Carib Scope

标签： Saint Lucia

圣卢西亚

  • Iran fully closes Strait of Hormuz over US blockade and fires on ships

    Iran fully closes Strait of Hormuz over US blockade and fires on ships

    Tensions around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz reignited dramatically on Saturday, as Iran backed away from its recent partial reopening of the waterway and launched attacks on passing commercial vessels. The escalation comes in direct retaliation for the United States’ ongoing maritime blockade of Iranian ports, a core pressure tactic in the eight-week conflict between the two nations.

    In an official statement Saturday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy announced that the strait will remain fully closed to commercial traffic until the U.S. blockade is permanently lifted. The force issued a stark warning to global shipping: “no vessel should make any movement from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, and approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered as cooperation with the enemy” — a designation that puts any errant vessel at risk of being targeted.

    The United Kingdom’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center confirmed the attacks, reporting that Revolutionary Guard gunboats fired on a tanker, while an unknown projectile struck a container ship, damaging cargo containers on board. India’s foreign ministry has since escalated the diplomatic fallout, summoning Iran’s ambassador to New Delhi to protest the incident: two of the vessels hit were flying the Indian flag, a particularly provocative move after Iran had recently allowed multiple India-bound ships to pass through the strait unimpeded.

    This latest escalation comes at a precarious moment for regional diplomacy: a fragile temporary ceasefire is set to expire this coming Wednesday. Iranian officials confirmed that Tehran has received a new set of negotiating proposals from Washington, with Pakistani mediators currently working to arrange a new round of direct talks between the two adversaries.

    Just days before Saturday’s attacks, Iran’s joint military command had announced that control of the strait had “returned to its previous state … under strict management and control of the armed forces,” signaling a partial easing of restrictions that had raised hopes for de-escalation.

    For Iran, controlling access to the Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly 20% of the world’s daily oil supplies transit — remains its most impactful leverage in the conflict. The current conflict began on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched military operations amid stalled negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. Closing the strait puts immediate pressure on the global economy, inflicting political strain on Western leaders while the U.S. naval blockade aims to cripple Iran’s already fragile economy.

    Iran’s newly installed supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, delivered a defiant address Saturday, asserting that Iran’s navy stands “ready to inflict bitter defeats on its enemies.” Khamenei, who assumed the role following his father’s death in Israel’s opening offensive of the war, has not been seen in public since he took office.

  • Nestor signs pro basketball contract

    Nestor signs pro basketball contract

    Megan Nestor, the most decorated women’s basketball player from the Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia, has taken a monumental step toward turning her lifelong goal of playing professional basketball into reality. The 2021 WNBA champion Chicago Sky announced Thursday that the towering forward has signed a training camp contract with the franchise, ahead of the league’s upcoming 2026 season.

    Chicago’s preseason preparations are set to tip off this Sunday, April 19, at the University of Illinois Chicago’s Flames Athletic Center, kicking off what is expected to be a transformative year for the franchise after a disappointing 2025 campaign. The Sky finished last season with a dismal 10-34 win-loss record, prompting a massive roster overhaul this offseason that included trading fan-favorite Angel Reese and signing high-impact veteran and rising talents such as Skylar Diggins-Smith, DiJonai Carrington, Azurá Stevens and Rickea Jackson, who will join star center Kamilla Cardoso on the roster.

    Against this backdrop of roster turnover, Nestor finds herself well-positioned to compete for a permanent spot on the team’s final regular-season roster. The 6-foot-4 athlete’s journey to the WNBAs’ doorstep began in the small fishing village of Canaries, Saint Lucia, where she first cut her teeth in competitive sports as a netball player at Soufriere Comprehensive Secondary School. Nestor’s early talent for competition shone through at a young age: she earned her first national team selection at 11, representing Saint Lucia at the Under-16 level, and later went on to captain the country’s Under-23 national side before transitioning full-time to basketball and joining the program at Wayland Baptist University.

