from Dominica Grammar School, will take up the role automatically after no other candidates submitted nominations before the deadline.

    The DAA has issued a call to action for all registered voting members to make an appearance at the venue and cast their ballots, framing the electoral process as a foundational exercise that underpins the ongoing growth and sound administration of track and field across the island nation. Senior DAA officials emphasized that broad, active engagement from association members is non-negotiable for guaranteeing that all stakeholder groups receive robust, responsive representation, and to keep the sport moving forward on its positive development trajectory.

  • Two Dominican police officers earn regional CVQ training and development certification

    Two Dominican police officers earn regional CVQ training and development certification

    The Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF) has publicly recognized two of its members for a key professional milestone, following their successful graduation from a region-wide specialized training program focused on upgrading law enforcement instructional and training capabilities across the Caribbean.

    Corporal Kerry Shillingford and Acting Corporal Bernard Darroux are the two officers who have recently wrapped up the requirements for the Training and Development Level 4 Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ). The intensive 21-day course was hosted at the Regional Security System (RSS) Training Institute, with funding provided by the RSS and logistical and instructional support delivered by the TVET Council.

    Unlike standard operational law enforcement training, this program was specifically built to cultivate skilled in-house trainers across regional police forces. It gathered law enforcement staff from multiple Caribbean island nations to collaborate and build core competencies needed to design, run, and assess effective professional development courses within their own home agencies. Participants left the program with hands-on practical skills and evidence-based knowledge that they can immediately apply to internal training initiatives.

    In an official statement released after the graduation, leadership of the CDPF extended full congratulations to Shillingford and Darroux, highlighting their consistent dedication to personal improvement and institutional advancement throughout the course. The force emphasized that the new skills and qualifications earned by the two officers will deliver long-term value to the entire organization, by boosting the quality of internal training, strengthening leadership pipelines, and lifting overall operational capacity through structured staff development.
    “This achievement is a clear reflection of the two officers’ commitment to upholding high standards of excellence in policing, and their proactive efforts to lift up both the institution and their fellow officers,” the statement added.

  • Jamaica signs onto Ocean Coordination Mechanism, strengthening Caribbean blue economy partnership

    Jamaica signs onto Ocean Coordination Mechanism, strengthening Caribbean blue economy partnership

    At an official side gathering of the 2026 Our Ocean Conference, Caribbean ocean governance crossed a major threshold, as Jamaica formalized its membership in the regional Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM) through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Barbados. The agreement was signed by Jamaica’s Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, the Hon. Mathew Samuda, on behalf of the Jamaican government, while H.E. William Alexander McDonald, Barbados’ High Commissioner to Kenya, signed for the Barbadian government, per a joint official statement released after the ceremony.

    The historic signing ceremony was co-hosted by the Government of Jamaica, the OCM, the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF), and a wide coalition of regional and international partners focused on ocean sustainability. Organizers of the event frame the accession as a transformative leap forward for cross-border cooperation focused on advancing a regenerative, inclusive blue economy across the entire Wider Caribbean region.

    The OCM was established specifically to confront longstanding systemic challenges facing the Caribbean’s shared marine environments. The region’s ocean ecosystems are inherently interconnected, spanning national boundaries and tying communities together through overlapping environmental, economic and cultural ties to the sea. For decades, however, fragmented national governance frameworks, accelerating marine environmental degradation, and the intensifying impacts of anthropogenic climate change have held back sustainable development efforts, limiting the ability of local communities to access and benefit from marine resources equitably.

    By design, the OCM addresses these gaps by strengthening aligned coordination between national governments, intergovernmental bodies, and the full spectrum of ocean-focused stakeholders, from non-profit conservation groups to local fishing cooperatives. Through enhanced cross-sector collaboration and streamlined institutional efficiency, the mechanism works to tackle pressing marine threats while unlocking the full range of social, economic and ecological benefits that healthy, productive oceans provide to regional populations.

