Carib Scope

标签： Saint Lucia

圣卢西亚

  • Three new beach volleyball coaches certified

    Three new beach volleyball coaches certified

    Against the backdrop of the recently concluded Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Under-20 Beach Volleyball Championships, a landmark series of professional development courses for coaches and referees delivered tangible growth for emerging volleyball talent across the region. Hosted in St Kitts & Nevis at the Frigate Bay Marriott Hotel, the four integrated training programs—an FIVB foundational beach volleyball coaches course, an advanced coaching certification, a national referee course, and an international continental referee course—drew participants from across member territories, with five representatives from Saint Lucia earning new credentials and advanced qualifications.

    Among the Saint Lucian cohort was Terry Verdant, head coach of Saint Lucia’s medal-winning youth beach volleyball squad, which claimed gold in the men’s competition and bronze in the women’s tournament at the same Frigate Bay championship event. Verdant successfully completed the rigorous advanced coaching course, while three other Saint Lucian participants—Reala Montoute, Utilla Prosper-Charles, and Fedel Aurelise—graduated as newly certified coaches, expanding Volleyball Saint Lucia’s pool of qualified technical leadership.

    The five-day intensive training program brought together 25 total regional participants for a curriculum that blended classroom instruction, hands-on on-court practice, and physical conditioning, all led by Mark Kontopoulos, a veteran FIVB instructor and international coach educator with more than a quarter-century of experience spanning both indoor and beach volleyball. Under Kontopoulos’ guidance, attendees mastered modern evidence-based coaching methodologies and deepened their technical and tactical mastery of the fast-growing sport of beach volleyball. Instructor Rick Bevis also supported course delivery, while key regional sports leaders including ECVA president Glenn Quinlan and Dennis “Freddie” Knight, President of the St Kitts and Nevis National Olympic Committee and PanAm Sports Executive Board member, were in attendance to highlight the long-term value of the initiative.

    While no candidates from Saint Lucia completed the national referee certification course, Saint Lucia’s own Keam Charlery served as one of just two facilitators for the program, which was coordinated by Reginald Willemsberg. All participants earned official completion certificates after combining academic learning with live practical experience gained during the ongoing Under-20 championship, putting new skills into practice in a real competitive setting.

    In remarks during the event, Quinlan emphasized that grassroots professional development remains a core priority for the regional governing body. “Development will always remain at the heart of ECVA’s mission. By investing in our coaches, we invest directly in our athletes and the future of volleyball in the Eastern Caribbean,” he said, framing the training initiative as a critical step toward lifting the competitive standard of beach and indoor volleyball across all Eastern Caribbean member territories.

  • Saudi Arabian national killed in Marigot

    Saudi Arabian national killed in Marigot

    A deadly shooting has shaken the Chinatown district of Marigot, prompting an ongoing active investigation from local law enforcement following the Monday evening incident.

    Emergency dispatch received reports of gunfire in the area at approximately 9:10 p.m., and officers from the Marigot Police Department were immediately deployed to the scene to secure the site and launch initial inquiries.

    Upon arriving at the location, responding officers discovered an unresponsive adult male inside a parked vehicle. First responders quickly assessed the man’s condition and identified a penetrating gunshot wound to his chest. A physician who arrived at the scene shortly after formally pronounced the victim dead.

    Local authorities have since released the identity of the deceased: 33-year-old Abdallah Ragab Abozorik, a citizen of Saudi Arabia. No additional details about potential motives, suspects, or prior connections to the victim have been released to the public as the investigation remains in its early active phase.

    The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force is now issuing a public appeal for community assistance to move the case forward. Any individual who holds information—even seemingly minor details—that could support investigators in solving the shooting is urged to contact the service’s Major Crimes Unit directly at 456-3754. For community members who prefer to share information without revealing their identity, multiple anonymous channels are also available: tips can be called in to the dedicated Crime Hotline at 555, or submitted digitally via the official Crime Hotline mobile application.

