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标签： Grenada

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  • Hysteria on social media!

    Hysteria on social media!

    Amid a flood of noisy, partisan social media debate over the controversial construction project in Grenada’s Woodford district, the core substantive concerns raised by local residents have been sidelined and overshadowed. What should be a focused conversation over planning safeguards, environmental protections, transparent public consultation and regulatory enforcement has instead been overtaken by political point-scoring, partisan cheerleading, and off-topic commentary that avoids addressing the community’s actual grievances. Worse, many external commentators fail to distinguish between rule-abiding community members and the developer that has repeatedly violated existing regulations.

    Local residents have been sounding the alarm over the erosion of their legal rights since January 2025, and the facts of the case are unambiguous. The lead contractor, Rayneau, has openly ignored two formal stop orders issued by Grenada’s Planning and Development Authority (PDA): the first was delivered in June 2024, and the second followed nine months later in March 2025. PDA representatives publicly confirmed during a February 2025 appearance on the *Beyond the Headlines* program that the agency would pursue legal action against Rayneau for its noncompliance. For reasons that have never been disclosed to the public, however, the PDA never followed through on this commitment, allowing the firm to continue two major projects: construction of a cement batching plant and land clearing for a jetty access path in Woodford Bay. All of this work proceeded without valid planning applications, official approvals, or a legally required Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA).

    In a March 2025 budget address to Parliament, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell publicly committed that no construction activity would resume in Woodford until the PDA received and approved a full ESIA. In response, consulting firm JECO Caribbean produced an Initial Environmental Study (IES), a preliminary scoping document that serves only as a stepping stone to a complete ESIA. After the IES was submitted to the PDA in July 2025, the agency never requested further work from the consultant to develop a full assessment. Instead, it improperly treated the incomplete IES as a finished ESIA – a major departure from the process the prime minister had publicly promised, with no explanation for the change.

    The PDA granted conditional planning approval to Rayneau that November, tying approval to the development of an Environmental and Social Monitoring and Management Plan (ESMMP) – a critical document that outlines how the project will mitigate and monitor environmental and public health risks from the facility. Mitchell reiterated these conditions when the conditional approval was published in the Government Gazette on December 24, 2025. Notably, the prime minister’s published approval only covered an asphalt plant and the jetty; it explicitly excluded a proposed quarry, the concrete batching plant, and all other auxiliary works. This explicit limit did not slow Rayneau down, however: the firm continued advancing all unapproved projects, apparently unconcerned by the requirements laid out by both the prime minister and the PDA.

    At a January 2026 press conference, the prime minister appeared to walk back his earlier commitment, indicating that a full ESIA would no longer be required. He also made no mention of the outstanding ESMMP, which as of today has still not been completed. Most recently, Rayneau has begun producing and distributing asphalt, with dozens of heavy trucks parked along both sides of the already hazardous Woodford corner. The mandatory emissions testing required to approve operations has not been completed, yet rather than ordering a shutdown until the tests are finalized, the PDA granted the company a two-week extension to allow for the arrival of overseas testing personnel.

    The cumulative effect of these decisions – which systematically disregard existing law and established regulatory due process – has been cheered by a number of high-profile supporters of the ruling party. They are not merely celebrating the construction project; they are celebrating the rejection of the very procedural safeguards designed to protect local communities, while dismissing residents who speak out about their rights.

    This raises a fundamental question for Grenadian democracy: Is this the model of governance the public wants? A system where citizens who, in the words of Bob Marley, “stand up for their rights” are branded as “haters” and written off as opponents of progress?

    As former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt once warned: “The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That in its essence is fascism: ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or any controlling private power.”

    The unfolding events in Woodford make clear that this decades-old warning demands serious reflection from the Grenadian public and its leaders, contributor Grenada Land Actors argues. This content reflects the views of the contributor and not NOW Grenada.

  • Crew vacancies: TradeWinds Yacht Support Grenada Limited

    Crew vacancies: TradeWinds Yacht Support Grenada Limited

    TradeWinds Yacht Support Grenada Limited, a growing player in the regional luxury yacht charter sector, has announced a round of new hiring to staff its expanding fleet of term-charter catamarans based out of Grenada. The company is looking to fill a total of nine open positions across on-water crew and on-shore management roles as it ramps up operations in the Caribbean yachting hub.