    In an era of growing global conversation around ocean stewardship, the OCM has positioned the Wider Caribbean as a global leader in regional ocean governance. International attention has increasingly centered on the urgent need for stronger cross-organization coordination for marine resource management and ocean protection, and the OCM provides a uniquely tailored framework for regional cooperation that addresses the specific needs of Caribbean nations. This structure is particularly critical at a time of shifting overseas development assistance patterns and disjointed ocean action across national and regional levels, offering a centralized strategic platform to amplify the impact of existing resources and align action across the region.

    Addressing attendees at the signing ceremony, Minister Samuda underscored Jamaica’s longstanding commitment to collaborative ocean stewardship, explaining the country’s decision to join the mechanism. “Jamaica has recognized the OCM as an important regional coordinating mechanism on ocean-related matters, it is for this reason we have decided to become a member of the OCM. Jamaica looks forward to a constructive partnership with the OCM in advancing the global, regional and national ocean agenda,” Samuda said.

    Already, the OCM has advanced multiple high-priority initiatives to advance regional ocean health. Key ongoing projects include the development of a comprehensive regional Ocean Action Programme, the launch of a regular public reporting series on the “State of the Marine Environment and Associated Economies,” and targeted capacity-building efforts to strengthen climate-resilient ocean-based economies across the region.

    These efforts carry disproportionate importance for the Caribbean’s Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which rely almost entirely on healthy marine ecosystems and sustainable ocean industries for livelihoods, food security and economic growth, while bearing the brunt of climate change impacts including sea level rise, ocean acidification and more intense tropical storms.

    Looking ahead, regional stakeholders expect Jamaica’s accession to the OCM to deepen collective collaboration across the Caribbean, strengthening unified action on ocean governance, marine conservation, and inclusive sustainable economic development for all nations in the region.

  • UN forum unveils US$320 million pipeline of food system investments for the Caribbean

    UN forum unveils US$320 million pipeline of food system investments for the Caribbean

    This week, Bridgetown, Barbados, played host to a landmark high-level gathering that brings together regional policymakers, global institutional investors, and international development stakeholders to chart a new path for financing the Caribbean’s food systems, with a sharp focus on unlocking long-term equity investment and positioning the agri-food sector as a core driver of inclusive growth and regional climate and food resilience.

    Organized under the umbrella of United Nations development frameworks, the Food Systems Investment Forum carried the official theme “Mobilizing Equity Capital for Resilient Food Systems in the Caribbean.” Attendees included cabinet-level agriculture ministers and senior government officials from every corner of the Caribbean region, alongside senior representatives from multilateral financial institutions, global private investment funds, and leading international development agencies. The gathering was crafted to advance a collective vision of systemic transformation for Caribbean food systems through targeted, investment-led strategies, moving beyond traditional policy-focused dialogue to directly connect capital providers with bankable projects.

    The opening plenary session, titled “From Policy to Capital Deployment,” centered on the urgent need to address the persistent financing gap that has held back the region’s food sector, and to clear pathways for much greater private sector participation in building competitive, resilient food systems.

    In his opening address to delegates, Simon Springett, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, outlined the deep structural challenges that continue to hamper food system development across the Caribbean. He explained that existing investment flows are badly misaligned with the sector’s needs: most current financing relies heavily on conditional grants and high-interest debt, while long-term patient equity capital remains exceptionally scarce. Springett added that most private capital flowing into the Caribbean is disproportionately directed to low-productivity sectors such as real estate, rather than the high-impact productive segments of the food economy that drive long-term shared growth.

    He called on regional governments to streamline regulatory frameworks and build stronger enabling environments for private food system investment, while urging global and regional financiers to recognize the untapped potential spanning the full food value chain, from primary agriculture and sustainable fisheries to value-added food processing and integrated cold chain logistics.

    Springett told delegates, “The opportunity is here. Capital exists. But they are not connected in a structured and meaningful way. This forum is designed to change that …through a different kind of conversation – one that starts with capital: how investors assess risk, what makes a project bankable, and what actually unlocks deals.”

    John Morris, Chairman of International Asset Management and Managing Partner of the regional CaribGROW Fund, echoed that framing, noting that well-established Caribbean food sector enterprises with consistent revenue streams, proven leadership teams, and solid regional market share are fully capable of delivering competitive, risk-adjusted returns for global and local investors.