  • Dragon fruit nursery opens as ministry grows Saint Lucia’s agriculture

    Dragon fruit nursery opens as ministry grows Saint Lucia’s agriculture

    The Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia is positioning dragon fruit as a cornerstone of its evolving agricultural strategy, following the official launch of the country’s first specialized dragon fruit nursery in Union, Castries. The new facility, opened Friday by the Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with the Taiwan Technical Mission, forms a key component of the government’s broader Seven Crops Project, an initiative designed to revamp the nation’s agricultural sector for modern challenges. The nursery will address a critical gap in local production by supplying farmers with standardized, high-quality planting material, as the government actively encourages greater adoption of this high-value, climate-adaptable crop.

    Aldine Eudovic, national coordinator for the Seven Crops Project, explained that the new nursery is far more than an isolated investment in a single crop—it is a core piece of a long-term strategy to diversify Saint Lucia’s agricultural output and build greater systemic resilience against the accelerating impacts of climate change. “This is not just a standalone effort to expand dragon fruit cultivation,” Eudovic noted. “It is one of many targeted initiatives we have rolled out under the Seven Crops Project to strengthen our agricultural portfolio.”

    Eudovic added that dragon fruit was selected for prioritized development due to its unique hardiness, which allows it to thrive in growing conditions that leave many of the island’s traditional staple crops struggling. As a member of the cactus family, dragon fruit grows successfully on marginal, low-fertility lands that are unsuitable for most conventional crops. This trait aligns perfectly with the Ministry of Agriculture’s climate action goals, which have shifted toward encouraging adoption of non-traditional, drought-tolerant crops that can withstand rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns.

    Beyond its climate benefits, dragon fruit also fills a rapidly growing unmet market demand on the island. Eudovic explained that Saint Lucia’s key hospitality sector has expressed overwhelming interest in sourcing local dragon fruit, with current demand far outstripping the volume that small-scale local producers can currently supply. “Hotels have been reaching out in droves for this product,” she said. “Tourists are eager for unique, fresh tropical produce grown right here in Saint Lucia, and the hotel sector is eager to meet that demand.”

    While Saint Lucia has never imported dragon fruit, only a small number of local farmers have grown the crop on a small scale for years. The government’s new initiative aims to accelerate commercial-scale production by distributing subsidized high-quality seedlings and providing dedicated technical guidance to farmers looking to add dragon fruit to their operations. Eudovic also pointed to another key economic advantage of the crop: its extended shelf life makes it an ideal candidate for export to regional and international markets, opening up new revenue streams for local producers.

    Agriculture Minister Lisa Jawahir framed the opening of the nursery as a milestone in the government’s ongoing push to modernize Saint Lucia’s farming sector. “Dragon fruit is the perfect symbol of resilience,” Jawahir said in remarks at the opening. “It thrives where many crops struggle, reminding us that with innovation and climate-smart agriculture, we can turn our greatest challenges into economic opportunities.”

    In addition to dragon fruit seedlings, the new nursery will also supply farmers with quality guava seedlings, giving producers more options to diversify their crop portfolios and tap into growing market demand for both specialty tropical fruits. Jawahir also emphasized the strategic opportunity to strengthen ties between the island’s agricultural sector and its core tourism industry. “There is no reason that authentic Saint Lucian agritourism experiences shouldn’t feature premium dragon fruit and guava grown right here on our soil,” she said. “By connecting our agriculture sector to our tourism industry, we create new, stable income streams for our farmers, cut unnecessary import costs, and strengthen our overall national economy.”

    Expanding local production of high-demand fruits like dragon fruit forms part of the government’s broader national goal to cut Saint Lucia’s multi-million-dollar annual food import bill, while creating inclusive new income opportunities for smallholder and commercial farmers across the island. To lower barriers for adoption, participating farmers will be able to purchase dragon fruit seedlings from the nursery at a heavily subsidized, reduced rate.