    For on-water crew positions, the company is seeking 5 experienced charter yacht captains and 5 first mates/hosts to join its team. All candidates applying for crew roles are required to hold extensive prior experience working in the global charter yacht industry, demonstrate full fluency in English, and hold proficiency in a second major international language as a non-negotiable requirement.

    Specific qualification requirements vary by role. Captains must hold a valid RYA Yachtmasters Offshore captain’s ticket with Commercial Endorsement (or an equivalent certification from a recognized maritime body), as well as all mandatory STCW certificates. For first mate and host roles, candidates need a valid RYA Dayskippers ticket, complete STCW certification, and a Food Safety and Hygiene Level 2 certificate.

    The company is also hiring for two senior management roles to oversee its growing local operations: one base manager and one operations manager to handle daily activities for its four new term-charter catamarans. Both management roles require candidates to have a minimum of two years of experience in comparable yacht industry management positions, plus at least five years of prior experience working as yacht crew in the charter sector.

    Base manager candidates must meet the same certification requirements as captains: a RYA Yachtmasters Offshore captain’s ticket with Commercial Endorsement (or equivalent) and all STCW certificates. Operations managers, by contrast, need the same credentials as first mates: a RYA Dayskippers ticket, full STCW certification, and a Food Safety and Hygiene Level 2 certificate.

    Across all open roles, TradeWinds has stated that qualified local candidates who are residents of Grenada and meet all experience, skill, and certification requirements will be given priority consideration. This policy aligns with the company’s goal of supporting local employment as it grows its footprint in Grenada’s yachting economy.

    Interested candidates are instructed to submit a complete, up-to-date curriculum vitae that includes contact information for professional references to the official email address [email protected]. For inquiries, candidates can also reach out via WhatsApp at +1-284-542-1133.

    The recruitment posting closes with a promotional tagline highlighting Grenada as an ideal yachting destination: “Grenada — your home port. Your next adventure.” This posting was published by NOW Grenada, which notes that it does not take responsibility for contributor-provided content, opinions, or statements, and provides a channel for users to report abusive content if needed.