    “The challenge is not the opportunity—the challenge is capital,” Morris emphasized.

    Drawing an analogy to the U.S. professional basketball’s New York Knicks to illustrate his point, Morris compared Caribbean capital markets to a team sport, one that depends on intentional collaboration across a diverse ecosystem of stakeholders. While he credited multilateral organizations, development finance institutions, regional development banks, and national governments for laying the foundational policy and infrastructure to support growth, he argued that patient equity investment remains the critical missing piece of the regional food system financing puzzle.

    “Equity is where ownership, wealth creation, and wealth retention live,” Morris explained, warning that without access to this form of capital, local food businesses struggle to scale up operations and remain chronically vulnerable to acquisition by foreign entities that extract wealth from the region. He added, “We take minority stakes, so families retain control and wealth stays in the region.”

    Closing the opening plenary segment, Dr. The Honourable Shantal Munro-Knight, Barbados’ Minister of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security, highlighted the widespread enthusiasm and shared commitment among all delegates gathered for the forum.

    “This is an acknowledgement that we have come here to do something big—and that is important. I also see in the room, people of like minds who I do not have to convince of the importance of the conversation, and the importance that dialogue around food systems has moved beyond just production,” Munro-Knight said.

    The minister framed the regional food system as one of the Caribbean’s most promising untapped avenues for both broad-based economic development and deep social transformation. She called on both policymakers and investors to recognize the far-reaching, cross-cutting potential of investing in robust local and regional food systems.

    “If you want an equation that answers one of the most fundamental challenges facing this region—our food security—while also enabling social and structural economic transformation, then you’re in the right place at the right time,” she declared.

    Drawing on the core principles of the global Bridgetown Initiative, which advocates for reform of the international development finance system to better support climate-vulnerable small island developing states, Munro-Knight stressed that addressing current food system challenges requires innovative cross-sector partnerships, equitable participation in decision-making, and new approaches to structuring investment capital that align with regional needs.

    “Food systems are about big things—logistics, agro-processing, cold chains, digital transformation, technology in agriculture. These are investable opportunities, big investable opportunities,” she emphasized, extending an open invitation to private sector partners to collaborate with regional governments. “We’ve come to the table—meet us with your capital,” she implored.

    Unlike traditional industry conferences that prioritize discussion over action, the one-day forum was intentionally structured to facilitate direct, deal-focused engagement between government leaders and investment providers. The agenda included interactive investor roundtables, deep-dive thematic working groups, one-on-one bilateral deal meetings, and formal presentations of pre-vetted investment-ready projects, all designed to speed up transaction closing and build durable new cross-sector partnerships.

    Core priorities for the gathering included expanding equitable access to long-term equity capital, developing blended finance structures that de-risk private investment, and advancing market-centered approaches to strengthening food systems while advancing progress on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Organizers noted that these coordinated efforts aim to unlock the full economic potential of the Caribbean food sector, while simultaneously building greater regional resilience to climate shocks and global food price volatility.

    In a closing announcement that capped off the day’s deliberations, the United Nations launched an official Deal Book: a curated portfolio of pre-vetted projects that collectively represent $320 million in ready-to-invest opportunities across the full spectrum of Caribbean food systems. The publication is intended to preserve the momentum generated by the forum, facilitate ongoing deal-making activity after the event concludes, and encourage new long-term partnerships between global investors and local food enterprises across the Caribbean region.

  • UN chief, Haitian prime minister discuss security, elections and international support during meeting

    UN chief, Haitian prime minister discuss security, elections and international support during meeting

    On June 16, a high-stakes diplomatic meeting unfolded at Port-au-Prince’s National Palace, bringing together United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé to address one of the Caribbean’s most pressing humanitarian and political crises. The discussion centered on two core pillars of Haiti’s current national trajectory: the fragile transitional governance process and the escalating security threats that have paralyzed much of the country.

