标签： Grenada

Employees of T.A. Marryshow Community College (TAMCC), backed by the Public Workers Union (PWU), staged a peaceful demonstration outside the institution ahead of a pivotal conciliation meeting with Grenada’s Labour Commissioner. The union expressed firm confidence that documented evidence would secure their demand for a 5% wage increase in 2025 followed by 4% annual raises through 2028.

PWU President General Daisy Hazzard emphasized that workers expect the conciliation to uphold agreements made during September 2024 negotiations. “We know for a fact that the victims here are the employees,” Hazzard stated, noting their prolonged patience in seeking resolution through social dialogue. While expressing reluctance toward industrial action, she affirmed the union’s determination to pursue all necessary measures until achieving their “just cause.”

A critical aspect of the dispute centers on current financial losses suffered by staff. Hazzard revealed that employees began 2025 with reduced take-home pay compared to 2024 due to newly implemented deductions. These include a 3% pension contribution enacted without consultation and increased National Insurance Scheme payments. The president noted that for some workers, the requested 5% increase amounts to less than $100 monthly.

Hazzard connected the college’s institutional stability to national interests, stating: “Without the college, we have no workforce… no tertiary graduates prepared to serve Grenada or the wider world.” She expressed hope this would be the final protest for basic wage fairness.

The conciliation occurs alongside ongoing industrial action by the Grenada Union of Teachers (GUT), which mobilized significant numbers on December 10, 2025, indicating broader educational sector tensions. The PWU committed to updating members after the conciliation concludes and informing the public if necessary.

In a landmark development for Caribbean higher education, St. George’s University (SGU) and T.A. Marryshow Community College (TAMCC) have formalized a comprehensive partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on December 10. The agreement establishes an integrated educational framework designed to create seamless academic progression opportunities for Grenadian students.

The strategic collaboration will enable TAMCC graduates to transition directly into accelerated bachelor’s degree programs at SGU’s School of Arts and Sciences. Beyond articulation pathways, the partnership encompasses joint curriculum development, collaborative research initiatives, and community engagement programs across multiple disciplines including tourism and hospitality, information technology, natural sciences, and creative arts.

Dr. Marios Loukas, SGU President and Dean of the School of Medicine, emphasized the transformative potential of the alliance: “This partnership represents our commitment to educational accessibility and excellence. By creating structured pathways between institutions, we’re investing in both human capital development and regional advancement.”

The ceremonial signing at SGU’s Chancellor Charles Modica Campus brought together administrative leadership from both institutions. Dr. Wendy Grenade, Chair of the TAMCC Council, noted the agreement’s significance: “This collaboration allows us to leverage world-class resources while maintaining our commitment to accessible education. We’re building an integrated system that addresses both local needs and regional development goals.”

Implementation will be managed through a joint working group with representatives from both institutions. The initial agreement remains effective for four years with built-in provisions for renewal, signaling a long-term commitment to educational cooperation in the Eastern Caribbean.

The Windward Islands Research & Education Foundation (WINDREF) has initiated a landmark coastal preservation project to address severe climate-induced erosion in the Grenadian community of Telescope, St. Andrew. The Telescope Living Shoreline (TLS) Project represents a strategic response to decades of environmental degradation that has threatened both local livelihoods and critical marine ecosystems.

Historical sand mining operations, once the primary sand source for Grenada’s construction industry, precipitated devastating coastal erosion and habitat destruction until the government enacted a complete ban on beach sand mining in 2009. This environmental crisis has been compounded by the systematic deterioration of the region’s coral reef system, which has historically served as a natural barrier against wave energy. Scientific assessments indicate the reef crest has experienced substantial lowering while live coral coverage has dramatically decreased, crippling the ecosystem’s regenerative capacity.

The coastal retreat has reached alarming rates of approximately 65 centimeters annually in certain areas, with eroded sediments adversely affecting nearby seagrass beds and remaining coral formations. Additional pressures include agricultural runoff and inadequate drainage systems from informal settlements. These cumulative factors have transformed Little Bay from a premier recreational destination to a landscape of environmental emergency, where homes, infrastructure, and human safety face imminent threat.

WINDREF is now soliciting professional design and construction supervision services for innovative shoreline stabilization works through a competitive bidding process. The implementation period for the successful bidder is established at 32 weeks, with selection procedures following the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund’s Procurement Guidelines using the Quality Cost Based Selection (QCBS) methodology.

Interested firms must submit electronic proposals by 3:00 PM on January 12, 2026, with technical proposals to be unveiled virtually at 3:15 PM the same day. Comprehensive bidding documentation is available upon request via specified email channels using the reference code RFP No. TLS/QCBS/CS/03. WINDREF explicitly retains the right to accept or reject any submission without incurring liability for preparation costs incurred by bidders.

Grenada’s educational landscape witnessed an extraordinary display of youthful intellect as the 2025 IMA Grenada/SPYO Primary School Debate Competition concluded with resounding success. The landmark event, orchestrated through a strategic collaboration between St Patrick’s Youth Organisation and the Investment Migration Agency Grenada, culminated in a grand finale at the GBSS Auditorium on December 3, 2025.

Nineteen primary institutions from four parishes—St Patrick, St John, St Andrew, and St David—engaged in multiple rigorous debate rounds spanning several weeks. The competition’s framework, built upon the visionary theme “Empowering the Future: Youth Leadership as the Key to Nation Building,” challenged participants to articulate sophisticated perspectives on sustainable development, youth governance, artificial intelligence, and national leadership.