  • Grenada’s rooftop solar promise deserves a harder look

    Grenada’s rooftop solar promise deserves a harder look

    Grenada’s newest political actor, the Democratic People’s Movement (DPM), has centered its recent electoral appeal around a bold, voter-friendly climate and energy policy: universal rooftop solar installations for every household across the island, marketed with zero upfront costs, guaranteed lower monthly energy bills, and a cleaner, more economically resilient national future. On its surface, the proposal aligns with widespread public support for expanding renewable energy and cutting household energy costs, but political analyst Michael Derek Roberts argues that the missing granular details in the campaign’s messaging undermine its credibility, leaving critical questions unanswered ahead of any potential implementation.\n\nThe first and most pressing unaddressed question, Roberts notes, centers on financing. While the DPM touts a $0 upfront cost for households, this marketing framing does not mean the installations themselves are free. If residential customers are not covering the initial capital outlay, that cost must fall to another stakeholder: the national government, a third-party lender, the public utility, an external private investor, or ultimately the general public through hidden taxes, new regulatory fees, or increased baseline electricity rates. Campaign communications conveniently omit this core part of the plan, but actionable energy policy requires clarity around who bears financial risk. Roberts points out that DPM leadership, led by veteran politician Peter David, is well-aware of these gaps; David, a seasoned political operator, has a track record of packaging polished spin and obfuscation as straightforward, voter-focused facts.\n\nA second critical gap is the lack of clarity around operational feasibility. Rooftop solar is not an untested concept in Grenada: the island already has regulatory frameworks for residential self-generation and net metering, which allow households to earn credit for excess energy they send back to the main grid. This existing infrastructure means small-scale expansion is technically achievable, but technical viability for a handful of projects does not translate to workability at the universal scale the DPM promises. Rolling out solar panels to every household would require coordinated, large-scale investment across multiple sectors: mandatory structural roof inspections to confirm suitability, streamlined permitting processes, mass customer enrollment campaigns, close coordination with the national utility, and almost certainly major upgrades to Grenada’s aging electricity grid to accommodate distributed energy generation. None of these logistical requirements or associated costs are mentioned in the DPM’s campaign slogans, leaving the entire universal rollout claim unmoored from on-the-ground reality.\n\nThe DPM’s guarantee of lower monthly energy bills for all households also fails to hold up under scrutiny, Roberts argues. It is true that a properly sized, well-structured rooftop solar system can cut monthly energy costs for Grenadian households, where most electricity is still generated by expensive imported fossil fuels. But actual savings depend on a wide range of variable factors: a household’s total energy consumption, the size of the solar system installed, the value of net metering export credits, whether a home has battery storage for excess power, and the utility’s existing tariff rules. If a system is undersized for a home’s needs, financed under unfavorable terms, or poorly installed, promised savings could end up being minimal or nonexistent for many households. In short, the general claim that solar can lower bills is plausible, but a blanket guarantee of savings for every household is unsupported by the realities of residential energy generation.\n\nThe DPM’s pledge to reach every household and every community highlights how the party’s political messaging has outpaced actual policy development, Roberts notes. A credible national rollout of universal solar would require a fully costed implementation roadmap, a dedicated financing body to manage the program, clear eligibility rules for consumers, and a public timeline for deployment. It would also need to confront long-standing structural inequities across Grenada: not every residential roof is structurally suitable for solar panels, not every household meets credit requirements to participate in zero-upfront programs, and different communities start with vastly different existing infrastructure and economic resources. This means the core policy question is not whether Grenada should expand solar energy — a goal that enjoys broad cross-party support — but how to prioritize access, what terms participation will follow, and how much public subsidy will be directed to low-income households. All of these critical details are missing from the DPM’s current campaign pitch.\n\nThe DPM has also framed small businesses as key beneficiaries of the plan, noting that commercial operations that run primarily during daylight hours can directly consume the power their rooftop panels generate, unlocking immediate savings. Roberts acknowledges that this benefit is real for many small businesses, but again, the lack of detail leaves critical questions open. The relevant policy question is not whether businesses can save money with solar, but how much those savings will be, how quickly businesses will see a return on their (or the program’s) investment, and who will absorb the upfront capital costs if businesses do not. Too often, political campaigns frame energy savings as an automatic outcome of installing solar, but in practice, consistent savings only come from carefully structured contracts and a phased, well-managed rollout.\n\nAt its core, the DPM’s solar plan aligns with a widely shared, legitimate national goal: both the party and current Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell have repeatedly emphasized that Grenada needs to cut its costly dependence on imported fossil fuels and make household electricity more affordable. But Roberts stresses that voters should not mistake polished campaign graphics for a complete, actionable policy blueprint. If the DPM wants to build credibility around its proposal, it must release full, transparent details to the public: total projected program costs, average cost per residential installation, the level of public subsidy that will be allocated, loan repayment terms for zero-upfront models, the expected impact on utility rates and grid reliability, and a clear implementation timeline. Until those details are published, Roberts concludes, the DPM’s universal rooftop solar plan will remain what many pre-election campaign promises are: an attractive, directionally popular proposal that is far too incomplete to be considered a serious policy.\n\n*Disclaimer: This content represents the opinion of contributor Michael Derek Roberts. NOW Grenada does not take responsibility for contributor statements or analysis.*