  • WASCO reports progress on Patience upgrade project

    WASCO reports progress on Patience upgrade project

    A landmark $2 million initiative designed to expand and upgrade access to clean drinking water for residents of Mon Repos and surrounding communities in Saint Lucia is moving steadily toward its 2026 completion deadline, with major construction milestones already crossed, project leaders have confirmed.

    Funded by the Caribbean Development Fund and implemented by the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) of Saint Lucia, the Patience water supply redevelopment project aims to deliver a fully modernized, climate-resilient water treatment and distribution network built to accommodate the region’s growing population and long-term development needs. Unlike aging existing infrastructure, the upgraded system is engineered to withstand the increasing climate pressures facing small island Caribbean nations, from extreme weather events to shifting rainfall patterns.

    Maurice Norville, WASCO’s project manager for the initiative, shared detailed updates on the construction timeline in recent remarks. He confirmed that the project’s critical river intake structure has been fully completed structurally, with only minor final works remaining. “The intake is completed structurally, and the only works left to do on this site would be to realign the river and do some boulder packing along the site,” Norville explained.

    Progress is also advancing on the project’s pumping station, which is currently 75 percent finished, while crews continue laying out new pipe corridors that will form the backbone of the upgraded distribution network. All civil engineering works across the project site have been wrapped up, including the full completion of the foundation for the central water treatment plant, Norville added.

    The next major phase of the project — installation of the treatment plant equipment — is on track to begin once the specialized machinery arrives from its manufacturing origin in Europe. Norville confirmed that the shipment is currently en route and is expected to reach Saint Lucia during the second or third week of July, clearing the way for installation to start immediately after customs processing.

    Once fully completed in September 2026, the project is set to transform water access for local communities, delivering marked improvements to both the volume and quality of water available to residents. For small island developing states like Saint Lucia, reliable water infrastructure is a core component of public health and economic resilience, making this upgrade a high-priority public investment.

    “Once the project is completed, which is scheduled for completion in September 2026, we can expect better supply in terms of both volume and quality of water to the residents of Patience and its surrounding areas,” Norville said.

    The Patience redevelopment project is just one component of WASCO’s island-wide effort to modernize Saint Lucia’s entire water infrastructure network. The public utility is continuing to roll out targeted upgrades across the country to ensure consistent, long-term reliable water service for all Saint Lucian communities.

  • Panorama crown back in Babonneau

    Panorama crown back in Babonneau

    One year after seeing their six consecutive championship run come to an end, Courts Babonneau Steel Orchestra has bounced back to reclaim the top spot at the 2026 Republic Bank Panorama competition, securing the coveted title in a tense final round of competition held Sunday night.

    In a remarkable twist that added drama to the annual steelpan competition, both the newly crowned champion and last year’s winner chose the same arrangement for their final performances: Rootsy’s beloved piece *Hilary*. When the final scores were tallied, Courts Babonneau’s dynamic interpretation of the selection earned them a total of 247.5 points, enough to edge out defending champions Pantime Steel Orchestra, who finished just 3.5 points behind with 244 points to claim second place.

    Pantastic Muzik Steel Orchestra rounded out the top three with a score of 226 for their performance of *Boom Bye Bye* by Messanger, while LCCU Laborie Steel Pan took fourth position with 224 points for their rendition of *Cyah Believe It* by Sly.

    Alongside the coveted orchestra title, the competition also featured a closely contested solo division. Chazzi Desrivieres emerged as the solo champion, earning an overall score of 433.5 for his performance of Arthur’s *Lottery*. Jessy Nurse claimed second place in the solo category with 423 points performing Kisha Kay’s *Different Energy*, and Omar Gabriel followed closely behind in third with 416 points for the same selection. Kannis Desrivieres took fourth place in the solo competition with 398 points for his take on Imran Nerdy’s *Feelings*.