    Nestor’s breakout college season came last year as a redshirt senior at the University of North Texas, where she dominated the NCAA Division I boards to lead all collegiate players in rebounds per game. Over the course of the season, she averaged an impressive 12.8 points and 14.1 rebounds per outing, cementing her status as one of the most dominant rebounders in modern college basketball. Her historic 34-point, 31-rebound performance against Texas Southern stands as one of the most extraordinary stat lines in NCAA history — it was only the third 30-30 game recorded by any Division I women’s player since the 1981-82 season, the earliest year the NCAA began tracking the statistic consistently. The historic performance earned her American League Defensive Player of the Year honors.

    Though she went undrafted in this year’s WNBA Draft, Nestor says the setback has not dimmed her belief in her ability to make the league. In an interview with St Lucia Times, she framed the training camp opportunity as a valid path to the roster, noting “Not getting drafted is not always the end of the world. You got people who go to training camp and make the team.”

    For Nestor, the opportunity to compete with one of the league’s most storied franchises is the culmination of a years-long dream. “It’s kind of different from college,” she said. “The opportunity presented itself, and I took it because going to the WNBA became a dream of mine. And going to training camp is one way you can accomplish that.”

    The Chicago Sky’s 2026 regular season will open on May 9 against expansion side Portland Fire, and all 12 roster spots are currently up for grabs as the franchise rebuilds after a rough 2025 campaign.

  • Allez expands across the Caribbean as it marks five years

    Allez expands across the Caribbean as it marks five years

    When the global COVID-19 pandemic upended transportation markets across small island nations in 2021, two Saint Lucian entrepreneurs turned the disruption into an opportunity. Mellissa Preville and Safiya Paul launched Allez, one of the first homegrown ride-hailing platforms in the country, built from the ground up to serve the unique mobility needs of their local community.

    Five years on, that small local startup is gearing up for a major milestone: the company will mark its fifth anniversary of operation on April 18, 2026, and launch a sweeping regional expansion into six additional Caribbean markets alongside the celebration. Following a successful 2025 entry into Dominica, Allez will roll out its services to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and Montserrat, bringing its community-focused ride-hailing model to thousands of new users across the Eastern Caribbean.

    For Allez’s co-founders, this expansion is not a sudden pivot—it is the fulfillment of a long-held core vision. “It was always part of the vision… to expand to the rest of the Caribbean and eventually the African continent. We never set out for Allez to just stay in Saint Lucia,” Preville shared in an interview with local outlet St Lucia Times.

    The journey to this point has not been without obstacles. Growing a local mobility startup in a small open market has brought consistent challenges, most notably rising competition from both regional and global players. Earlier this year, industry analysts widely expected that global ride-hailing giant Uber, with its massive international brand recognition and funding, would quickly capture the majority of Saint Lucia’s ride-hailing market and push smaller local providers like Allez out.

    But what initially looked like a major threat ultimately became an unexpected advantage for the homegrown brand. While Preville and Paul first framed Uber’s arrival as just another competitor to navigate, the entry of the global firm sparked a wave of local support that boosted Allez’s standing in the market.

    “The most amazing thing about this was: so many locals were pushing Allez and talking about Allez. That made us feel like we were doing something right. More people started researching and finding Allez,” Preville explained. She added that Uber’s market entry actually gave Allez a lasting competitive edge, by raising overall consumer awareness and interest in ride-hailing services across the island, driving new users to explore local options like Allez.

    As the company prepares to launch in new markets, the founding team is extending an open invitation to local drivers across the target territories to join the platform. Interested drivers can sign up easily by downloading the Allez Driver app, creating a user profile, and uploading the required regulatory and vehicle documentation. All new regional services are scheduled to go live on the same day as the company’s fifth anniversary, April 18.

    Preville emphasized that Allez’s key differentiator from larger global competitors has always been its commitment to localized, high-quality customer service. “What differentiates us is excellent customer service. We are on top of ensuring that we assist persons with getting connected and the places they need to be,” she said, outlining the customer-first values that have guided the company’s growth from its launch.

  • Hamilton Bank defends selection of St Mary’s for Penn relays debut

    Hamilton Bank defends selection of St Mary’s for Penn relays debut

    For Saint Lucia, the 2026 Penn Relays marks a historic milestone – it will be the first time a team from the Caribbean island nation competes in the world-famous annual track and field event hosted in Philadelphia. But the road to this debut has been marked by online speculation and social media rumors questioning why St Mary’s College (SMC) was selected as the nation’s representative, prompting sponsoring organization Hamilton Reserve Bank to step forward and set the record straight.