  • RGPF responds to allegations raised in Parliament

    RGPF responds to allegations raised in Parliament

    In a public statement issued from the Office of the Commissioner of Police, the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) confirmed Wednesday, May 27, 2026, that it has been formally notified of widespread allegations claiming hotel workers across the island have faced sexual abuse at the hands of foreign visitors. The allegations were first brought to public attention during an official sitting of Grenada’s House of Parliament, prompting law enforcement to address the matter directly. To date, no formal written or official complaint has been filed with the RGPF regarding these claims. Even so, the department stressed that all allegations of sexual violence and exploitation are treated with the utmost gravity, regardless of whether a formal complaint has been submitted. The force has made a public commitment to launch full, transparent, and thorough investigations into any claim of this nature that is officially brought to its attention. To advance any potential inquiry into the allegations, the RGPF is actively urging members of the public, including current and former hotel staff, witnesses, or any other individual with relevant information that could support an investigation, to reach out to authorities immediately. Tips can be submitted through multiple accessible channels: the dedicated Criminal Investigations Department hotline at 440-3921, the national 911 police emergency line, or by visiting any local police station across the country. This announcement comes as allegations of workplace sexual misconduct in Grenada’s key tourism sector have raised growing concerns over worker protections, highlighting the need for formal reporting and law enforcement action to address potential gaps in safety for hospitality employees. Disclaimer: NOW Grenada does not assume responsibility for the views, statements, or third-party content shared by contributors. Individuals can report abusive content via the platform’s designated reporting channel.

  • A proactive and urgent regional strategy to address the threat of El Niño

    A proactive and urgent regional strategy to address the threat of El Niño

    As climate forecasts warn of an extreme El Niño event unfolding across the globe this year, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) — a region that underpins global food security by feeding billions of people worldwide — faces an unprecedented dual crisis: the extreme weather event paired with an ongoing global fertiliser shortage that threatens to upend agricultural production, destabilize rural economies, and erode social fabric across much of the region.

    Individually, each of these stressors already presents severe challenges for LAC’s agricultural sector. When combined, however, they threaten to create a catastrophic perfect storm that will disrupt livelihoods for millions of small and medium-sized producers and push dozens of nations closer to widespread food insecurity.

    International meteorological forecasts have placed the probability of a strong El Niño developing in 2024 at exceptionally high levels, and its impacts are projected to be deeply uneven across the region. While parts of the Southern Cone, including key grain-producing regions of Argentina and Brazil, may see boosted rainfall and recovering crop yields, the outlook is far grimmer for other parts of LAC. Central America, the Caribbean basin, and northern South America face elevated risks of extreme weather disruption: some areas will be battered by catastrophic flooding and heavy unseasonal rains, while others will grapple with prolonged, debilitating drought and chronic water scarcity. The greatest source of uncertainty, analysts note, is the potential for this El Niño to reach far greater intensity than historical events, amplifying all associated risks.

    For these at-risk subregions, the consequences are already well-documented by recent history: diminished crop yields, widespread total crop loss, reduced livestock productivity, broken agricultural supply chains, and skyrocketing food prices are all but guaranteed if no preemptive action is taken. These impacts will add up to billions of dollars in unplanned costs for both producers and consumers, and directly push millions into deeper food insecurity. Beyond immediate production shocks, the long-term ripple effects in rural communities often include unsustainable producer debt, increased out-migration from rural areas, and widespread nutritional decline among vulnerable populations.

    For small and medium-sized agricultural producers, who make up the majority of food producers across much of LAC, this overlapping crisis creates impossible planning conditions. Unpredictable climate patterns make basic decisions — what crops to plant, how much capital to invest, what volume of fertiliser to apply — far too risky to navigate confidently. When fertiliser prices rise or supply becomes unreliable, many producers have no choice but to cut fertiliser application rates, reduce the total area of land they plant, or switch to lower-yielding, less nutrient-demanding crops — all choices that immediately cut total food production and raise market prices.

    Unlike past eras when climate events like El Niño and its cool counterpart La Niña could only be tracked after they emerged, modern forecasting technology gives the region the ability to anticipate these events, their impacts, and their long-term consequences far in advance. It is no longer acceptable, argues Muhammad Ibrahim, Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), for governments and stakeholders to limit their response to reactive emergency action only after drought has taken hold, floods have destroyed communities, crops have been lost, and prices have spiked. Preemptive, early action to minimize harm is not just possible — it is an imperative.

    To that end, Ibrahim calls for immediate progress toward a coordinated, proactive regional resilience strategy. The core of this strategy must be a broad hemispheric dialogue focused on building agri-food resilience, bringing all key stakeholders to the table: national governments, multilateral international organizations, small and large producer associations, the global financial sector, academic research institutions, and private industry. The shared end goal of this dialogue is to build robust regional anticipation capabilities that can protect both agricultural production and rural livelihoods.

