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  • No breakthrough in probe of Negril yoga instructor’s death — police

    No breakthrough in probe of Negril yoga instructor’s death — police

    In the coastal Jamaican community of Negril, located in Westmoreland Parish, law enforcement investigators are still working to unpack the mysterious death of a 79-year-old beloved local yoga instructor, with no clear motive identified and no major breakthroughs achieved nearly a week after her body was discovered.

    The victim has been formally identified as Fanette Johnson, a France-born yoga educator who had built a life in Negril for more than 10 years after marrying a Jamaican national. Johnson brought decades of global teaching experience to her work in Jamaica, honing her craft for over 30 years across leading fitness and wellness spaces in Paris, New York, and multiple popular Negril-area hotels, where she was a well-known figure among both guests and local residents.

    According to official police accounts, Johnson’s remains were first located by neighborhood residents at her private Negril residence at approximately 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday. First responders who arrived at the scene found her lying on the floor of an interior room, with visible bruising around her neck. No clear signs of forced entry into the property were detected by investigators during their initial walkthrough, a detail that has complicated early efforts to pin down a narrative around the death.

    Johnson’s body has since been transferred to a local morgue, where it awaits a post-mortem examination that will provide official confirmation of her exact cause of death. A senior police representative spoke to Jamaica-based outlet Observer Online about the ongoing probe, noting that while investigators have poured significant resources into the case, it remains too early in the process to draw any firm conclusions.

    “A lot of work has been put into the investigation around the death of the tourist resident who has been living in Jamaica for more than a decade,” the official said, adding: “The investigation is kind of inconclusive by virtue of what we have seen at the location because there were no obvious signs of break in. We are summarising some things but we cannot say certain things right now because the investigation is still young in relation to this.”

    As of press time, no suspects have been named publicly, and investigators have not ruled out any potential scenarios as they work to resolve the case.

  • Jamaica to host 2029 Our Ocean Conference in Montego Bay

    Jamaica to host 2029 Our Ocean Conference in Montego Bay

    At the closing ceremony of the 11th iteration of the Our Ocean Conference held in Mombasa, Kenya, Jamaica officially announced that it will welcome global ocean governance stakeholders to Montego Bay for the 13th edition of the landmark summit in June 2029. The handover of conference hosting responsibilities marks a significant milestone for global ocean protection efforts, placing Jamaica’s iconic coastal city at the center of international marine conservation dialogue once again.

    Matthew Samuda, Jamaica’s Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, formally accepted the hosting mandate on the island nation’s behalf, framing the opportunity as a weighty global commitment rather than merely an event to organize. In his closing address, Samuda expressed that Jamaica takes on this role with profound gratitude, intentional humility, and a deep-seated sense of accountability to the global community. “This is more than the acceptance of an event. It is the acceptance of a responsibility to the world’s oceans, to future generations, and to the billions of people whose lives, livelihoods, food security, culture, and prosperity depend on a healthy marine environment,” he told attendees.

    Samuda opened his remarks by extending gratitude to the Kenyan government and people for their warm hospitality and visionary leadership throughout the 11th conference, which operated under the unifying theme “Our Ocean, Our Heritage, Our Future.” He went on to highlight the unique historical significance Montego Bay holds for the global ocean governance framework, recalling the city’s central role in the years-long negotiations that produced the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) — a foundational treaty that still guides international marine policy and conservation work today. “Montego Bay is not simply a beautiful coastal city. It is a place etched into the history of global ocean governance,” Samuda emphasized.

    Looking ahead to the 2029 summit, Samuda outlined Jamaica’s core priority for the conference: shifting the focus from non-binding pledges to tangible, actionable implementation and measurable, verifiable conservation outcomes. “The world does not need simply another conference; the world needs outcomes,” he stated, underscoring growing global frustration with empty commitments amid accelerating marine ecosystem degradation, ocean acidification, and overexploitation of marine resources.

    As the handover process moves forward, Jamaica is preparing to collaborate closely with Canada, which has been selected to host the 12th Our Ocean Conference before Jamaica’s turn in 2029. Samuda closed by extending an open invitation to all global leaders, marine scientists, non-governmental organizations, private sector stakeholders, and community representatives, saying Jamaica eagerly anticipates welcoming the global community to Montego Bay five years from now to advance collective action for healthy, resilient oceans.

