Grenada has taken a major step forward in its national waste management and recycling strategy with the official launch of a commercial-grade glass pulveriser, a EC$486,000 investment delivered through the Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association (GHTA) and its dedicated Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF). The new equipment has been handed over to the Grenada Solid Waste Management Authority (GSWMA) to expand the country’s glass recovery infrastructure, cutting down the volume of recyclable glass that ends up in general landfills and waste streams.
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12°N, 61°W Grenada Film Festival returns to Movie Palace
One of the Caribbean’s most anticipated cultural events is set to make its return next year, as the 12°N 61°W Grenada Film Festival prepares to kick off its eighth iteration from October 18 to 25, 2026. For years, the festival has maintained a steady collaborative partnership with Grand Anse’s beloved Movie Palace, a relationship that has played a critical role in nurturing and sustaining communal theatrical viewing experiences across the island nation.
The 2026 festival lineup brings together creative works from 15 different countries and territories, spanning a diverse range of cinematic formats that goes far beyond mainstream feature films. Attendees will be able to explore compelling narrative pieces, deeply researched documentaries, innovative animated projects, boundary-pushing experimental works, and immersive screen dance productions. Unifying the selected entries is a shared focus on resonant thematic questions: family memory, cross-border migration, local folklore, personal and cultural identity, connections to the land, and the intergenerational transmission of traditions that bind communities together.
The eight-day celebration will launch on Sunday, October 18 with Grenada Night, a special opening segment entirely dedicated to centering Grenadian filmmakers and the unique stories rooted in the island’s culture, history, and people. Two standout films already confirmed for the opening showcase highlight the breadth of local storytelling talent. The first, *Call of the Jab*, follows a father and son as they journey into the heart of Grenada’s rich folklore, unpacking long-forgotten national histories and untangling layers of shared family memory. The second, *Mighty Mari*, is a warm, family-focused adventure centered on a young girl’s remarkable grit, boundless imagination, and unshakable belief in possibility. Additional film selections and special experiential programming for Grenada Night will be announced to the public as details are finalized.
In comments on the festival’s opening night plans, Festival Director Meschida Philip emphasized that centering local creators on opening night sends a clear message about the organization’s core mission. “Grenadian filmmakers deserve to see their work presented to audiences at home, and Grenadian audiences deserve to see their people, communities and experiences reflected on the big screen,” Philip explained.
This year’s overarching festival theme, ROOTS: What We Inherit, is directly shaped by the layered history and intergenerational memory of Grenada. The theme invites creators and audiences alike to reflect on the traditions, values, and stories that people carry with them across boundaries of family, culture, migration, and community.
To deepen this exploration, the 2026 festival will include special retrospective screenings and community-focused film sessions, featuring archival materials, documentaries, and personal testimonies tied to key chapters of Grenadian history. Each of these screenings will be followed by moderated group discussions, creating intentional, accessible space for cross-generational reflection and dialogue.
The 2026 edition of the festival has earned the formal endorsement of the Grenada National Trust, a recognition that underscores its alignment with efforts to preserve and celebrate the island’s cultural and historical heritage. Full details on the complete lineup, individual screening times, and ticketing will be released in the coming weeks, with updates posted to the festival’s official website at 1261filmfestival.com and across its social media channels @1261filmfestival.
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New Sexual Offences Court to open in Grenada in 2027
In response to growing public demand for more robust accountability and victim protection in sexual offense cases, the government of Grenada has announced plans to launch a specialized Sexual Offenses Court by January 2027, alongside sweeping legislative reforms that include the creation of a national Sex Offender Registry. The policy push came into the spotlight during a recent interactive broadcast hosted by Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, when a secondary school student raised urgent concerns about current penalties for sex offenders and directly called for the establishment of a formal registry to track convicted offenders.
Claudette Joseph, Grenada’s Minister for Legal Affairs and Attorney General, confirmed that the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Supreme Court Registry are already coordinating to prepare the court for full operations by the January 2027 deadline. The specialized court is designed to address the unique complexities of sexual offense cases, which often involve vulnerable victims and require tailored procedural handling. By creating a dedicated judicial space exclusively for these cases, government officials hope to reduce case backlogs, shorten trial timelines, and provide more trauma-informed support for survivors navigating the legal system.