    In this effort, international technical cooperation bodies have a unique and critical role to play. With existing cross-border coordination frameworks, deep ties to national governments, producer networks, private industry, and multilateral financial institutions, these organizations can facilitate the creation of regional cooperation agreements, drive preemptive proactive response planning, and coordinate emergency aid and cross-border solidarity efforts if crises do emerge.

    A number of actionable public-private collaboration mechanisms can be advanced immediately to address the dual crisis. These include establishing dedicated regional coordination platforms for climate and agricultural risk management; negotiating pre-crisis supply agreements with fertiliser producers and logistics firms to guarantee consistent access to inputs for vulnerable regions; developing innovative climate-focused financial instruments in partnership with public and private banking institutions; expanding access to affordable climate risk insurance for small producers; and rolling out joint technological adaptation programs tailored to the needs of small and medium-sized agricultural operations.

    Private sector participation is not a secondary concern — it is essential to making these resilience strategies viable and scalable across the region. Chemical fertiliser companies, large agribusiness operations, commercial banks, technology developers, and agricultural export chains all hold core capabilities that are required to build shared agricultural resilience that benefits all producers.

    Another top regional priority must be strengthening early warning systems and turning raw climate data into actionable, user-friendly decision-making tools for producers. While LAC generates vast amounts of high-quality meteorological and agricultural data that holds immense value for risk planning, this information rarely reaches on-the-ground producers in a timely, accessible format — a gap that must be closed immediately to reduce avoidable losses.

    Other core objectives for regional coordination include accelerating the widespread adoption of drought-resistant crop varieties, scaling up efficient water management infrastructure and practices, and integrating advanced digital technologies — including GPS mapping, agricultural drones, and soil moisture sensors — into mainstream agronomic management strategy across the region.

    Ibrahim emphasizes that the dual crisis, while severe, also presents a generational opportunity: the chance to build a new system of agri-food governance rooted in cross-regional cooperation, innovative technology, and forward-looking risk planning, rather than reactive emergency response.

    As a region that produces food for billions of people across the globe, protecting LAC’s agricultural productive capacity is far more than a domestic economic challenge. It is a strategic priority for global development, rural social stability, and the long-term food security of the entire world.

  • Ministry of Health monitoring Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo

    Ministry of Health monitoring Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo

    An ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has prompted public health monitoring across global and regional bodies, with authorities in Grenada moving quickly to reassure residents that the Caribbean nation faces no immediate danger from the virus.

    The outbreak, which has already been confirmed by World Health Organization experts in the affected DRC region, has spurred coordinated international action to control transmission and prevent cross-border spread. In response to this developing public health event, Grenada’s Ministry of Health has activated continuous monitoring protocols, staying aligned with updates from the WHO and regional health partners.

    Dr. Shawn Charles, Grenada’s Chief Medical Officer, stated that public health officials have been fully briefed on the evolution of the outbreak and are maintaining close communication with both the WHO and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to track any changes in risk assessment. To date, the WHO has classified the risk of Ebola spreading to Caribbean nations, including Grenada, as very low, a finding that local health authorities have echoed to calm public concern.

    Charles emphasized that the Ministry of Health remains fully vigilant and unwaveringly committed to protecting the health and safety of all Grenadian residents. Active surveillance systems are already in place and fully prepared to mount a rapid response should any suspected case emerge, he added. For the time being, the ministry has issued three key public health guidelines for citizens to follow:
    First, maintain consistent preventive hygiene practices, including frequent handwashing with soap and water and adherence to safe food handling protocols. Second, stay updated on the situation through official announcements released by the Ministry of Health, rather than unvetted third-party sources. Third, avoid the spread of unconfirmed misinformation by only trusting information shared by official public health bodies.

    The ministry has committed to sharing timely, transparent updates with the public as new details about the outbreak emerge, ensuring residents remain informed without unnecessary panic. This statement follows standard public health protocol for emerging global outbreaks, prioritizing both preparedness and clear communication to maintain public confidence.