    Hamilton Reserve Bank, the largest global bank headquartered in the Caribbean with more than $6 billion in total assets under management, is covering all travel and participation costs for SMC’s trip to the April 23–25 event. In response to growing public speculation about the selection process, bank representatives have repeatedly emphasized that the process was free, fair, and fully above board, with pre-planning that long predated key local competitions.

    Senior Relationship Banker Lauaina Dupres, who led the coordination for the bank’s sponsorship, shared details of the timeline in an exclusive interview with local outlet St Lucia Times. According to Dupres, the selection process was finalized at least two to three weeks before Saint Lucia’s annual Island Champs competition, which kicked off in early March. Contrary to viral social media claims that the bank overturned the meet’s results – which saw Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School claim the boys’ team title over SMC – Dupres confirmed that the Island Champs outcome had no influence whatsoever on the final selection.

    Dupres explained that the requirements set out by Penn Relays organizers narrowed the field of eligible teams early on. Initially, event organizers requested that Saint Lucia field either an all-boys or all-girls squad, and all team members needed to secure valid travel visas to enter the United States in time for registration. To streamline the process, the bank reached out to Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports for recommendations, and the ministry put forward SMC as an eligible candidate. When the ministry followed up with information about Vieux Fort Comprehensive, the registration deadline had already passed, leaving only SMC positioned to meet all requirements.

    “This was something that happened so fast,” Dupres noted, adding that she was not even familiar with the Island Champs schedule when the initial selection was being finalized.

    Contrary to further speculation that this would be a one-time opportunity limited to a single team, Dupres shared that Hamilton Reserve Bank has long-term plans to expand sponsorship for Saint Lucian track and field at the Penn Relays. Unlike smaller Caribbean nations, established track powerhouses such as Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago regularly send multiple teams to compete at the event, and the bank aims to grow Saint Lucia’s participation to match that level.

    “We are looking to do this again next year, to sponsor more schools, to have three or four teams from Saint Lucia,” Dupres said. “So it’s a trial process. We’re just trying this. It’s the first time that we’re doing something like that… We’re working towards getting some other students and other schools on board for next year.”

    Dupres added that bank leadership was caught off guard by the wave of negative public reaction that followed the sponsorship announcement in early April. Despite the unexpected pushback, the bank remains committed to deepening local partnerships with Saint Lucian educational and sports institutions to create more developmental opportunities for the nation’s young athletes.

    In the lead-up to the team’s departure for Philadelphia, Hamilton Reserve Bank and the St Mary’s College delegation are scheduled to hold a joint public press conference in the coming days to address further questions from the community.

  • UK-Caribbean Partnership on clean energy: From untapped potential to regional powerhouse

    UK-Caribbean Partnership on clean energy: From untapped potential to regional powerhouse

    The global popular image of the Caribbean is dominated by idyllic postcard-perfect scenery: golden endless sunshine, crystal-clear turquoise waters, lush rolling mountain ranges, and gentle consistent trade winds. What many do not recognize, however, is that these same natural features – sun, wind, ocean, and geothermal heat – represent a largely untapped clean energy powerhouse waiting to be activated across the region.

    The United Kingdom has increasingly prioritized building strategic energy partnerships with Caribbean nations to convert these abundant natural assets into affordable, low-carbon energy, laying the foundation for clean, economically resilient, and long-term sustainable growth across the region.

    Energy analysts widely agree that the Caribbean holds enough renewable potential to generate far more clean power than the region consumes. Many individual island nations are fully capable of transitioning to 100% renewable electricity generation, with excess production available to export to neighboring countries. Some regional economies could even convert surplus renewable electricity into transportable low-carbon fuels, including green hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol for global markets.

    Despite this enormous natural advantage, the current energy landscape across the Caribbean remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels. Data shows that roughly 87% of the energy mix for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) still comes from carbon-intensive fossil fuels, a dependence that has driven cripplingly high electricity prices for households. Many Caribbean families pay between two and nearly three times more for electricity than households in other parts of the world. This persistent reliance on imported fossil fuels also perpetuates systemic economic vulnerability, unsustainable national debt burdens, and widespread energy insecurity across the region.