The new court is just one component of a broader legislative overhaul that the Grenadian government is currently advancing. Prime Minister Mitchell confirmed that a draft Sex Offender Registry Bill is being developed collaboratively by the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Ministry of Social and Community Development, and the legislation is expected to be introduced for debate in the upcoming parliamentary session. Once enacted, the registry will create a formal, centralized system to document the details of individuals convicted of specified sexual offenses, though full details of how the registry will operate and be accessed have not yet been released to the public.
During the broadcast, Prime Minister Mitchell also clarified the separation of powers between the legislative and judicial branches of government when it comes to criminal sentencing. He emphasized that while Parliament is responsible for setting the overarching legal framework and sentencing guidelines through legislation, the final decision on individual sentences rests exclusively with independent judges and magistrates, in line with Grenada’s constitutional separation of powers.
The announcement of these reforms comes amid sustained public pressure for stronger measures to combat sexual violence, improve victim outcomes, and increase transparency around sex offender management. Advocates and community members have welcomed the planned changes as a critical step forward in aligning Grenada’s justice system with international best practices for addressing sexual offenses, though many are awaiting further details on the structure of the Sex Offender Registry and the resources that will be allocated to the new specialized court.
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Renovation works set to commence at Mt Gay Psychiatric Hospital
Grenada’s Ministry of Mental Health, Wellness, and Religious Affairs has announced a key infrastructure upgrade for one of the country’s leading mental health care facilities, confirming that renovation works will get underway on Block C of the Mt Gay Psychiatric Hospital in St George’s Mt Gay neighborhood starting Monday, September 28, 2026.
To accommodate the construction work while minimizing disruption to patient care, all patients currently housed in Block C will be moved on a temporary basis to a recently refurbished wing located elsewhere on the hospital campus. Ministry officials note that this relocation plan has been structured to maintain consistent care standards and avoid any disruption to ongoing treatment programs.
In an effort to keep visitors safe and support efficient progress on the renovation site, the ministry is reminding all members of the public planning to visit loved ones at the hospital to contact the facility directly in advance to confirm updated visitation arrangements. This precautionary measure has been implemented to support the construction schedule while upholding the safety and well-being of patients, visitors, and on-site medical staff throughout the renovation period.
This refurbishment project forms a core component of the Government of Grenada’s broader long-term initiative to upgrade national health infrastructure and raise the overall quality of healthcare services accessible to residents across the country. By investing in the improvement of mental health care facilities, the government is working to address growing demand for accessible, high-quality mental health support and bring aging hospital infrastructure into line with modern care standards.
The ministry has issued a formal assurance to patients, their families, and the general public that all routine and emergency mental health services will remain fully operational without interruption for the full duration of the renovation work. Official project timelines have not yet been released, but the ministry notes that updates will be shared publicly as the project progresses.
In closing, the Ministry of Mental Health, Wellness, and Religious Affairs expressed gratitude in advance for the public’s patience, understanding, and cooperation as the upgrade work moves forward, emphasizing that the end result will be a safer, more functional space that delivers better care for patients for years to come.
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2026 Season of Grenlec Debates open
One of Grenada’s most anticipated annual youth public speaking competitions is poised to kick off a new season later this month, with 18 secondary schools across the island set to compete for the 2026 championship title. Organized by Grenada Electricity Services Limited (Grenlec), the preliminary rounds of this year’s Grenlec Debates are scheduled to begin on Monday, September 21, running through September 23. Defending 2025 champions St Andrew’s Anglican Secondary School (SAASS) will return to the tournament to defend their crown, after claiming last year’s title with an impressive 343 points in the final round. In the 2025 competition, Anglican High School finished as runner-up with 322 points, while St Joseph’s Convent, St George and Presentation Brothers’ College tied for third place.