    The 2026 Republic Bank Panorama continues the event’s long legacy as a premier celebration of steelpan music, showcasing elite talent from across the region and drawing widespread attention from fans of the genre globally. For Courts Babonneau, the victory caps off a year of intense preparation after their unexpected defeat in 2025, reaffirming their status as one of the most dominant steel orchestras in the competition’s recent history.

  • Windwards lose to Barbados in CWI Rising Stars opener

    Windwards lose to Barbados in CWI Rising Stars opener

    The 2026 Cricket West Indies Under-19 Rising Stars Men’s 50-Over Championship kicked off its opening fixture at Antigua & Barbuda’s Bethesda Sports Ground, where a high-octane clash between Windward Islands and Barbados ended with Barbados securing a comfortable 114-run win to open their campaign on a high note.

    Barbados won the toss and opted to bat first, but got off to a rocky start, losing their opening wicket when the total scoreboard had only reached three runs. Rather than collapsing, however, the young Barbadian side rallied around captain Gadson Bowens and batter Jordan Graham, who put together a crucial century partnership that dragged their side out of early trouble and into a commanding position on the pitch. After the pair fell, the middle-order duo of Kelani Clarke and Kemar Dixon extended the momentum with a 78-run stand, before lower-order batter R’Jai Gittens delivered a blistering cameo: he smashed 49 runs off just 16 deliveries to accelerate the total to a massive 392 for 9 at the close of the 50 overs. Thirty-two of Barbados’ total came from extras, while for Windward Islands, seamer Aiden Burton turned in the standout bowling performance, claiming three wickets for just 36 runs from his full 10-over allocation. Kevin Joseph supported with two wickets for 51 runs from his 10 overs.

    Chasing a daunting target of 393 to claim an opening win, Windward Islands suffered immediate early setbacks that put them on the back foot. Top-order batters Derwin Lewis and West Indies Under-19 representative Earsinho Fontaine departed for just four and three runs respectively, leaving the innings in disarray early on. Windward Islands captain Theo Edward and Aiden Burton, the side’s leading bowler from the first innings, stepped up to steady the chasing effort, putting together a 139-run partnership from 23 overs that brought the run rate up to a solid 6.15 and kept the side in the hunt past the halfway mark of the chase.

    Disaster struck soon after, however, when both Edward and Burton were dismissed with the score still at that 139 mark. The collapse deepened when subsequent batters Johnathan Daniel and Zach Thomas both fell without adding a single run to the total. While Saint Lucian batter Tyler Venner mounted a determined rearguard effort, finishing with an unbeaten 71 runs from 62 balls, his knock was not enough to overcome the early damage. Both Edward and Venner posted half-centuries for the side, but consistent wicket losses left the chase unmoored, and Windward Islands was bowled out 114 runs short of Barbados’ total.

    Windward Islands will now turn their focus to bouncing back from this opening defeat, when they face Trinidad & Tobago at Coolidge on Monday in their second group fixture of the championship.

  • Saint Lucia win gold, silver at ECVA beach volleyball

    Saint Lucia win gold, silver at ECVA beach volleyball

    The Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Under-20 Beach Championships wrapped up this week on the sun-soaked sands of Frigate Bay, Basseterre, St Kitts & Nevis, and athletes from Saint Lucia are heading home with a haul of well-earned medals, headlined by a gold medal finish from the men’s division.

    For Saint Lucian men’s pair Peter Emmanuel and Lindan Clarke, the tournament was nothing short of a masterclass in consistent dominance. The duo entered the competition with one key goal: to outperform the silver medal result Emmanuel earned with the 2025 Under-21 national team. By the end of the week, they delivered far beyond that mark, finishing the entire tournament undefeated to claim the top spot on the podium.

    Heading into the semifinal round, Emmanuel and Clarke had outclassed every opponent they faced, winning each set by an average margin of seven points. Their toughest test came in the gold medal match, where they squared off against Dominican pair Tahj Jno Jules and Caiston Anthony. Despite a stiff challenge from the Dominican side, the Saint Lucian duo held their ground to secure a straight-set victory, 21-18 in the first set and 21-19 in the second, closing out an undefeated run to the title.