    Since 2015, the UK has committed more than US$39 million in targeted funding to support the Caribbean’s energy transition. This support has spanned a range of high-impact initiatives: advancing geothermal resource development, installing utility-scale and distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, completing energy efficiency retrofits for public buildings, and delivering targeted training programs to build local technical capacity across the Eastern Caribbean. The UK has also laid critical early groundwork to develop a regional offshore wind energy market.

    One standout success of this partnership is the UK’s support for geothermal development in Dominica. UK funding helped de-risk the high upfront costs of exploratory drilling, giving private sector investors the confidence to commit to the project. Dominica is now on track to commission the first operational geothermal power plant in the English-speaking Caribbean in April 2026. This facility is expected to deliver transformative economic and energy benefits for the island nation, a milestone that required years of committed government leadership, coordinated collaboration, and flexibility from multiple international development partners. The UK is now working to replicate this success with ongoing geothermal projects in Grenada and St. Lucia.

    In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, UK support has delivered immediate tangible results: funding for energy-efficient street lighting upgrades and a new solar PV plant at the country’s main international airport has helped the government save millions of dollars in energy costs and avoid hundreds of tonnes of annual carbon dioxide emissions. Early work supported by the UK to map and assess the region’s offshore wind potential, while still in its early stages, holds enormous long-term development value for the entire Caribbean.

    Back in 2013, CARICOM set an ambitious regional target: to reach 47% of electricity generation from renewable sources by 2027. As of 2023, the region has only reached roughly 13% renewable energy penetration, meaning progress has fallen far short of projections. To hit the 2027 target, the pace of transition will need to accelerate dramatically across the bloc. Progress has also been deeply uneven: a small handful of countries have made meaningful strides in scaling solar, wind, and geothermal power, while many others continue to lag well behind regional goals.

    Like most Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the Caribbean faces unique structural barriers to rapid clean energy scaling. Small, isolated national grid sizes, prohibitive upfront capital costs, limited local technical capacity, and fragmented national markets that prevent economies of scale all slow deployment. Many regional countries also lack modernized grid infrastructure and updated regulatory frameworks – two core requirements for integrating variable renewable energy sources like solar and wind, which depend on flexible grid management.

    Despite these challenges, clear, actionable solutions exist to remove barriers and accelerate progress. Regional pooled procurement for clean energy equipment and aggregated project pipelines can lower per-unit costs and attract large-scale global institutional investors. Modernizing aging grid infrastructure and updating outdated energy regulatory frameworks can open the market to greater private sector participation. Blended finance and concessional lending can help governments overcome the prohibitively high upfront costs that have deterred many large projects. Finally, targeted investment in building local engineering and technical capacity ensures that clean energy projects deliver long-term, sustainable benefits for regional communities.

    All the resources the Caribbean needs to become a global clean energy leader are already within reach, and regional and international leaders argue there is no time to delay the transition. With decisive policy action, coordinated regional leadership, and strategic international partnerships, the region can convert its abundant natural renewable wealth into universal energy security, lower household electricity bills, and a more economically and climatically resilient future for all Caribbean people.

    The UK has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to partnering with the Caribbean on this transition. Through the Global Clean Power Alliance, the two sides have agreed to a concrete three-year Caribbean action plan covering 2026–2028. The plan will provide on-demand access to UK private sector capabilities and technical expertise to address key transition barriers and attract the billions in investment needed to scale up clean energy across the region.

    The natural resources are already in place. The global demand for low-carbon energy is growing. The moment for the Caribbean to unlock its clean energy potential is right now. This commentary was written by Ingrid Levine, Climate and Renewable Energy Adviser for the Caribbean Development Team at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

  • Saint Lucia to host first CTO Latin American Market Summit

    Saint Lucia to host first CTO Latin American Market Summit

    At this year’s World Travel Market (WTM) Latin America held in São Paulo, Brazil, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) made a landmark announcement: Saint Lucia will play host to the first-ever CTO Latin American Market Summit, scheduled for May 5 to 6, 2027.