More than a traditional debate competition, the Grenlec Debates are designed to foster critical thinking, research skills and collaborative learning among young people, pushing participants to explore nuanced perspectives on local, national and global issues that impact their communities. Ahead of the opening round, competing students and their coaching teams attended a mandatory orientation and skills training session on September 4 to prepare for the tournament’s structure and requirements.
A landmark shift to the competition’s format introduced after its post-COVID-19 return in 2023 remains in place for 2026: the full transition to an impromptu debate structure. Unlike traditional formats that allow teams weeks to prepare arguments for pre-assigned topics, this model gives participants only a broad advance theme to guide general research. On the day of a debate, teams draw their specific topic at random, and have just 30 minutes to craft their arguments independently, without input or assistance from their coaches.
Prudence Greenidge, Grenlec’s Manager of Corporate Communications, explained that the impromptu structure has already delivered transformative benefits for young participants. “The students now own the debates,” she noted, emphasizing that the format ensures every interpretation, original idea and spoken argument presented reflects the authentic perspectives of the young people competing, rather than scripted input from adult coaches. Greenidge added that the format has consistently helped students build greater self-confidence, allowing their individual talents and critical thinking abilities to take center stage.
For this year’s preliminary rounds, the broad overarching theme is Spicemas, with the tournament’s dedicated Motions Committee developing a range of specific motions that explore different cultural, social and economic dimensions of Grenada’s iconic festival. Across all rounds of the competition, Grenlec centers its mission on prioritizing holistic youth development: the tournament is structured to help young people build transferable life skills, from polished public speaking to active listening, and to teach participants to respect and engage meaningfully with viewpoints that differ from their own.
To expand public access to the competition, all debates will be recorded and edited for broadcast, following a structured content plan that will share preliminary round highlights with audiences, and air full debates starting from the second round of the tournament. Viewers will be able to follow the competition on local television and Grenlec’s official YouTube channel to catch all the action from the 18 competing schools. The full roster of participating institutions includes: Wesley College, Grenada Boys’ Secondary School, St Joseph’s Convent, Grenville, Beacon High School, St David’s Catholic Secondary School, St Mark’s Secondary School, The Anglican High School, Presentation Brothers’ College, Westmorland Secondary School, The St George’s Institute, St Joseph’s Convent, St George, St Andrew’s Anglican Secondary School, Hillsborough Secondary School, Bishop’s College, Westerhall Secondary School, Grenville Secondary School, Mac Donald College and Happy Hill Secondary School.
Greenidge emphasized that the entire project, from the on-ground competition to the broadcast distribution, is rooted in a commitment to nurturing young talent, encouraging academic curiosity, rigorous research and open public dialogue. She also acknowledged the significant pressure that comes with public speaking, and praised every student competing for the courage to step into the spotlight and share their ideas with the nation.
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Grenada Soca heads to Caribbean Music Awards in Trinidad
The Caribbean music scene is gearing up for a landmark night this September, as the annual Caribbean Music Awards (CMAs) breaks new ground by hosting its first ever ceremony on Caribbean soil. After three consecutive years of staging the event in Brooklyn, New York, the 4th iteration of the awards will open its doors on Saturday, 19 September at Port of Spain’s National Academy for the Performing Arts in Trinidad, drawing hundreds of the region’s most talented musical acts to compete for top honors.
With more than 250 nominees vying for awards across 40+ categories, the 2025 CMAs have a strong showing from Grenada’s vibrant soca community, boasting both veteran hitmakers and rising breakout stars among the list of contenders. Leading the Grenadian contingent is beloved soca artist V’ghn, who has secured seven nominations overall — a count that ties him for the second-most nominations of any artist attending this year’s awards. Only Trinidad and Tobago’s Lady Lava outpaces him, having earned nine nods ahead of the ceremony.