    Speaking after the win, Emmanuel opened up about his mix of excitement and targeted reflection. “Personally, I feel overjoyed,” he said. “But at the same time, we still have a couple of areas to brush up on, like the starting of our game. I feel like we do too many careless errors, and it takes a while for us to get our momentum going. And when we do get one, we sometimes let it go too easily to the other team. But other than that, I feel excited.”

    On the women’s side of the tournament, Saint Lucia’s Abigail Evans and Aryanna Desir fought their way to a third-place bronze medal finish, marking an impressive debut for the new pairing. The duo got off to a rocky start, dropping a hard-fought three-set opening match to Grenada, but they quickly rebounded with a win over host nation St Kitts & Nevis to punch their ticket to the quarterfinals against St Eustatius. That matchup also went the full three sets, with Evans and Desir pulling out a narrow win to advance to the semifinal round.

    In the semis, the Saint Lucian pair faced a determined host nation team that ultimately blocked their path to the gold medal match. But Evans and Desir refocused quickly for the third-place playoff, where they faced the St Kitts & Nevis second team for the second time in as many days. The pair controlled the match from start to finish, picking up a comfortable 2-0 win (21-7, 21-18) to secure a spot on the podium.

    Evans noted that while the pair had higher aspirations for the tournament, the result was a promising milestone for their new partnership. “I would say it wasn’t what we wanted, and we sure could have won the gold medal, but I’m very happy with our effort,” she said. “I think we did well for our first real tournament together.”

    In the women’s gold medal match, Team Bermuda claimed the top prize after a dramatic three-set battle against the St Kitts & Nevis first team, winning 21-16, 11-21, 15-12 to take home the regional title.

  • CARICOM leaders promise action as households feel cost-of-living pressure

    CARICOM leaders promise action as households feel cost-of-living pressure

    Against a backdrop of widespread household financial strain driven by skyrocketing living costs across the Caribbean, regional government leaders and private sector stakeholders have finalized a coordinated package of actionable measures designed to cut import expenses, upgrade cross-border transportation connectivity, eliminate unnecessary trade restrictions, and make basic consumer goods more accessible to vulnerable populations.

    The landmark agreements were reached during the second High-Level Breakfast Dialogue, a gathering that brought together CARICOM Heads of Government, the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (CPSO), and the OECS Business Council (OBC). The event was hosted in Saint Lucia alongside the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government, held July 6 under the overarching theme “Meeting the Affordability Challenge: Toward a Proactive Agenda for Member States and the Private Sector.” More than 120 senior stakeholders, including private sector executives, leaders from 13 CARICOM member nations, organized labor representatives, development partners, and officials from regional institutional bodies, took part in the day’s discussions.

    Attendees centered their talks on concrete, implementable solutions to the region’s rising cost pressures, with priorities ranging from cutting transportation and logistics overhead to diversifying import sources, stimulating intra-regional investment, and forging stronger connections between the Caribbean’s dominant tourism sector and local domestic industries.

    One of the most significant outcomes of the dialogue was a renewed focus on improving regional mobility and connectivity. Leaders formally committed to advancing development of a private-sector-led regional ferry service, a project expected to cut cross-border transportation costs dramatically. A September 2026 deadline was set to finalize the full regulatory framework required for the initiative, including rules for mutual recognition of insurance coverage, operating licenses, and road taxes—all critical preconditions to launching the service. In the near term, stakeholders have agreed to move forward with interim operational arrangements to get the service up and running ahead of full regulatory completion.

    The dialogue also marked a milestone for regional air cargo connectivity, with attendees welcoming the launch of Executive Air Cargo, a new service that already began moving agri-food products between CARICOM member states, helping reduce food waste and cut delivery times for local producers.