    Scheduled as a 1.5-day industry gathering, the summit was crafted to strengthen the growing connection between Caribbean tourism leaders and the rapidly expanding Latin American travel sector. It will bring together a wide cross-section of industry stakeholders, including Latin American air carriers, tour operators, retail travel agents, regional media outlets and partner destination marketing organizations, all collaborating to unlock untapped growth opportunities, forge actionable commercial partnerships, and advance cohesive regional tourism cooperation.

    The summit’s core strategic goals cover a wide range of priorities: positioning the Caribbean as a top-tier leisure and business travel destination for Latin American outbound travelers; sharing data-driven market insights and research findings through structured panel discussions and keynote addresses; facilitating direct, one-on-one business matchmaking between industry players; and deepening collaborative ties with CTO Allied Members, the Latin American and Caribbean Airports Council (ACI-LAC) and other key industry partners. Attendees will also get the chance to explore dedicated showcases highlighting the unique offerings of individual Caribbean island destinations.

    A central pillar of the summit’s agenda will be addressing and improving air connectivity between the Caribbean basin and Latin America. Event organizers will build on key findings from the CTO Air Connectivity Study, which previously identified unmet capacity gaps while also highlighting massive untapped potential for launching new air routes to high-demand South American markets, including Argentina, Chile, and Brazil.

    Current travel trends already underscore the critical importance of this market for the Caribbean: South America stood as the Caribbean’s fastest-growing source market in 2025, with total visitor arrivals jumping 23.7% year-over-year to hit 2.4 million visits. Industry officials attribute this impressive surge to a combination of expanded air links, targeted regional marketing campaigns, and rising outbound travel demand from Latin America’s growing middle class. This growth has also delivered a key strategic benefit: it has helped the Caribbean diversify its traditional reliance on North American and European source markets, building greater resilience for the region’s tourism sector.

    Dr. Ernest Hilaire, Saint Lucia’s Deputy Prime Minister who also oversees the portfolios of Tourism, Commerce, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Heritage, shared his country’s excitement over the hosting announcement. “Saint Lucia is honoured to host the 2027 CTO Latin American Market Summit with a strong focus on connectivity and strengthening ties with Latin America,” Hilaire stated during the official announcement at WTM Latin America in São Paulo.

    “By targeting new direct links, we can open fresh markets, boost visitor numbers and revenue, and drive sustainable economic growth across the region’s communities,” he added.

    Dona Regis-Prosper, Secretary-General and CEO of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, echoed this optimism, noting that the focused, Latin America-centered summit in Saint Lucia will turn strategic insights into tangible action. “Hosting the 2027 summit in Saint Lucia with a dedicated focus on Latin America will allow us to turn insights into action, identifying new routes, forging partnerships, and delivering tangible benefits for our member countries,” Regis-Prosper said.

    Conveniently timed for maximum industry impact, the summit will take place just ahead of the iconic annual Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival, one of the Caribbean’s most high-profile cultural events. The summit’s agenda will feature targeted working sessions covering route development, actionable market intelligence, and cross-sector partnership-building initiatives that lay the groundwork for long-term regional growth.

  • LUCELEC unable to shield consumers from full impact of oil price surge

    LUCELEC unable to shield consumers from full impact of oil price surge

    Escalating geopolitical instability across global markets has sent international oil prices soaring, and that upward pressure is now rippling through to household electricity bills in the Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia. State-owned electricity provider LUCELEC has publicly warned that its capacity to absorb the shock of rising fuel costs for consumers is constrained, despite existing risk-mitigation measures in place.

    In a recent video address to the public, LUCELEC Managing Director Gilroy Pultie broke down how the global oil spike is hitting the utility’s operations. The company has long relied on a fuel hedging program designed to smooth out volatile cost swings, a common risk management tool that allows energy providers to lock in advance pricing for a portion of their fuel inventory. This strategy works well to protect consumers from sudden, sharp price jumps in international oil markets — but it only covers a share of the company’s total fuel needs, Pultie explained. The remaining volume of fuel must be purchased at current, inflated international market rates, leaving customers on the hook for any unexpected price increases.