Grenada’s outsized influence is particularly visible in the CMAs’ newly launched Jab music categories, where six Grenadian acts have earned nominations for Jab Artist of the Year: V’ghn, Tallpree, Dred Lion, Muddy, Khalifah and Lil Kerry. The Jab Song of the Year shortlist is also dominated by Grenadian talent, with six regional fan favorites making the cut: Lil Kerry’s “Bury All,” Tallpree and Smokie’s “Do for Do,” Dred Lion’s “Grease It,” V’ghn and Terra D Governor’s “Jab Decisions,” Muddy’s “Payroll Xpert,” and Khalifah, MC Straker and Greg Boss’ “Same Boat.”
Beyond the Jab categories, Grenadian soca holds its own across competitive soca lineups. Renowned performer Mr Killa has earned a nod for Soca Performer of the Year, while breakout star Lil Kerry enters the awards with two total nominations, capping off a standout year that saw him claim third place in the Spicemas Power Soca Monarch competition and secure the 2026 Grenada Road March title for his hit track “Mayhem.”
V’ghn’s seven nominations span multiple high-profile soca categories in addition to his Jab nods, including Male Soca Artist of the Year, Soca Performer of the Year, Soca Collaboration of the Year and the Soca Impact Award. His collaborative hit “Jab Decisions,” recorded with Terra D Governor, has earned three separate nominations across Jab and soca categories. Beyond earning spots on the nominee list, V’ghn, Lil Kerry and Muddy will also take the stage during the awards ceremony, bringing the distinct sound of Grenadian soca directly to the regional audience.
Industry observers note that the widespread representation of Grenadian artists across categories highlights the depth and diversity of the island’s soca scene, bringing both established household names and emerging new talent to the forefront of one of the Caribbean’s most high-profile music industry events.
Disclaimer: This content is adapted from original reporting by Roxanne Thompson for NOW Grenada. NOW Grenada holds no responsibility for contributor opinions and third-party content.
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GTA announces 5th Annual Dive and Conservation Festival
Grenada’s marine tourism and conservation community is gearing up for the 5th iteration of its landmark Dive and Conservation Festival, scheduled to run from October 26 to November 1, 2026, the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) has officially announced.
Over its first four editions, the festival has evolved into one of the most anticipated annual events on Grenada’s national tourism calendar, uniting a diverse cross-section of stakeholders including local dive operators, marine science researchers, environmental conservation nonprofits, and tourism partners across the country’s tri-island territory. This year’s milestone 5th festival, anchored by the theme “Sustainable Legacy,” expands on years of cross-sector collaboration while cementing Grenada’s global reputation as a forward-thinking travel destination where adventure tourism, marine recreation, and proactive environmental stewardship go hand in hand.
Kirl Grant-Hoschtialek, GTA’s Chief of Operations and Acting Chief Executive Officer, emphasized that the festival’s steady growth reflects the central role Grenada’s pristine natural ecosystems play in shaping the country’s unique visitor experience. “Our natural environment is one of Grenada’s most defining and valuable assets,” Grant-Hoschtialek noted. “The continued expansion of this festival makes clear how critical these ecosystems are to both our tourism economy and everyday community life. The Dive and Conservation Festival creates intentional, meaningful spaces for dive industry and conservation partners to connect with both visitors and local residents, share evidence-based knowledge about marine protection, and foster deeper collective appreciation for the ocean environments that sustain us all.”
The 2026 festival will roll out a full slate of programming across both Grenada island and Carriacou, with guided diving excursions, conservation-focused public education, and community-led engagement activities taking center stage. Attendees will gain access to guided explorations of Grenada’s world-famous underwater dive sites, hands-on learning opportunities focused on coral propagation and reef rehabilitation, and the chance to directly participate in ongoing initiatives aimed at safeguarding the country’s unique coastal and marine biodiversity.
One of the festival’s flagship components this year will be the “Conservation Conversations” series, an outreach program tailored to connect local students with leading marine and environmental experts from across the Caribbean and beyond. The series is designed to build long-term conservation literacy among young Grenadians and expand understanding of ecosystem protection challenges and solutions across the tri-island state. Beyond diving and educational programming, the 2026 festival will also include guided birdwatching excursions, island-wide community coastal clean-up drives, and other immersive activities designed to encourage deeper, more responsible engagement with both Grenada’s terrestrial and marine natural landscapes.