    On trade barriers, participants agreed to adopt a targeted “pairwise” approach to address the 57 non-tariff barriers that private sector businesses have identified as major obstacles to intra-regional commerce. Under this framework, the countries maintaining each restrictive policy will work directly with the affected trading nations, supported by private sector groups and relevant government agencies, to develop time-bound plans for elimination or reform.

    Import diversification emerged as another key strategy to cut long-term costs, with analysis showing the region could save approximately $2 billion USD by shifting a portion of non-fuel imports to regional suppliers instead of relying solely on foreign sources. Additional savings are projected as Caribbean nations accelerate their transition to renewable energy, reducing their heavy dependence on costly imported fossil fuels.

    Short-term relief for consumers was also a core topic of discussion. Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley put forward a formal call for a tripartite compact bringing together governments, the private sector, and organized labor, focused on stabilizing prices for a basket of essential consumer products. Mottley also urged businesses to accept reduced profit margins on essential goods to ease the financial burden being carried by Caribbean households.

    Dialogue participants also prioritized mobilizing regional capital for strategic infrastructure investment, identifying renewable energy projects, desalination facilities, battery storage systems, and port upgrades as key priority areas. Attendees agreed that all regional investment opportunities should be published on a shared regional platform to improve accessibility for local investors, with agriculture highlighted as a sector that needs increased targeted investment.

    The gathering also reaffirmed broad support for completing the ongoing Tourism Linkages Project, an initiative designed to strengthen connections between the Caribbean’s $50 billion tourism industry and regional agriculture, manufacturing, and service sectors, ensuring more tourism revenue stays within local economies.

    On climate policy, private sector representatives reaffirmed their commitment to supporting regional climate action, but raised urgent concerns about the potential economic impact of the International Maritime Organisation’s Net-Zero Framework. Stakeholders warned the policy could drive up shipping costs, placing additional strain on consumers, small island economies, and the tourism sector that forms the backbone of most CARICOM nations’ economies.

    To ensure all agreed commitments are delivered on, participants approved the establishment of dedicated working groups with clear timelines and measurable performance targets to track implementation progress. The CPSO will partner with the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee to lead coordination of the agenda moving forward.

    The dialogue closed with a unified commitment from all three sectors—government, private business, and organized labor—to advance the agreed practical measures, with the shared goal of delivering tangible, meaningful improvements to the quality of life for all people across the CARICOM community.

  • Ezra, Kisha Kay capture Soca Monarch titles

    Ezra, Kisha Kay capture Soca Monarch titles

    On a historic Friday night at the Saint Lucia Athletics Association (SAB) facility in Vigie, the 2026 Soca Monarch competition delivered two landmark victories, breaking long-standing barriers and capping a 12-year comeback journey for two standout performers.

    In the hotly contested Groovy Soca division, Kisha Kay etched her name into the history books as the first woman ever to claim the Groovy Soca Monarch title. She secured the crown in one of the tightest competitions in recent memory, finishing with a total of 388 points — just a single point ahead of first-time contender Deevon, who claimed second place. Imran Nerdy, the defending Groovy Soca Monarch, finished third with 385 points, while veteran competitor Arthur Allain took fourth place with 368 points to round out the top four.

    Along with her historic title, Kisha Kay took home a top prize of EC$40,000 for her win. Second-place finisher Deevon received EC$30,000, with Imran Nerdy collecting EC$20,000 for his third-place finish and Arthur Allain earning EC$15,000 for fourth.

    The drama continued in the Power Soca Monarch division, where Ezra D’Funmachine completed a stunning 12-year comeback to reclaim the title he last won over a decade ago. Like the Groovy division, the Power Soca competition was decided by a razor-thin margin: Ezra notched a winning score of 384 points, edging out runner-up Shemmy J by just one point. Shemmy J finished with 383 points to take second place, while the trio of Tension, Bobo and Samo secured third with 361 points. The collaborative entry from Sedale, HP and Deevon finished fourth with 344 points.