The championship round featured a compelling resolution: “Be it resolved that Grenada should focus primarily on strengthening its partnerships with African countries for cultural exchange and sustainable development.” After intense deliberation, St Patrick’s RC School claimed the championship title with 1,264 points, securing a $6,000 prize. St John’s Anglican School followed closely with 1,226 points, earning $4,000, while River Sallee Government School captured third place with a $3,000 award.

Individual excellence shone through Xana Fraser of St Patrick’s RC School, who received the Best Debater honor for her exceptional clarity and persuasive delivery. Nathan Olive, from the same institution, garnered the Best Rebutter award for his analytical prowess and comprehensive understanding of complex issues.

Rea Burke, Marketing and Communication Officer at IMA Grenada, emphasized the transformative nature of the initiative: “We are not just sponsoring an event, we are shaping futures, creating opportunities and nurturing a generation who will become the leaders, thinkers and innovators of tomorrow.”

Karena Noel, Vice President of SPYO, praised participants’ courage and intellectual determination, noting that all competitors had already achieved remarkable accomplishments regardless of final rankings.

The closing ceremony featured special remarks from Honourable Joseph Andall, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade & Export Development, who invoked Nelson Mandela’s wisdom: “You’re either a winner or a learner,” encouraging students to value participation above all.

The event’s success was made possible through support from Rubis Caribbean, Grenada Cooperative Bank, Republic Bank Grenada Limited, Glenelg Spring Water, True Blue Bay Resort, and the National Lotteries Authority. Organizers extended gratitude to teachers, parents, coaches, adjudicators, and volunteers whose dedication proved instrumental in fostering academic excellence and leadership development across Grenada.

Grenada has achieved a landmark infrastructure advancement with the official commissioning of the Bonair Bridge in St Mark parish, a project realized through strategic collaboration between the Government of Grenada and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). This initiative, executed under the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) Cycle X Programme, replaces an obsolete Bailey bridge with a modern, climate-resilient structure designed to withstand environmental challenges.

The newly constructed bridge spans 16.2 meters in length and 8.4 meters in width, featuring reinforced concrete girder construction, dual sidewalks with handrails, comprehensive river training works, retaining walls, and gabion basket protection. These engineering enhancements significantly improve water flow capacity and flood mitigation capabilities, ensuring reliable community access during severe weather events.

Despite design modifications that caused minor delays, the project demonstrated exceptional fiscal management. With an approved budget of EC$2.33 million, the actual expenditure totaled just EC$1.9 million, completing the project within budget while maintaining the highest engineering standards. The construction timeline extended from November 1, 2023, to May 31, 2025, encompassing 579 days of development.

From inception, the project embraced community-centered design principles. Residents, business owners, and local leaders actively participated in consultations and design discussions, ensuring the infrastructure directly addresses local needs. The collaborative effort involved Gilbert & Partners Engineering Co. Ltd. as contractors, FDL Consult Inc. as consultants, and supervision by the Rural Development Unit within the Ministry of Economic Development, Planning and Cooperatives.

The bridge delivers transformative benefits including reliable connectivity between Bonair, Victoria, Diamond Estate and neighboring communities, reduced transportation costs, enhanced climate resilience, improved agricultural transport efficiency, business growth opportunities, increased property values, and better access to essential services. While fully operational, minor finishing works including landscaping and signage will be completed in the coming weeks.

O’Reilly Lewis, CDB’s Director of Projects, commended the partnership during the handover ceremony, highlighting the project as a model of sustainable development achieved through government-partner-community collaboration. The BNTF program, active since 1979, has impacted over 3 million people across the Caribbean region through community-led development initiatives funded by the Special Development Fund and beneficiary governments.

Seventeen agricultural producers from Concord, Black Bay, and neighboring communities joined nine specialists from the Rural Development Unit (RDU) and a Western District Supervisor from Grenada’s Ministry of Agriculture in a comprehensive Sustainable Land Management (SLM) training session on December 1, 2025. The capacity-building event was orchestrated by the RDU under the Climate Smart Agriculture and Rural Enterprise Programme (SAEP).

This instructional gathering constitutes an integral component of the Capacity-Building Initiative within the Southern St George Water Supply Expansion Project (SSGWSEP), financially supported by the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UKCIF) through the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

Aden Forteau, a distinguished Sustainable Land Management Specialist, facilitated the training by demonstrating crucial SLM methodologies encompassing natural resource protection, conservation, sustainable utilization, and rehabilitation of deteriorated zones. Participants received hands-on instruction regarding optimal soil and water preservation techniques, including reduced tillage approaches and rainwater collection systems. A particularly engaging segment involved constructing A-frames from basic materials like timber and twine—an essential tool for identifying contour lines that facilitate effective farming, drainage, and terracing operations to minimize slope erosion.

The workshop emphasized practical implementation through live demonstrations, showing farmers how to incorporate these climate-adaptive strategies into their existing agricultural frameworks to enhance productivity while strengthening environmental durability.

Kenly Edwards, Climate-Smart Agriculture Coordinator at the RDU, characterized this initiative as part of continuing endeavors to fortify community resilience and advance sustainable farming development throughout Grenada. Edwards confirmed that subsequent training sessions will proceed under the UKCIF-backed project to encourage responsible land management and climate-resistant agricultural methodologies.

Dr. Stephen Fletcher, Director of the Rural Development Unit, observed that the RDU-SAEP’s inclusion as an executing partner for this project dimension demonstrates the escalating confidence that Nawasa (National Water and Sewerage Authority) maintains in the Unit and its personnel.