    “When global oil prices rise sharply, as we are now seeing, it affects the fuel surcharge and what customers pay on a month-to-month basis,” Pultie said, identifying ongoing conflicts, most notably in the Middle East, as the primary catalyst for the current market volatility driving up costs. The impact of these increases is already tangible for Saint Lucian households: this month, the fuel surcharge added to every unit of electricity has jumped to EC$0.255, a dramatic surge from just EC$0.007 per unit recorded back in March.

    Pultie noted that market conditions before the latest round of geopolitical escalation did not align with LUCELEC’s internal criteria for expanding hedging coverage, leaving the utility unable to lock in lower prices for a larger share of its fuel stock ahead of the current surge. This missed opportunity has directly limited the company’s ability to offset the skyrocketing oil prices hitting the open market today.

    Recognizing electricity as a foundational essential service for all residents, Pultie acknowledged that the sudden spike in monthly bills places significant financial strain on households, particularly those already operating on tight budgets. While he emphasized that global oil market dynamics are completely outside of LUCELEC’s control, he confirmed that the utility is prioritizing operational efficiency to keep unnecessary costs down, while maintaining transparent, ongoing communication with consumers about price changes.

    “We understand the pressure that higher prices can place on customers,” Pultie said, reiterating the company’s commitment to transparency throughout this period of market volatility. Looking forward, LUCELEC is already conducting a full review of its current hedging strategy, with the explicit goal of increasing the share of fuel purchased at locked-in, stable prices to better shield consumers from future market shocks, even amid the ongoing challenges posed by today’s tense geopolitical and economic landscape.

  • Centuries, last-over finishes headline SPL T20 midweek action

    Centuries, last-over finishes headline SPL T20 midweek action

    The Saint Lucia Premier League (SPL) T20 delivered a packed schedule of high-stakes, edge-of-your-seat cricket this midweek, with four franchises—Babonneau Leatherbacks, Dr Freezers South Castries Lions, Ackelles City Blasters, and Micoud Eagles—walking away with crucial wins across two days of competition held on Tuesday and Wednesday.

    The first day of action kicked off at Gros Islet’s Francis “Baba” Lastic Grounds, where the Babonneau Leatherbacks locked horns with the Titans in a contest that came down to the final deliveries. The Titans won the toss and elected to bat first, putting up a formidable total of 193 runs for the loss of five wickets by the end of their 20 overs. Opening batsman Djourn Charles anchored the innings with a blistering knock of 79 runs off just 49 balls, while middle-order batter Dalius Monroe provided valuable support with a quick-fire 35 runs from 26 deliveries to push the Titans to their competitive total.

    Chasing 194 for victory, the Leatherbacks endured a tense back-and-forth battle to reach the target, crossing the finish line with just two balls remaining in their allocation. Standout performances from Khan Elcock, who notched 49 runs off 28 balls, and Qwaine Henry, who remained unbeaten on 36 runs from 23 deliveries, guided Babonneau to a four-wicket win. The result propelled the Leatherbacks to the top spot in the SPL T20 overall standings after the day’s play.

    Across the island at Mindoo Philip Park, Dr Freezers South Castries Lions claimed a solid 23-run victory over the Knights, powered by a record-breaking knock from Grenadian star wicketkeeper-batsman Andre “Spiceman” Fletcher. Batting first, Fletcher smashed the second century of the 2026 SPL T20 tournament, racking up 114 runs off only 54 balls to set the tone for the Lions’ innings. Bolton Sayers chipped in with a rapid 29 runs from 17 deliveries, helping the side post a total of 193 runs. For the Knights, bowlers Lee John and Tyrel Chicot turned in the most impressive performances, claiming three wickets for 23 runs and one wicket for 14 runs respectively.

    When the Knights took to the crease to chase the 194-run target, they were bowled out for 169 all out. Top contributions from Simeon Gerson (40 runs) and Lee John (35 runs off 21 balls) were not enough to overcome a dominant bowling display from the Lions. Xavier Gabriel was unplayable for the Lions, finishing with figures of three wickets for just nine runs in two overs, while Daniel Jn Baptiste backed him up with three wickets for 39 runs in four overs to seal the win.