Shanai St Bernard, GTA’s Nautical Development Manager, called the 5th edition a key milestone for Grenada’s fast-growing dive and marine tourism sector. “This festival has grown into a can’t-miss event for both visitors and locals, giving everyone a chance to connect firsthand with Grenada’s incredible marine life while reinforcing the shared responsibility we all have to protect it,” St Bernard explained. “This intentional balance between exploration, public education, and active conservation is the core of sustainable tourism, and it has remained the central mission of this festival from its launch.”
As Grenada works to build a more resilient, sustainable tourism economy for the long term, the annual Dive and Conservation Festival stands as a model for how intentional event planning can deliver both economic and environmental benefits. By centering collective action and intergenerational stewardship, the festival reinforces a simple but powerful truth: the travel experiences we design and protect today will lay the foundation for a thriving, vibrant destination for future generations to enjoy.
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Good Hope Swimming Pool for Grenfin Invitational Swim Meet 2026
One of the most anticipated annual swimming competitions in the Eastern Caribbean is making its comeback next year, with the Grenfin Swim Club Invitational Meet set to take over Good Hope Swimming Pool in St. Paul’s from September 24 to 27, 2026. Organizers have confirmed that long-standing partner LUCOZADE, Huggins Grenada will return as the event’s title sponsor for the 10th year in a row, marking a decade of consistent support for regional competitive swimming.
As a staple fixture on the national swimming calendar, this four-day competition carries dual significance for the local swimming community. Beyond being Grenfin Swim Club’s largest annual fundraising initiative, the invitational also serves as the official selection trial for the OECS National Swim Team. Local swimmers across all categories have spent months ramping up their training regimens, putting in grueling daily practice sessions to compete for one of just 34 coveted spots on the regional squad. The athletes that earn selection will go on to represent the tri-island state of Grenada at the 34th OECS Swimming Championships, scheduled to run from November 6 to 8, 2026 at St. Lucia’s Rodney Heights Aquatic Centre.
Heading into the selection trials and subsequent regional championships, Grenada enters the competition cycle as the defending overall titleholder, putting a target on their back as they prepare to face off against the top competitive swimmers from every OECS member nation.
Organizers have released the full daily schedule for the 2026 invitational meet to help spectators and participants plan their attendance. On the opening two days, September 24 and 25, warm-up sessions will begin at 4:00 p.m., with the first races kicking off at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, September 26 will start earlier, with warm-ups commencing at 7:30 a.m., competition getting underway at 9:30 a.m., and the event’s official opening ceremony scheduled for 10:00 a.m. The final day of competition on Sunday, September 27 will see warm-ups begin at 8:00 a.m., with racing resuming at the same 9:30 a.m. start time as Saturday.
Grenfin Swim Club has expressed excitement for the upcoming event, noting that the 2026 Invitational Meet is on track to deliver four days of electrifying racing, standout athletic performances, and exemplary sportsmanship from every competing athlete. Local swimming fans and community members are encouraged to attend the event at Good Hope Swimming Pool to cheer on emerging regional talent.
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Free rabies vaccination clinics for dogs
Grenada is set to launch a coordinated public health and animal welfare initiative this coming September, as St George’s University (SGU) School of Veterinary Medicine partners with two national government agencies to deliver free rabies protection for dogs across the country. Scheduled to take place on Saturday, 26 September 2026, the multi-clinic event is organized to mark World Rabies Day, a global observance focused on raising awareness of rabies prevention and eliminating deaths from the preventable viral disease.
Dubbed an island-wide outreach effort, the campaign centers on proactive community engagement and preventive veterinary care to reduce local rabies transmission risk. Rabies, a zoonotic disease that spreads from animals to humans, remains a persistent public health concern in many tropical regions, and mass dog vaccination is widely recognized by global health authorities as one of the most cost-effective and impactful strategies to curb the spread of the virus and protect human populations.