    According to official reports from United Nations Caribbean News, Guterres opened the meeting by acknowledging the incremental progress made by Haitian transitional authorities in advancing their stated key priorities. These include expanding control over violence-plagued territories to shore up national security, enacting long-overdue reforms to rebuild the broken justice system, launching community-focused programs to reintegrate vulnerable populations displaced by conflict, and laying the administrative groundwork for upcoming democratic elections. The UN chief recognized the significant challenges Haitian leaders face in moving these priorities forward amid ongoing instability.

    Guterres used the meeting to reaffirm the world body’s unwavering commitment to standing with Haiti through its ongoing crisis. He made clear that UN agencies, on-the-ground representatives, and in particular his personal Special Representative will continue to maintain active, sustained engagement to support Haitian-led efforts to stabilize the country.

    Despite that nod to progress, the Secretary-General did not shy away from highlighting the gravity of the security situation. He voiced deep and urgent concern over the unrelenting spread of gang violence across Haiti, pointing out that marginalized groups — especially women and children — bear the brunt of the ongoing bloodshed and displacement. Humanitarian groups have repeatedly warned that gang activity has left hundreds of thousands of Haitians cut off from basic food, medical care, and safe shelter.

    Both Guterres and Fils-Aimé struck a collaborative tone on steps the international community has already taken to assist Haiti. The two leaders welcomed the recent launch of the United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH), a new entity tasked with delivering critical logistical and operational backing to local and international security efforts. They also noted tangible progress in the deployment of the multinational Gang Suppression Force (GSF), which was approved earlier this year to counter the power of armed criminal groups.

    By the end of the meeting, the two officials converged on one core conclusion: that Haiti’s crisis is complex and multifaceted, and no amount of domestic effort will succeed without consistent, long-term international backing. The meeting underscored the shared commitment between the UN and Haiti’s transitional government to working toward a peaceful, stable, and democratic future for the Haitian people, even as immediate security challenges remain far from resolved.

  • STATEMENT: On the passing of Dr. Shelly-Ann Cox, Barbados’ Chief Fisheries Officer by The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) sub-regional office of the Caribbean

    STATEMENT: On the passing of Dr. Shelly-Ann Cox, Barbados’ Chief Fisheries Officer by The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) sub-regional office of the Caribbean

    The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) team based in Barbados and the wider Caribbean region is mourning the unexpected passing of Dr. Shelly-Ann Cox, Barbados’ top official leading the nation’s fisheries sector. Over the course of her tenure, FAO and Dr. Cox built a robust, productive partnership focused on elevating fisheries and aquaculture development across the island and the broader Caribbean basin. Dr. Cox emerged as an indispensable strategic collaborator in advancing FAO’s Blue Transformation vision, which centers on building a fully sustainable aquatic food economy. In just three years serving as Chief Fisheries Officer, she left an indelible mark on the sector, driven by her sharp technical knowledge, inclusive leadership style, and unwavering dedication to expanding opportunities for young people in fisheries work. Her vision for fishing communities, paired with her unmatched passion and commitment, set her apart as a transformative leader in the region.

    One of Dr. Cox’s most defining contributions came during the final drafting and approval phase of Barbados’ 10-year Fisheries Policy, covering 2023 to 2033, an initiative developed with direct support from FAO. Under her guidance, the policy broke new ground by introducing innovative frameworks to add value to fish by-products, turning material long categorized as fishing waste into new avenues for economic growth and environmental sustainability. Her ability to turn high-level policy goals into tangible, actionable change has since become a model for other Caribbean nations working to advance their own sustainable fisheries development pathways.

    Plans to update and modernize Barbados’ aging fisheries legislation first emerged before the COVID-19 pandemic, when stakeholders identified gaps in the existing regulatory framework. When public health priorities shifted immediate focus to developing the overarching national fisheries policy under the FAO-supported StewardFish Project, Dr. Cox never lost sight of the broader goal of building a resilient, sustainable national aquatic food system. Building on the foundational work from the policy development process, Dr. Cox stepped into a leading role guiding the legislative process that ultimately produced the 2025 Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development Act, a landmark bill spearheaded by the Government of Barbados.