    Action resumed on Wednesday at Mindoo Philip Park, where the league-leading Babonneau Leatherbacks aimed to extend their winning streak to three consecutive matches, but fell just short in a tight contest against the Micoud Eagles. Micoud won the toss and batted first, posting a match-winning total of 188 runs for seven wickets after their full 20 overs. Keygan Arnold anchored the Eagles’ innings with a steady 62 runs off 40 deliveries, while Dominic Auguste injected late momentum with a brisk 27 runs from only 13 balls. For the Leatherbacks, Yunieski Gustave and Tyler Sookwa turned in the best bowling performances, claiming three wickets for 29 runs and two wickets for 29 runs respectively, both from their four-over allocations.

    In response, the Leatherbacks mounted a strong chase that came down to the final overs, powered by a powerful knock from opening batter Dane Edward, who scored 72 runs off 49 deliveries. However, Edward received little consistent support from the rest of the batting line-up beyond Caleb Thomas, who contributed 24 runs. Babonneau was restricted to 183 runs for seven wickets at the end of their 20 overs, falling five runs short of the target and handing the Eagles a hard-fought win.

    At the same time at Francis “Baba” Lastic Grounds, Ackelles City Blasters claimed a three-wicket victory over Choiseul Craft Masters in the highest-scoring match of the midweek round. Choiseul won the toss and elected to bat first, posting an imposing total of 224 runs for six wickets from their 20 overs. The innings was led by a century from Junior Henry, who hit 101 runs off 50 balls, while Trevon James added a quick 33 runs from 19 deliveries. With most bowlers struggling to contain Choiseul’s batters, McKenny Clarke’s figures of two wickets for 27 runs from four overs stood out as the best bowling performance for the Blasters.

    Chasing the 225-run target, the City Blasters reached the mark in just 18.3 overs, led by Kensley Paul’s knock of 91 runs off 51 balls—just nine runs short of a well-deserved century. Jaden Elibox’s explosive 37 runs from 16 deliveries proved equally crucial to the chase, providing the late acceleration needed to cross the winning line. Despite a solid bowling performance from Josan James, who claimed three wickets for 22 runs, the Choiseul Craft Masters could not stop the Blasters from claiming the win, leaving the capital-based franchise with four points from two matches.

  • SVG Sailing Week declared a resounding success

    SVG Sailing Week declared a resounding success

    St Vincent and the Grenadines has cemented its reputation as a world-class sailing and adventure tourism hub following the wrap-up of the hugely successful SVG Sailing Week 2026, an event organizers and participants alike are calling one of the most energetic and widely attended editions in decades.

    This year’s regatta delivered impressive growth across every competitive class, drawing hundreds of regional and international sailors and sailing enthusiasts to the Caribbean nation, while injecting new energy into local communities and small businesses along the competition route. The 9-day event spanned multiple venues, starting with youth-focused junior championship races off the main island of St Vincent before culminating in a dramatic final regatta off the coast of Bequia, blending tight on-water competition, genuine camaraderie between sailors, and joyful celebrations of local Vincentian culture.

    Participation numbers more than doubled compared to 2025, with 24 yachts officially registered for this year’s event, up from just 11 in the previous edition. Prime Minister Dr Godwin Friday even joined sailors for the event’s official prize-giving ceremony, highlighting the national government’s strong support for the growing regatta.

    The Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines, via the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, and Sustainable Development, has celebrated the 2026 event as a resounding success and clear proof of the rapid expansion of the country’s fast-growing sports tourism sector.

    “SVG Sailing Week 2026 is a shining example of what can be achieved through vision, collaboration, and hard work,” said Dr Kishore Shallow, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, and Sustainable Development, in remarks following the event. “In addition to showcasing our country’s stunning natural beauty and rich maritime heritage, this event delivered tangible economic benefits for our people across local communities. As a government, we remain fully committed to investing in initiatives like these that create opportunities, drive tourism, and position St Vincent and the Grenadines as a leading destination on the global stage.”

    The ministry extended formal gratitude to every stakeholder that contributed to the event’s smooth execution, including the SVG Sailing Association, corporate partners, volunteer crews, local host communities, and regional collaborators. Special recognition was reserved for the event’s organizing committee and technical teams, whose relentless dedication ensured seamless operations across all race venues and social events.