  • Youth voices drive engaging discussions at IICA Grenada’s 2026 Accountability Seminar

    Youth voices drive engaging discussions at IICA Grenada’s 2026 Accountability Seminar

    On May 20, the Grenada Cricket Stadium played host to the 2026 IICA Grenada Accountability Seminar, a landmark gathering centered on the critical theme of advancing youth development in agriculture. Bringing together young aspiring producers, government leaders, agricultural industry stakeholders, and global and regional development partners, the event carved out dedicated space to unpack actionable strategies for expanding and deepening youth engagement across Grenada’s agricultural sector, while also giving the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) a platform to share its progress on ongoing support for the island’s national agricultural development goals.

    Opening the proceedings, Gregg Rawlins, IICA’s representative for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), laid out the institution’s comprehensive eight-pillar regional strategy designed to empower and engage young people in agriculture across the Eastern Caribbean. The framework prioritizes four core priorities: strengthening interconnected youth agricultural networks, expanding equitable access to cutting-edge training and digital agricultural technology, backing youth-led agri-entrepreneurship, and shaping enabling policy environments that remove barriers to youth participation. Looking ahead to next steps in Grenada, Rawlins confirmed IICA’s commitment to partnering with the national government and other local stakeholders to launch a dedicated national youth in agriculture network, building on recent OECS regional youth-focused initiatives to drive the strategy’s implementation on the ground.

    Hon. Lennox Andrews, Grenada’s Minister for Agriculture, Lands and Forestry, reinforced the national government’s unwavering commitment to positioning young people as the central driving force of the country’s agricultural transformation. This transformation, Andrews emphasized, will be rooted in agricultural modernization, climate-smart production practices, youth entrepreneurship, and value-added processing that boosts profit margins for young producers. To deliver on this commitment, the minister outlined a suite of targeted interventions aimed at removing the most common barriers young people face: expanded access to affordable land, tailored financing options, hands-on skills development, and support for innovative production practices. He detailed ongoing skills training offerings already available through the government’s extension services and dedicated youth desk, including short courses covering crop and livestock production, protected agriculture, and industry-standard good agricultural practices. The Fisheries Division, he added, offers specialized training for young fishers in safe product handling and value-added processing, while partnerships with regional institutions including IICA and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) have already delivered training in climate-smart agriculture, sustainable water management, drought and pest-resilient crop varieties, and effective use of climate data for farm planning. In a major policy announcement, Andrews revealed the government’s plan to acquire 102 acres of agricultural land, which will be subdivided into plots and made exclusively available to young people seeking to enter or expand their operations in the sector.

    Senator Seville Francis, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sport, further outlined the range of government-backed support programs designed to help young people access critical agricultural resources, skills training, and business development support. Francis noted that young farmers registered with national extension services or included on the official national farmers registry are eligible for a range of in-kind support, including free seeds, planting materials, fertilizer, irrigation equipment, one-on-one technical advice, and connections to formal regional and international markets. For young entrepreneurs with viable business plans, she added, financing and tailored entrepreneurial support for agricultural ventures is available through the Grenada Development Bank and broader national micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) support initiatives.

    A core highlight of the seminar was its open, interactive format, which gave young farmers and agri-entrepreneurs direct access to policymakers and development partners to raise the specific challenges they face and collaborate on solutions. A youth-led dialogue facilitated by young farmer Bevon Charles centered on the most pressing barriers to entry and growth — particularly limited access to affordable land and affordable financing — while also highlighting untapped opportunities in technology-driven innovation and value-added processing. Attendees explored a range of emerging high-growth sub-sectors that hold particular appeal for young producers, including digital agriculture, hydroponics, climate-smart production technologies, drone applications for farm management, protected agriculture, and local value-added processing, all of which can boost profitability and make agriculture a more attractive career path for young Grenadians.

    Additional program contributions included a presentation from Cindy Lewis, project manager for the Grenada Young Entrepreneurs in Agriculture and Agribusiness Project, who outlined ongoing efforts to boost national agricultural output through targeted financial grants for small-scale producers and professional certification opportunities for young agricultural workers. One of the most significant outcomes of the seminar was renewed collective momentum to establish the long-discussed national Youth in Agriculture Network, a dedicated platform for advocacy, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among young people working across the agricultural sector. Work on the network is already underway under the CDF Young Entrepreneurs in Agriculture Project, with ongoing technical and strategic support from IICA.

