Carib Scope

标签： Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

圣文森特和格林纳丁斯

  • Former PM, not CMO, forced vaccine mandate — Cummings

    Former PM, not CMO, forced vaccine mandate — Cummings

    A long-simmering political debate over responsibility for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ divisive 2021 COVID-19 vaccine mandate has reignited during parliamentary debate, with the nation’s sitting Health Minister Daniel Cummings publicly clearing Chief Medical Officer Dr. Simone Keizer-Beache of blame for the policy that led to more than 500 public sector dismissals. Cummings told lawmakers Tuesday during discussion of the Compassionate Gratuity Bill that blame for the mandate has been incorrectly placed on the CMO, and that the policy was wholly spearheaded by former prime minister Ralph Gonsalves, whose Unity Labour Party held power from 2001 until 2025.

    “I am here to say categorically that is not the truth,” Cummings stated firmly to the national assembly. “COVID madness was the brainchild of the former prime minister who brought it, who insisted on it and who would not hear from any professional voice.”

    It remains unconfirmed whether Gonsalves, who now serves as Leader of the Opposition and was present for Tuesday’s parliamentary sitting, was in the chamber when Cummings delivered the remarks. Notably, neither Gonsalves nor two former Cabinet ministers from his administration — Carlos James and Keisal Peters — have publicly challenged Cummings’ account of how the mandate was approved. Gonsalves has repeatedly claimed publicly that his government’s mandate was crafted on professional advice from Keizer-Beache.

    Keizer-Beache has retained her post as CMO under the new New Democratic Party administration, which took office in November 2024. Unlike Gonsalves’ narrative, she has never publicly disavowed the former government’s vaccine policy. In fact, she testified in defense of the mandate during a legal challenge brought by public sector unions against the previous administration’s actions. The legal battle remains ongoing: in 2023, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court ruled the mandate unconstitutional, but the Court of Appeal overturned that ruling in a split 2-1 decision. The case is now awaiting a final ruling from the London-based Privy Council, the Caribbean nation’s highest court of appeal.

    Tuesday’s statement marks the second time in recent weeks that Cummings — who opposed the mandate while he was a member of the opposition — has worked to reframe public understanding of the policy’s origins and assign political accountability for its fallout. The discussion was prompted by South Windward MP Andrew John, a member of the current ruling cabinet, who opened the topic by highlighting the severe human toll of the 2021 mandate, which required mandatory vaccination for specific classes of public workers and resulted in the firing of more than 500 low-wage employees, many of whom still have not received compensation for their lost income and benefits.

    John described the mandate as “wickedness to the highest order,” noting that dismissed workers have endured devastating losses including derailed careers and years of erased pension-eligible service. Cummings echoed that harsh criticism, doubling down on his characterization of the policy as “COVID madness” and framing the mandate as an example of the previous administration’s vindictive, retaliatory style of governance.

    “When you, for 25 years, operated… with such bile and spitefulness, when anyone who doesn’t agree with you must feel the wrath of your power… That is not how you treat people,” he said.

    Cummings went on to argue that Keizer-Beache should not face political repercussions for the actions of the previous government, drawing a parallel to his own experience in politics: when he entered opposition politics years ago, his wife, who then served as president of the Family Court, was removed from her position, a move that was publicly condemned by former attorney general Arthur Williams in a newspaper op-ed. He noted that while Keizer-Beache’s husband Glen Beache served as a ULP Member of Parliament for South Windward between 2005 and 2010, the CMO herself has never participated in partisan politics.

    “Dr. Simone Keizer has never been in politics. Her husband was,” Cummings said. “Should we, as a government, punish Dr. [Keizer], who has given such quality service to this country, because her husband is in politics other than ours? I say, Mr. Speaker… hell no. Hell no.”

    The health minister emphasized that decisions about retaining senior public servants must be guided by professional merit, not familial or personal political ties. “I defend and support every public servant on merit. And this government… led by Dr. Friday, is absolutely supportive of this mission of working with all our people to deliver the service required,” he stated.

    Cummings framed his remarks as part of a broader push to rebuild trust between public servants and the political leadership after the upheaval of the pandemic and its ongoing aftermath. “What I want people to understand: it is not about spiting people. It’s about using our best resources to deliver the best we can do,” he said. He praised the nation’s “serious, hard-working public servants” and pledged that the current administration would continue to support and lift up all public workers regardless of their personal political beliefs.

    He added that the new government faces a massive backlog of challenges to address in the national health sector, including widespread burnout among nursing staff, persistent staffing shortages, and crumbling outdated infrastructure, and that repairing working relationships with senior public health leaders like the CMO is a critical first step to tackling those larger issues. Though Cummings’ comments were delivered during a debate focused on providing gratuity payments to low-wage non-pensionable workers affected by the pandemic, they have reopened one of the most divisive chapters of the nation’s pandemic-era politics, forcing a renewed public reckoning over who bears ultimate responsibility for the mandate and its hundreds of dismissals.