    Shallow added, “The outstanding success of SVG Sailing Week this year would not have been possible without the tremendous support of our many stakeholders. I also commend the management and staff, alongside the steering committee, for delivering a first-rate event within a remarkably short planning window. This achievement is highly encouraging as we look ahead to even greater editions in the future.”

    More broadly, the 2026 SVG Sailing Week reflects the current government’s renewed strategic focus on revitalizing flagship national events and unlocking new pathways for inclusive economic growth across the country. Officials have reaffirmed their commitment to building on this year’s momentum, strengthening cross-sector partnerships, and expanding the scale and reach of future editions to draw even more visitors and competitors to the region.

    For sailing fans planning ahead, next year’s event is already locked in: SVG Sailing Week 2027 is scheduled to run from March 21 to 29, marking another chapter in the Caribbean nation’s emergence as a top global sailing destination.

  • Calls for growth, inclusion take centre stage at Junior Jazz opening

    Calls for growth, inclusion take centre stage at Junior Jazz opening

    The 2026 edition of Junior Jazz, Saint Lucia’s flagship youth creative event, officially launched Wednesday at the scenic Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort, where organizers and local leaders centered two key themes: the untapped potential of the island’s creative economy and the urgent need for long-term, systemic support for young emerging artists, alongside the event’s proven power to foster inclusion for neurodiverse young people.

    As founder of Dove Productions, the organization behind the initiative, Colin Weekes opened his remarks by celebrating Junior Jazz’s proven track record as a transformative launchpad for young creative talent across Saint Lucia. Calling the annual gathering a “brilliant event” that opens doors for youth who dream of creative careers, Weekes used his address to push stakeholders across government, private industry and the non-profit sector to look beyond the immediate success of the annual gathering and plan for long-term sustainable growth.

    Drawing from his own decades-long journey in the creative sector, Weekes shared a personal anecdote to illustrate the persistent structural gaps that still hold young Saint Lucian creatives back. From the time he was a primary school student, he said, his only ambition was to work behind the camera, but when he graduated from St Mary’s College, there was no clear pathway or professional infrastructure to help him turn that passion into a viable livelihood. Today, he argued, that gap has not been fully closed.

    Weekes questioned whether local and national stakeholders have built the robust, year-round support systems needed to help young creatives build lasting careers. Annual events like Junior Jazz are a critical starting point, he emphasized, but they are not enough to sustain a growing creative industry. “The creative industry cannot be left on its own,” he stated, pushing for more consistent programming, training opportunities, and professional development opportunities spread throughout the year instead of isolated, once-a-year events. “We need more than a gig. We need avenue, we need platform,” he said.

    Beyond access to programming, Weekes called for broader efforts to legitimize creative careers as viable, full-time professions. A key part of this work, he noted, is building financial infrastructure that allows creatives to access loans and other financial support using their skills as collateral. “We need to be able to go to the bank and say, I am a creative and I want to use my skill to have a livelihood,” he explained, framing financial access as a critical step toward building a sustainable, independent creative sector in Saint Lucia.

    Following Weekes’ remarks, Castries Mayor Geraldine Lendor-Gabriel offered a deeply personal perspective on the event’s impact, tying Junior Jazz’s mission to autism awareness and social inclusion for neurodiverse young people. As a parent of a child on the autism spectrum, Lendor-Gabriel shared how the Junior Jazz platform and access to formal music training transformed her son’s developmental journey.

    When her son first started exploring music, he began learning the keyboard, but through the opportunities provided by Junior Jazz, he has since mastered multiple instruments, including bass and tenor pan. “This event and music made that difference in my son’s life,” she said, crediting both the program’s supportive community and her son’s innate passion for his rapid growth.

    The mayor emphasized that her son’s success is not an isolated case, noting that countless other neurodiverse children on the spectrum hold untapped creative talent that is often overlooked in traditional academic and social settings. For young people who struggle to thrive in conventional education environments, initiatives like Junior Jazz provide a critical, welcoming space to build skills, confidence, and a sense of belonging. “There are a number of other children who are also on the spectrum who also have that gift,” she said, positioning Junior Jazz as a vital model for inclusive youth development across the island.