    Gregory Delsol, IICA Grenada’s technical specialist, also updated attendees on the progress of two key ongoing IICA initiatives on the island: the construction of a climate-friendly solar-powered sea moss drying facility, and the Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) Alliance Water Conservation and Improved Irrigation Project, which aims to boost water security for Grenadian farmers amid growing climate volatility. Coordinators from the Caribbean Climate Responsive Agriculture Forum (CCRAF), who were on island for the forum’s “CCRAF on the ROAD” outreach series, also used the occasion to recognize participants who successfully completed the Beginner to Business (B2B) three-part entrepreneurship webinar series for young producers.

    By the close of the seminar, all participating stakeholders reached a shared conclusion: sustained cross-sector collaboration between the national government, regional institutions, youth-led groups, development partners, and the private sector is essential to building a more inclusive, resilient, and innovative agricultural sector that can attract and retain the next generation of agricultural leaders in Grenada. Attendees unanimously emphasized that investing in youth empowerment in agriculture is not just a priority for young people — it is a critical foundation for long-term food security, ongoing innovation, and climate resilience across Grenada’s entire agri-food system.

  • PM calls for deeper trade and investment cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean

    PM calls for deeper trade and investment cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean

    Thousands of attendees gathered at Victoria Park in Grenville, Grenada, on Monday to mark African Liberation Day, where top political and community leaders used the commemorative platform to push for transformative, mutually beneficial economic and social collaboration between the African continent and Caribbean nations. Opening with a keynote address, Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell framed closer cross-Atlantic cooperation as a catalyst for inclusive growth, innovation, and long-term sustainable development across both regions. Mitchell outlined a wide range of under-tapped areas for partnership, spanning creative arts, formal education, cultural industries, tourism, heritage preservation, youth exchange programs, and technological collaboration. Noting Grenada’s deep historical roots as part of the broader African diaspora, the Prime Minister emphasized that the island nation is fully committed to forging a modern, dynamic relationship with Africa built on equal mutual respect, shared ancestral history, and a collective commitment to unlocking new opportunities for all citizens. Mitchell articulated a bold, forward-looking vision for the future of Africa-Caribbean relations, stating that Grenada eagerly anticipates the day when seamless, meaningful connectivity between the two regions becomes a daily reality. “We long for the day when young Grenadians can study, trade, create and innovate with young Africans as naturally as they engage with North America and Europe,” Mitchell said. “We long for the day when African and Caribbean businesses can move goods, services, ideas and investments across the Atlantic with greater ease, confidence and purpose.” Aligning with the 2024 event theme “African Rooted, Diaspora Rising, Identity Reclaiming,” Tourism, Creative Economy and Culture Minister Adrian Thomas echoed Mitchell’s call, stressing the critical need for younger generations to reconnect with their ancestral identity and shared history. Thomas pushed back against long-standing colonial narratives, noting that Africa is far more than a ancestral homeland for diaspora communities—it is a dynamic continent brimming with untapped economic opportunity, groundbreaking innovation, vibrant cultural creativity, and enormous growth potential that represents the future for people of African descent worldwide. He argued that the time has come for African and Caribbean peoples to build their own independent systems and define their own collective worth, rejecting reliance on external powers to address systemic challenges rooted in a painful history. “Africa and the Caribbean must no longer sit idle and beg others to solve the very problems created by slavery, colonialism, exploitation, unfair trade and unjust global systems,” Thomas said. “We cannot continue to outsource our destiny. We cannot continue to wait for others to rescue us. We cannot continue to complain about the chains while refusing to break them.” St Andrew South-West Parliamentary Representative Lennox Andrews extended a warm welcome to visiting African delegations in attendance, encouraging guests to explore Grenada’s deep ties to African heritage across the country’s tri-island territory. Andrews invited delegates to visit iconic historical and cultural sites tied to the trans-Atlantic slave trade, including Leapers Hill, Belmont Estate, and the smaller sister islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique. He also urged visitors to engage directly with local communities and experience unique Grenadian cultural traditions rooted in African heritage, such as Big Drum Dancing and Shakespeare Mas. Dr. Stephen Onigbinde, President of the Nigerian Community in Grenada and an Assistant Professor at St. George’s University School of Medicine who has served six years as a pro bono consultant at Grenada’s General Hospital, added that the process of reclaiming collective identity requires open, honest examination of history—including the devastating legacy of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonial rule. “The ability to look at history books and tell ourselves something is not right here, not out of hatred, but understanding that it is our responsibility to tell our own story,” Dr. Onigbinde explained. He also emphasized the urgent need to educate younger generations on the full, unfiltered truth of their ancestral heritage and collective identity. Beyond formal speeches and policy discussions, the African Liberation Day celebration in St Andrew featured a full slate of cultural programming, including live music, traditional dance performances, drumming circles, poetry readings, and artistic showcases, with participation from both local Grenadian community groups and visiting African representatives. The event was organized under the auspices of Grenada’s Ministry of Tourism.