Leading the on-the-ground delivery of services will be trained veterinary faculty and veterinary students from SGU, who will team up with staff from Grenada’s Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Health, alongside local community partner organizations. Together, the collaborative group will administer free rabies vaccinations at pre-designated clinic sites scattered across every parish of Grenada. To maximize accessibility for dog owners across the island, vaccination services will be offered during both morning and afternoon sessions at each location, making it easier for residents with varying work and personal schedules to bring their pets in for protection.
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Spicemas 2026: 20% increase in visitor arrivals
The Caribbean island nation of Grenada is celebrating a landmark year for its signature cultural festival, Spicemas, after official tourism data revealed a 20% year-over-year jump in total visitor arrivals during the 2026 10-day event. Held from August 2 to 11 this year, the annual celebration drew 11,299 total visitors to the island, up from 9,448 recorded over the same window in 2025. The growth is even more pronounced when compared to 2024’s 10-day arrival count of 7,970, marking two consecutive years of sustained expansion for the festival.
Non-national tourist arrivals led the upward trend, climbing 24% from 8,040 in 2025 to 9,958 in 2026. This sharp increase confirms Spicemas’s growing reputation as a bucket-list cultural tourism destination for international travelers across the Caribbean region and beyond.
Adrian Thomas, Grenada’s Minister for Tourism, Creative Economy and Culture, emphasized that the rising visitor numbers reflect Spicemas’s dual role as a beloved national tradition and a key economic engine for the country. “Culture has always been one of Grenada’s greatest assets, and Spicemas continues to prove its power as a core pillar of our national tourism development,” Thomas said. “This growth in arrivals speaks directly to the unique appeal of our people, our creativity, our vibrant music, and the authentic experiences that both international visitors and returning Grenadian nationals seek out when they travel to our shores. We remain fully committed to investing in product development, preserving our irreplaceable cultural heritage, and strengthening events that create tangible economic opportunities for local communities and deliver widespread benefits across the entire country.”
Randall Dolland, Chairman of the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA), noted that the strong 2026 numbers validate the GTA’s intentional strategy to position Spicemas as a flagship experience on Grenada’s annual destination calendar. “These results are incredibly encouraging: they prove that Spicemas is resonating with audiences far beyond our borders, and that Grenada is successfully turning our unique cultural strength into measurable, long-term tourism value,” Dolland explained. The GTA has backed this positioning with targeted investments in global public relations, expanded digital visibility for the festival, deepened engagement with the international travel trade, and collaborative partnerships with cross-sector stakeholders that help bring the annual celebration to life. “Our focus now is to build on this momentum, refine the overall visitor experience, and ensure that Spicemas grows in a way that delivers lasting benefits to all three of Grenada’s main islands: Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique,” he added.
The 2026 visitor surge translated directly into widespread activity across Grenada’s tourism ecosystem. Local accommodations, transportation providers, restaurants, entertainment venues, tour operators, street vendors, and other tourism-linked businesses all reported strong demand during the festival period, underscoring the event’s far-reaching positive economic impact across the island.
Kirt Ross, Chairman of the Spicemas Corporation, which organizes the annual event, credited this year’s success to the coordinated effort of hundreds of contributors across the island. “Spicemas 2026 showcased the incredible strength of Grenada’s festival product, and the level of collective work it takes to deliver an experience of this scale and quality,” Ross said. “Every year, our goal is to build on the foundation laid by the previous season: we work to strengthen core events, improve the experience for all attendees, and collaborate closely with our public and private partners to keep Spicemas positioned as one of the Caribbean’s most distinct cultural celebrations. This year’s outstanding results are a direct testament to the coordination, creativity, and unwavering commitment of everyone who helped put this celebration together.”
In a post-festival statement, the GTA extended formal appreciation to every group and individual that contributed to 2026’s success, including the Spicemas Corporation, the Royal Grenada Police Force, all tourism industry stakeholders, cultural practitioners, event organizers, media personnel, local service providers, visiting guests, returning nationals, and the wider people of Grenada. Moving forward, the GTA will continue partnering with public and private sector allies to drive sustainable, inclusive visitor growth that benefits both the tourism sector and local communities across the nation.