  • Sheila Lee remembered as steadfast force behind Byron Lee’s legacy

    Sheila Lee remembered as steadfast force behind Byron Lee’s legacy

    For decades, the quiet contributions of Sheila Lee to the growth and institutionalization of Jamaica’s iconic music industry have flown under the public radar. Now, as tributes pour in following her passing on June 6 at 83 years old in South Florida, those closest to her are highlighting the foundational role she played in building the legacy that defined Caribbean music for generations.

    As the wife of legendary Jamaican music pioneer Byron Lee — founder of Dynamic Sounds recording studio and Jamaica Carnival, who passed away in 2008 after 41 years of marriage to Sheila — many have reduced her role to that of a supportive spouse. But her family and longtime colleagues say that description badly underestimates her impact on the sector. According to her daughter Julianne Lee, Sheila’s organizational and advocacy work laid groundwork that allowed her husband’s career and the broader Jamaican music scene to flourish.

    “When Byron was able to tour 45 weeks out of the year, she was the anchor and the point of contact,” Julianne explained in an interview with Observer Online. Beyond holding the enterprise together during Byron’s extensive travel, Julianne noted Sheila was one of the first industry leaders to prioritize formalizing copyright and intellectual property protections for Jamaican artists. To advance that work, she invited New York-based music industry expert Paul Marshall to lead educational workshops for creators at Dynamic Sounds, filling a critical gap in knowledge for artists who had long been excluded from understanding their legal rights.

    Born Sheila Khouri in Kingston, Sheila grew up as the eldest of 10 children in a Lebanese-Jamaican family, with deep existing ties to the nascent Jamaican music business. Her father Michel was a cousin to Kenneth Khouri, the owner of Federal Records and one of the first major pioneers of recorded music in Jamaica. A graduate of Kingston’s Immaculate Conception High School, she met Byron Lee through mutual connections to the Nasrallas, another prominent Lebanese-Jamaican family, and quickly became integrated into his early music work.

    During the global ska boom of the early 1960s, when Lee’s band The Dragonaires rose to national fame, she accompanied the group to performances and popularized the energetic ska dance that became a core part of the genre’s public identity. By the 1970s, as Dynamic Sounds grew into Jamaica’s preeminent recording and production hub, Sheila had shifted her focus to building the business side of the operation, a role that earned her widespread respect from industry peers.

    Tommy Cowan, who served as a marketing executive at Dynamic Sounds during that decade, recalled that Sheila brought a rare focus on artist discipline and rights advocacy to a largely unregulated industry. To address the gap in royalty and rights management, she founded Sheila Music, a dedicated music publishing company that helped artists collect rightful compensation for their work. Beyond her own ventures, Cowan noted she was a consistent behind-the-scenes supporter of key Dynamic Sounds projects, including the popular Christmas reggae album series, and breakthrough releases from iconic artists like Eric Donaldson and Adina Edwards. Cowan credits her sharp business acumen with turning Dynamic Sounds into the thriving, influential institution it became.

    Sheila Lee is survived by three daughters — Judy, Julianne, and Danielle — three grandchildren, three stepchildren, and seven siblings. She was preceded in death by one brother. A thanksgiving service to honor her life and legacy is scheduled for June 19 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness in Pembroke Pines, Florida.