  • Vacancies: Real Value Supermarket IGA

    Vacancies: Real Value Supermarket IGA

    A local grocery operation at Grenada’s Spiceland Mall, Real Value Supermarket (IGA), has launched an open recruitment drive for multiple senior and mid-level management roles to expand and strengthen its operational leadership team.

    The available positions cover four key roles across the retailer’s core business divisions: Food & Beverage Manager, Grocery Manager, Food & Beverage Supervisor, and Front End Supervisor. These roles are critical to maintaining the supermarket’s daily operations, service quality, and team management across its food, grocery, and customer-facing departments.

    To be considered for these openings, candidates are required to hold proven practical work experience in relevant retail or hospitality management roles. The hiring committee also highlights three core competencies that successful applicants must possess: strong leadership capabilities to guide frontline teams, excellent customer service skills to meet the high expectations of local shoppers, and the proven ability to coordinate cross-team work and oversee end-to-end daily store operations.

    Interested candidates have two convenient channels to submit their applications: they can send their updated professional resume via email to [email protected], or drop off a printed copy of their application directly at the supermarket’s in-store customer service desk. The retailer frames its recruitment around a simple, customer-centric mission: building a collaborative team dedicated to delivering quality food and shopping experiences for the local community.

    As a note for publication on the NOW Grenada platform, the outlet clarifies that it assumes no responsibility for the opinions, statements, and third-party content included in this contributor-provided recruitment notice. Users who encounter any abusive or inappropriate content related to this posting are invited to submit a report via the platform’s designated reporting channel.

  • Multilateral and Bilateral Chinese Seminars

    Multilateral and Bilateral Chinese Seminars

    A new collaborative capacity-building initiative between the Government of Grenada and the People’s Republic of China is set to provide specialized training in furniture manufacturing and design for eligible Grenadian participants next year. Hosted in Fuzhou, a major hub of China’s furniture production sector located in Fujian Province, the three-week training program will run from June 4 to June 24, 2026.

    The curriculum has been tailored to cover both theoretical knowledge and practical skills that align with current global industry demands. It opens with an overview of evolving development trends across the global furniture sector, paired with insights into China’s decades of experience and successful industry practices. Participants will then move into core training covering the fundamentals of furniture design, including aesthetic principles and functional form development. A key hands-on component of the course focuses on basic manufacturing techniques for solid wood furniture, a segment that remains in high demand across global niche and mainstream markets. The program concludes with strategic training on furniture brand building and strategies for accessing and expanding in international consumer markets.

    To qualify for the program, applicants must meet three clear eligibility criteria. First, candidates must either currently hold a position in the furniture manufacturing and design field, or be actively pursuing professional certification in the industry. Second, all applicants must be in good general health to complete the full three-week in-person training schedule. Finally, the program is open only to candidates under 50 years of age.

    Interested eligible candidates can reach out to Grenada’s Department of Public Administration for initial inquiries via two contact channels: email at [email protected] or telephone at 473-440-3767. Official application forms are available for download and submission through the dedicated webpage: https://www.nxsys.net/DPA/Training.

    This bilateral training program forms part of ongoing people-to-people cooperation between Grenada and China, aimed at equipped local professionals with industry-relevant skills to support the growth of Grenada’s domestic furniture sector and expand international market opportunities for local producers.