    Her technical expertise and steady leadership shaped every section of the new legislation, which strengthens national fisheries governance, advances ambitious environmental protection targets, expands social protections for workers across the fisheries sector, and ensures Barbados maintains critical access to international markets by meeting the compliance standards of the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act. Through these foundational policy and legislative wins, Dr. Cox secured a permanent, positive impact on the sustainable management of Barbados’ fisheries resources and the thousands of livelihoods that depend on them.

    In a 2026 meeting with senior FAO leadership held just months before her passing, Dr. Cox shared her bold, clear vision for the future: that Barbados could reach a target of zero fish waste by 2028. That ambitious goal reflected both her relentless drive for progress and her confidence in the work already underway to build a circular, sustainable bioeconomy for the nation’s aquatic food sector.

    Dr. Cox’s final collaborative projects with FAO further highlighted her lifelong commitment to lifting regional fisheries capacity. At the time of her passing, she was wrapping up work on a new publication focused on anchored Fish Aggregating Devices (aFADs), a common and essential fishing tool across the Caribbean, and had just launched a regional study on dolphinfish maturity. Barbados was selected as the pilot country for this regional research initiative by the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC), a decision that reflected the widespread regional confidence in Dr. Cox’s leadership and Barbados’ advanced technical capacity.

    Tributes have continued to flow in from across the region from colleagues, partner organizations, and industry stakeholders who worked with Dr. Cox on FAO-supported initiatives, many of whom have shared how her work impacted their own careers and projects. Beyond her long list of professional achievements, Dr. Cox is remembered for her genuine kindness, contagious enthusiasm for her work, and steady commitment to lifting up other people. Her collaborative approach brought diverse stakeholders together around a shared vision, her leadership inspired confidence and tangible action, and her caring character left a lasting impression on everyone she worked with.

    While the sudden loss of Dr. Cox has left a deep gap across the communities and institutions she served, the impact of her life’s work and the memories she created will continue to shape fisheries development across Barbados, the Caribbean, and beyond for decades to come. On behalf of the FAO Subregional Office and Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, Dr. Renata Clarke, FAO Subregional Coordinator, and Yvette Diei Ouadi, FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Officer, paid tribute to her life and legacy.

  • Dominica Cancer Society announces annual general meeting

    Dominica Cancer Society announces annual general meeting

    The Dominica Cancer Society (DCS), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting cancer patients and their families across the island nation, has officially announced plans for its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM), scheduled to take place Saturday, June 27 at the UWI Open Campus Dominica location on Elmshall Road in Roseau. The gathering is set to kick off at 9:00 a.m. local time, according to an official press release published by the organization.

    This year’s AGM is framed as a critical open forum for both existing DCS members and community members interested in joining the non-profit. Attendees will have the opportunity to conduct a full review of the organization’s programming, activities, and key milestones achieved over the previous 12 months, before turning to collaborative conversations about upcoming strategic goals and institutional priorities. Beyond formal reporting, the meeting will empower attendees to take an active role in the DCS’s governance, giving community stakeholders direct input into the direction the organization will take in its work moving forward.

    During the session, DCS leadership will present a series of comprehensive reports covering the status of ongoing community programs, the organization’s full financial performance for the past year, and updates on ongoing support services for people living with cancer and their loved ones across Dominica. After the presentation of reports, members will deliberate on the DCS’s core strategic objectives and high-priority focus areas for the 2026-2027 operational year.

    The DCS reaffirmed its long-standing core mission in the press release: to expand public education and awareness around cancer, push for widespread adoption of prevention practices and routine early screening, provide holistic support for anyone impacted by the disease, and improve overall quality of life for both patients and their family members. The organization has issued a formal call for all registered members to prioritize attendance and active participation in the upcoming meeting, emphasizing that member engagement is central to the DCS’s community-centered mission.

    For any community members or members seeking additional details about the meeting, including registration requirements or accommodation requests, the DCS notes that further information can be obtained by reaching out directly to the organization’s administrative team.