  • Russia returns 522 bodies to Ukraine

    Russia returns 522 bodies to Ukraine

    KYIV, UKRAINE – In a rare display of limited cooperation between the two warring nations, Russia has returned the remains of 522 people identified as fallen Ukrainian soldiers to Ukrainian authorities, officials confirmed Thursday. The repatriation deal also saw Moscow receive the bodies of 31 of its own deceased service members, according to Russian parliamentarian Shamsail Saraliyev, who shared the confirmation with domestic Russian broadcaster RBC. Ukraine’s official Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War announced the development in a post across its social media channels, noting that the Russian side has classified all returned remains as those of Ukrainian citizens, majority of which are active-duty military personnel. Kyiv has not yet issued an official comment confirming whether it transferred Russian fallen troops back to Moscow as part of the swap. Visual documentation released by Ukraine’s POW center shows personnel clad in protective white overalls and face coverings unloading sealed body containers from white cargo trucks at an undisclosed location. The announcement of this limited humanitarian exchange comes at the same time that both Russia and Ukraine launched large-scale drone attacks targeting one another’s capital cities, raising fresh concerns over escalating hostilities. Diplomatic negotiations aimed at ending the full-scale invasion, which has stretched on for more than two full years following Russia’s 2022 incursion, have remained completely stalled for an extended period. Since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, the repatriation of living prisoners of war and the remains of fallen combatants from both sides has stood out as one of the only consistent areas of dialogue and cooperation between Moscow and Kyiv, even amid open, large-scale armed conflict across eastern and southern Ukraine. Cross-border returns of fallen troops have long been a core humanitarian demand from families of missing service members on both sides of the conflict, who have spent years waiting for information and the chance to properly bury their loved ones.

  • Golding says no PNP MPs or senators under illicit enrichment probe, renews call for Wheatley to step down

    Golding says no PNP MPs or senators under illicit enrichment probe, renews call for Wheatley to step down

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a charged press briefing held Thursday, Mark Golding, leader of Jamaica’s main opposition People’s National Party (PNP), has publicly stated that none of the party’s sitting Members of Parliament or senators are under active investigation for illicit enrichment by the country’s Integrity Commission (IC), based on all information available to him.

    Golding’s confirmation of the PNP’s clean record came as he amplified his public call for embattled Cabinet minister Dr Andrew Wheatley to step down immediately. The demand follows the tabling of a damning IC investigative report in Jamaica’s Parliament Wednesday, which formally recommended criminal charges of illicit enrichment against Wheatley, the sitting MP for St Catherine South Central.

    The IC’s probe concluded that Wheatley holds total assets worth approximately J$164 million that far outpace his documented lawful income, and that he failed to provide a credible, satisfactory explanation for the massive gap between his earnings and his accumulated wealth. Wheatley has forcefully pushed back against the report’s conclusions, releasing a lengthy public statement that accuses inquiry leaders of ignoring key exculpatory evidence that he argues would have completely changed the investigation’s final outcome.

    Speaking to journalists Thursday, Golding said his confidence in his party’s lack of ongoing probes stems from both prior guidance provided by IC representatives serving on the parliamentary Integrity Commission Oversight Committee, and direct one-on-one questioning he conducted with every PNP lawmaker. He explained that standard investigative practice means any public official under active investigation for illicit enrichment would already have been contacted by the IC and asked to submit additional documentation to verify their asset declarations, meaning any lawmaker under probe would be aware of the process.

    Golding recalled that after annual IC disclosures revealed multiple public officials were facing illicit enrichment investigations, he personally polled all PNP MPs and senators. When the first annual report confirmed six public officials were under investigation, and a follow-up report raised that number to eight, Golding said he asked each PNP legislator directly about whether they were part of the probe pool.

    “Every single one of our members gave me the same answer. None told me they were the subject of an illicit enrichment investigation, and they all knew I was asking so I could give the Jamaican public a clear, accurate account of where the PNP stands on this issue,” Golding added.

    Golding’s remarks capped an opposition push to force the government’s hand on Wheatley’s future, renewing the PNP’s demand that either Wheatley resign voluntarily from Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ Cabinet, or that Holness dismisses him immediately. “The prime minister has the full authority to remove him right now, and I have no doubt he is weighing his next steps,” Golding noted.

    The opposition leader stressed that the controversy extends far beyond personal political loyalties, and goes straight to the core of Jamaica’s international reputation and the standards of public governance the country upholds. “What matters most is Jamaica’s standing, both at home and abroad, and our commitment to upholding the rule of law and basic decency in public office,” Golding said. “The prime minister has a clear responsibility to lead on this issue. He cannot keep a member of Cabinet who faces serious confirmed illicit enrichment findings.”

    Golding also noted that the opposition is rallying support from civil society and other Jamaican organizations to back its demand, and will continue pressing for action until what he calls a Jamaica-positive outcome is reached. “We will keep agitating for this until we get the result that is best for our country,” he said.