    Ezra matched Kisha Kay’s prize winnings, taking home EC$40,000 for his first-place finish. Shemmy J received EC$30,000 for second, Tension, Bobo and Samo earned EC$20,000 for third, and Sedale, HP and Deevon collected EC$15,000 for their fourth-place showing.

    In a notable upset, the defending Power Soca Monarch duo of Dezral and Jardel failed to crack the top four in their bid to retain the title, missing out on a spot in the winners’ circle after returning to compete.

    Photographs of both new champions were captured by photographer McAllister Hunt, documenting the historic night for Caribbean soca music.

  • Labour Department moves to tackle issues in security industry

    Labour Department moves to tackle issues in security industry

    In a groundbreaking move to tackle widespread labor disputes, the Saint Lucia Department of Labour has launched an unprecedented targeted engagement initiative with private security service providers, a sector that has consistently accounted for a disproportionate share of worker complaints related to unfair wages, substandard working conditions and unlawful employment termination.

    The first gathering of this initiative, held on July 8, brought together key operators and senior leadership from across the private security industry. The meeting centered on unpacking the most common recurring labor relations challenges, walking stakeholders through explicit employer obligations outlined in the national Labour Act, and rolling out evidence-based best practices for ethical and compliant human resource management.

    Deputy Labour Commissioner Nicolai Lansiquot explained that the unprecedented collaborative approach was born from years of data showing the private security sector outpaces most other industries in labor complaints. “For years, our department has recorded that security firms make up a significant share of all grievances we receive, covering everything from unpaid wages to unfair dismissal,” Lansiquot noted in remarks at the meeting. “Through routine inspections, formal investigations and alternative dispute resolution conciliation processes, we’ve mapped out consistent, solvable gaps in compliance. This direct engagement lets us address these concerns head-on, boost industry-wide understanding of legal requirements, and encourage voluntary compliance before individual issues escalate into costly, formal legal disputes.”

    Department investigations have outlined eight core recurring violations that plague the sector: employers failing to issue legally compliant pay slips to workers, incorrect calculations of overtime wages, refusal to pay mandatory premium rates for work on public holidays, violation of legally required rest break rules, inadequate and non-compliant employee record-keeping, improper and unlawful use of fixed-term employment contracts, and significant procedural flaws in disciplinary actions and employment termination processes.

    While the Department of Labour remains fully committed to rigorous enforcement of the Labour Act to protect worker rights, Lansiquant emphasized that the new strategy prioritizes proactive education, dispute prevention and public-private partnership over reactive enforcement alone. The agency recognizes that private security firms operate under unique operational constraints: the nature of the work requires nonstop around-the-clock coverage, irregular shift scheduling, extended work periods and mandatory staffing on public holidays. Even with these unique operating conditions, the department stressed that all employers are legally obligated to meet the minimum labor standards set out in the national legislation.

    Speaking directly to industry stakeholders at the July 8 meeting, Labour Minister Emma Hippolyte acknowledged the outsized positive contribution the private security sector makes to both national economic activity and public safety. “Our government recognizes the critical work done by private security officers and the companies that employ them,” Hippolyte said. “This sector delivers essential services across every corner of our national economy, and it plays a huge role in upholding public safety and keeping businesses operating smoothly. That said, compliance with the Labour Act is non-negotiable: it is the foundation of fair, stable and productive workplaces that benefit both employers and employees.”

    Hippolyte reaffirmed the government’s dual commitment to supporting sustainable private sector growth while upholding fundamental worker rights and fostering healthy, collaborative industrial relations. “Strong, positive industrial relations deliver benefits for every group: employers, workers, and the entire national community,” she added. “Our core goal is to partner with industry stakeholders to strengthen employment practices, boost overall compliance, and make sure every workplace in the sector remains fair, respectful and productive for all.”

    Moving forward, the Department of Labour plans to hold regular ongoing engagement sessions with private security industry stakeholders as part of its long-term efforts to cut down on preventable workplace disputes, lift overall compliance with labor laws, and build stronger, more collaborative labor relations across the entire sector.