    In addition, Golding brought up the separate ongoing investigation into Prime Minister Holness himself, pointing out that the IC previously referred findings related to Holness’ statutory asset declarations to the Financial Investigations Division (FID) for further review. He argued that this context, which already raises questions about executive accountability, makes decisive action on Wheatley’s position even more urgent.

    “We hope that all right-minded Jamaicans, and every organization that cares about national development and good governance, will add their pressure to the government to do the right thing here,” Golding added.

  • WHEATLEY’S WOES

    WHEATLEY’S WOES

    A high-stakes political confrontation is brewing in Jamaica, after the country’s Integrity Commission tabled a parliamentary investigation report recommending that senior ruling party Member of Parliament Dr. Andrew Wheatley face criminal charges for illicit enrichment, false declarations, and failure to disclose required financial information. The sitting minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister has forcefully rejected the commission’s findings as baseless and inaccurate, vowing to clear his name through the judicial system.

    The probe into Wheatley’s statutory financial declarations and personal financial affairs was first launched in 2021 by Jamaica’s anti-corruption watchdog. Over the course of the investigation, investigators reviewed financial records and declarations submitted by Wheatley between 2010 and 2022, pulling corroborating information from multiple state agencies including Parliament, the National Land Agency, the Companies Office of Jamaica, Tax Administration Jamaica, and licensed financial institutions across the country.

    The core conclusion of the watchdog’s inquiry, released publicly Wednesday, finds that between 2013 and 2022, Wheatley’s total assets and documented expenditures exceeded his verifiable lawful income by an estimated JMD 164 million. Investigators note they revised their calculations multiple times to incorporate new data and explanations submitted by Wheatley and his legal representation, but ultimately determined the explanations provided for the financial gap did not meet evidentiary standards.

    The report also details a series of omissions in Wheatley’s mandatory statutory declarations submitted to the commission. Among the unreported assets and interests are five personal loans, a shareholding and directorship in Prosperity Realtors Company Limited, and full details of a large-scale residential development project on land located at East Kirkland Heights in Sterling Castle, St. Andrew. According to investigators, these omissions in declarations filed between 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2021 meet the prima facie standard for criminal offenses under both the current Integrity Commission Act and the older Parliament (Integrity of Members) Act.

    One of the most heavily scrutinized transactions in the report is a 2013 joint venture between Wheatley and local businessman Patrick Phipps for the East Kirkland Heights development. The pair acquired and subdivided the land into 20 individual strata lots, most of which were sold or transferred between 2014 and 2018. Six of the completed units were transferred exclusively to Wheatley in 2018, a transfer that was never properly disclosed in his statutory filings, investigators confirmed.

    Wheatley has pushed back against this finding, arguing investigators misinterpreted a standard, legally acceptable commercial arrangement. He explained the project was initially structured as a 50/50 split, but when he could not meet his full financial obligations, the agreement was renegotiated to a 70/30 split in his partner’s favor. His 30% stake was converted to six units in lieu of cash proceeds, and the transfer was documented as a gift by the joint venture’s attorneys, a common practice in Jamaican real estate development that is fully legal, he said.

    Investigators also analyzed deposits across four of Wheatley’s personal bank accounts, identifying total inflows of roughly JMD 595 million. After accounting for deposits with verified, legitimate origins, the inquiry concluded roughly JMD 168 million in deposits remained unexplained. This figure is at the center of Wheatley’s defense: he claims investigators arbitrarily excluded JMD 168 million in lawfully earned and properly declared rental income accumulated over nine years, as well as verifiable repayment sources for JMD 50 million in business loans taken out for his real estate ventures.

    Additional concerns raised in the report center on tax compliance. Investigators noted that Wheatley filed nil tax returns for his entity Western Medical in 2011 and 2012, despite evidence that the business was operational and generated up to JMD 26 million in revenue, per Wheatley’s own statements. The report also flags inconsistencies in his personal income tax filings.

    Amid the swirling allegations, Wheatley has been quick to draw a key distinction: the commission has not accused him of misappropriating public funds, he emphasizes. All the transactions under scrutiny relate to his private business activities as a real estate developer and former owner of a medical complex, most of which predate his election to Parliament, he said.

    This is not Wheatley’s first brush with high-profile corruption controversy: he was forced to resign from his post as Minister of Science, Energy and Technology in 2018 amid the Petrojam state oil refinery scandal, which roiled Jamaican politics at the time. A previous Integrity Commission probe into Petrojam found multiple breaches of governance rules and government hiring guidelines at the state-owned facility, though the current investigation is entirely unrelated to that scandal, focusing exclusively on Wheatley’s personal financial disclosures and private business dealings.

    Wheatley has already instructed his legal team to formally challenge the commission’s findings, and says he is confident he will ultimately be vindicated. “The recommendation for a charge of illicit enrichment, along with the other charges, will be vigorously contested in the court of law,” he said in a formal statement. “I am in a position to provide supporting evidence that I have lawfully acquired every dollar and every asset that I own. I intend to defend my reputation via the court and am confident of a positive outcome.”

  • 19-y-o dies in Manchester crash

    19-y-o dies in Manchester crash

    A fatal traffic collision in rural Manchester, Jamaica has claimed the life of a 19-year-old local motorcyclist, marking the latest in a string of road deaths that continue to impact communities across the island nation. The victim, identified by Jamaican Constabulary Force officials as Andrew Williams, a resident of the Hatfield district, died from traumatic injuries sustained during the Tuesday afternoon crash on Logwood Mews road.

    According to official police accounts, the impact occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. local time, roughly 300 meters south of the junction connecting Logwood Mews to Hatfield’s main thoroughfare. The collision involved two vehicles: Williams’ green Snypa CG200 motorcycle and a privately owned Honda passenger car. The force of the crash threw Williams from his motorcycle immediately on impact. First responders rushed the injured motorcyclist to a nearby regional hospital, but medical staff pronounced him dead shortly after his arrival. No further details on the condition of the car driver have been released as of Thursday.

    This fatality is the latest addition to Jamaica’s 2024 road traffic death toll, which police officials have updated this week. As of 6:00 a.m. on Thursday, authorities had recorded 134 fatal road accidents across the country since the start of the year. While any road death represents a tragic loss for local communities, the current figure marks a notable improvement from the same period in 2023, when 176 people lost their lives in road crashes across the nation.

    The updated count includes two additional fatal accidents that took place just one day after the Manchester collision. On Wednesday morning, a single crash on the Llandovery main road in the parish of St Ann claimed the life of one male motorist. Later that same evening, a multiple-vehicle collision on Braco main road in Trelawny left three men dead, with multiple other people transported to hospital for treatment of injuries. Local transportation safety advocates have repeatedly called for expanded infrastructure investment and stricter enforcement of traffic laws to bring the island’s road fatality rate down further in coming months.

  • Kemado eyes international breakthrough with ‘This Girl A Problem’

    Kemado eyes international breakthrough with ‘This Girl A Problem’

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — One of Jamaica’s most promising emerging dancehall talents, Kemado, is gearing up for a long-awaited mainstream breakthrough with his highly anticipated new single *This Girl A Problem*, crafted under the production banner of Ibless Music Entertainment.

    Kemado’s artistic roots stretch back to his childhood in Lemon Walk, a small community in Lowe River, Trelawny, before he relocated to Little Lane in Central Village, St Catherine, where he refined his performance and songwriting skills. He completed his secondary education at Spalding High School, an experience that anchored his early years before he fully committed to a career in music.

    In a recent interview, the artist opened up about his personal and artistic identity, describing himself as a grounded, warm-hearted, and driven creator whose on-stage persona is fueled by relentless ambition, unwavering focus, lived experience, and a natural ability to engage audiences. “As an artiste, I am a star. I am hungry, focused, experienced and very entertaining. I am dedicated,” he affirmed.

    A passionate advocate for his home country’s cultural heritage, Kemado emphasized that Jamaican culture remains one of the nation’s most powerful and globally sought-after exports. “From the energy I carry, it is easy to sell Jamaica using our culture as the product. People around the world prove that our culture is important and it sells,” he shared, noting the enduring global appeal of authentic Jamaican sound and storytelling.

    Like many independent artists, Kemado’s path to the cusp of success has been marked by obstacles and setbacks, but he says critical feedback and pushback have only strengthened his craft and resolve. “Criticism is what made me and moulded me. I took all the stones thrown at me and built a stone wall. I am destined to be one of the greatest in dancehall,” he said, outlining his ambitious long-term goals for his career.

    Renowned for his high-energy stage presence, sharp lyrical skill, versatile sound, and unshakable determination, Kemado has maintained a loyal growing fanbase by centering his music on themes of inspiration and motivation that resonate with listeners across demographics. His upcoming lead single *This Girl A Problem* draws inspiration from a real-life narrative, adding a layer of authentic storytelling that aligns with his artistic brand. Beyond the new single, the artist is putting the final finishing touches on his debut extended play (EP), which is expected to drop in the near future.

    Alongside promoting *This Girl A Problem*, Kemado is currently pushing a second standalone single titled *Tomorrow*, which he co-produced alongside DJ Barber. Speaking about the track, he expressed confidence in its global potential: “This song has the energy, the story and the vibe to turn heads worldwide. People are going to relate to it because it’s real, exciting and full of authentic dancehall flavour.”

    Closing with a heartfelt message to his growing audience, Kemado shared his core life philosophy: “Be true to yourself, show love, give thanks for life, and be responsible for your actions.”

  • JFF targets more women in football leadership

    JFF targets more women in football leadership

    Jamaican women’s football is entering a new phase of structured growth, with boosting women’s representation in senior administrative and leadership positions emerging as a core priority for the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) as it works to expand the sport across the country.

    In a recent collaborative launch alongside global governing body FIFA and Professional Women’s Football Jamaica Limited (PWFJL), the JFF unveiled an ambitious Women’s Strategic Plan that maps out a clear set of development goals to be achieved by 2031. While growing the pool of professional female players and certified women coaches stands as two central pillars of the 10-year plan, Carlene Edwards, chair of the JFF Projects Committee for Women’s Programmes, emphasized in an interview with the Jamaica Observer that closing the gender gap in football administration is equally critical to long-term, sustainable progress.

    Though Jamaica already counts several high-profile women in key football leadership roles — including JFF vice-president Elaine Walker-Brown, PWFJL chair Christina Hudson, and Reggae Girlz national team manager Crystal Walters alongside Edwards — women still remain significantly underrepresented across administrative bodies at all levels of the sport. Edwards notes that a large pool of current and former female players are eager to contribute their expertise to grow the game, but have long lacked structured pathways to step into leadership roles.

    “What I’ve seen over the past two years of my direct involvement is that there are so many women, both active current players and retired athletes, who want to give back to the sport that shaped them — but they don’t want to put their time and energy into unstructured, unfocused initiatives,” Edwards explained. “They want to join a system where work is already being driven forward, where their contributions will matter. On the Jamaica Women’s Premier League side, we work hard to keep our programs moving forward, so my recommendation to the JFF is to hire a dedicated head of women’s football that can fully own the execution of this new strategic plan. Right now, no single person is positioned to own this work full-time, even with our committee in place to support progress.”

    Marlo Sweatman, a retired former midfielder who was part of Jamaica’s historic 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup squad — the first Caribbean team to ever qualify for the tournament’s knockout stage — echoed Edwards’ observations, saying she and dozens of her former compatriots are ready and willing to step in to support the growth of the next generation.

    “Honestly, I don’t think there are nearly enough accessible opportunities for former players to stay involved in the sport,” Sweatman said. “We’ve made clear progress in recent years, but there is still so much more work to be done. Former players carry so much unique knowledge and hard-won experience that can lift up emerging athletes, whether that contribution comes in coaching, administrative leadership, or player development. We need far more structured pathways for players to step into these roles after they retire from competition.”

    Sweatman pointed to established transition programs in top North American leagues as a model for Jamaica to adapt. “In the MLS, WNBA, and NBA, there are formal programs that create clear pathways for former players to move into full-time roles within the industry, whether that’s in the corporate side of the sport or in development roles that let them share their experience,” she noted. “Right now, that kind of structured pathway just doesn’t exist for women’s football in most parts of the world, including here. There’s real potential here, and I’d love to see more former players get the chance to get involved.”

    For Edwards, the ultimate goal is to turn the growing enthusiasm among current and retired female players into tangible, lasting leadership change that will secure the future of Jamaican women’s football. “At the league level, we’re almost ready to support full execution of our strategic programs in any way we can, and we’ve already met so many young women who are eager to give back,” she said. “One of my core commitments is identifying these passionate women and training them up to take on leadership roles. Christina and I won’t be in these positions forever, so we need to build a smooth leadership transition. When we step away, we need a new generation of leaders ready to carry forward the work we’ve started. That’s my biggest passion: building a talent pool of skilled women leaders, getting them into positions of responsibility, and getting to work building a better future for women’s football in Jamaica.”

  • Haiti’s World Cup return lifts community in New York

    Haiti’s World Cup return lifts community in New York

    For the Haitian diaspora clustered in New York City, a rare moment of collective celebration has cut through months of uncertainty and targeting from the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies: their men’s national soccer team is set to make only its second World Cup appearance in history, and first since 1974, when it faces global powerhouse Brazil on Friday.

    Walking through the city’s iconic Little Haiti neighborhood, the blue and orange of the New York Knicks — fresh off the team’s NBA championship win just days earlier — still drapes nearly every local storefront. But long-term residents and community members say that display is already set to make way for Haiti’s iconic blue and red national flag, as attention shifts to the historic World Cup match.

    “Now the Knicks excitement is over, you’ll definitely see all the Haitian colors everywhere,” said 42-year-old actor Vladimir Calixte, who wore his national flag wrapped around his neck during a walk through the neighborhood.

    The outbreak of national pride serves as a much-needed reprieve for a community that has felt directly in the crosshairs of the Trump administration’s aggressive mass deportation campaign targeting undocumented people living in the United States. Haiti, which has long struggled with widespread political instability and brutal gang violence, has faced disproportionate scrutiny from the current White House: Trump suspended all tourist and immigration visas for Haitian citizens last year, and his administration is moving to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a program that prevents deportations to countries facing crisis or unsafe conditions. Around 520,000 Haitians currently hold TPS protections across the U.S.

    New York is home to roughly 200,000 residents who were either born in Haiti or are of Haitian descent, and for this tight-knit community, the national soccer team’s historic World Cup berth has become a unifying source of pride. Local small business owner Maelie Misidor, who runs a corner convenience store in Little Haiti, says conversations about the match have dominated every interaction in her shop since the team qualified.

    “Tickets are completely out of most people’s price range. If they were cheaper, I’d be there in a heartbeat,” Misidor explained. “Instead, my husband, our friends, and I are going to set up a viewing in the local courtyard to watch the game together.”
    Brooklyn-based Haitian artist Lyne Lucien notes that the team’s roster itself reflects the experience of the global Haitian diaspora, with a large share of players hailing from communities outside Haiti’s borders. “Haiti extends far beyond our actual land borders,” Lucien explained. “Our community looks just like the team: people spread out all across the world, but we still come together as one people.” That shared identity has drawn the community even closer to the team during its historic run.

    Yet even as the community prepares to cheer on their national side, a new threat from the Trump administration has cast a shadow over the celebration: reports that the administration would deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to World Cup match stadiums to target undocumented migrants has spread widespread fear across Haitian and other migrant communities.

    “I feel like that’s creating completely unnecessary fear,” said Lucien, who created custom illustrations for the FOX Sports Global Artist Series, an official collaboration with FIFA. “There’s so much anxiety right now: even people who hold valid U.S. residency cards are afraid to go to the matches. People who just got their citizenship are still scared to be there around law enforcement.”

    Haiti dropped its opening World Cup match to Scotland, putting added pressure on the team against its upcoming match against Brazil — a side that many Haitians have supported enthusiastically in past tournaments, Calixte explained. “You feel more attached to people that look like you. Before we qualified, since we couldn’t play at this level, we admired the teams that could,” he said. Not everyone holds out hope for an upset against the five-time World Cup champions: 43-year-old Sonny Etienne, who was waiting for a haircut at a local Little Haiti barbershop, called the matchup a tough break for the underdog Haitian side.

    “Brazilians are the undisputed leaders of world football. What can we do against them? It’s too bad we had to draw them in our group,” Etienne said.