  • ‘Greatest Cricketer of All Time’ — SVG Parliament pays tribute to Sobers

    ‘Greatest Cricketer of All Time’ — SVG Parliament pays tribute to Sobers

    On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, the Parliament of St. Vincent and the Grenadines gathered to pay unified tribute to Sir Garfield Sobers, the iconic Barbadian West Indies cricketer who passed away the previous Friday at the age of 89. Leading the commemorations was Prime Minister Godwin Friday, a self-described lifelong cricket enthusiast, who framed Sobers not just as a singular sporting talent, but as a foundational pillar of Caribbean identity and global cricket excellence.

    Friday opened his remarks by sharing a personal connection to the legend, recalling how he grew up modeling his own cricket play after Sobers. “For me, growing up as an ardent cricket fan, as one who felt that I could play the game like Sobers… he was the epitome of the game. He was in a bracket all by himself,” the prime minister said. While global cricket circles will long debate who claims the title of the sport’s greatest all-time player, Friday made clear he has no uncertainty: for him, Sobers stands alone as the finest cricketer the world has ever witnessed.

    Beyond Sobers’ staggering run-scoring stats and unmatched all-round skill, Friday highlighted the stylistic grace that defined the legend’s play, a quality that became a core part of Caribbean cricket’s distinct identity. “It was not just run making, but doing it with style and with flair, and I believe that it is that sense of style — not just making runs, but how you make runs — that came to characterise Caribbean cricket,” he explained. The prime minister also emphasized Sobers’ extraordinary humility, pointing to the iconic moment when Brian Lara broke Sobers’ 36-year-old world record Test score of 365 not out: rather than resenting the new milestone, Sobers greeted Lara with unbridled joy and generosity.

    Sobers and his mid-20th century contemporaries did far more than win cricket matches, Friday argued. They reshaped how Caribbean people saw themselves, proving that a small regional community could set the global benchmark in a major international sport. “For the chapter is now closed, and we could only speak about him as memory in reverence, in recollection, but the life that he lived is closed, and therefore, the legacy will remain the way we had come to expect it, and will remain that way forever,” Friday said. He extended sincere condolences to Sobers’ family, the people of Barbados, and the global cricket community, noting that “at 89 he had a long innings — and that’s an appropriate metaphor. And it was a good life… a foundational part of West Indies cricket and culture.”

    Joining the tributes was Kishore Shallow, who serves dual roles as St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Sustainable Development and President of Cricket West Indies. Shallow grounded his commemoration in both on-field statistics and broader cultural symbolism, calling Sobers “one of the most complete athletes ever produced in sports, point blank.” He noted that even the International Cricket Council (ICC) has enshrined Sobers’ legendary status by naming its annual men’s international cricketer of the year award after him, and cited Sir Donald Bradman’s famous description of Sobers as a “five-in-one cricketer” as proof of the legend’s global acclaim.

    Shallow walked through Sobers’ unprecedented career milestones: his landmark 365 not out, scored as a 21-year-old in 1958 that stood as a Test record for 36 years until Lara broke it; a 20-year international career spanning 93 Test matches, with more than 8,000 runs at an average of 57, 26 centuries, and 235 wickets; his versatility bowling both medium pace and left-arm spin, even standing in as wicketkeeper when needed; and his tenure as captain of the West Indies team for 39 Test matches between 1965 and 1972.

    Like Friday, Shallow emphasized that Sobers’ impact extended far beyond the scorebook. Emerging in the post-colonial Caribbean, Sobers became a powerful symbol of regional excellence and possibility for generations of young Caribbean people. “He was also a symbol of possibilities, knowing that you can achieve anything if you work and dedicate yourself to it,” Shallow said. He shared a personal memory of meeting Sobers as a 15-year-old competing in the Sir Garfield Sobers International Under-19 tournament in Barbados, noting that multiple Vincentian cricketers have also interacted with the legend through the competition. Beyond his sporting legacy, Shallow remembered Sobers as “a loving, decent human being… a lasting example of a devoted life to excellence, to humility, and to service.”

    Closing the parliamentary tributes was Opposition Leader Ralph Gonsalves, who placed Sobers in a broad historical and civilizational context, calling him “a genius, someone beyond legendary, heroic. A gift from the gods, the greatest cricketer that the world has ever seen.” Gonsalves argued that any comprehensive account of Caribbean history post-1950s would be incomplete without centering Sobers, drawing a parallel to the Caribbean thinker CLR James’ criticism of British histories that omitted the influence of cricket legend WG Grace.

    For Gonsalves, Sobers was both a product and a shaper of Caribbean culture, embodying core values of fairness, solidarity, teamwork, respect for the rules, and exemplary gentlemanly conduct. He recalled the once-in-a-lifetime experience of watching Sobers play in person, specifically calling out his extraordinary 113 runs at Jamaica’s Sabina Park in 1968, scored on a dangerously uneven pitch against a powerhouse English bowling attack. “On a wicket which had gaping holes… the ball was flying all over the place. And wherever the ball flew, his straight bat, with enormous agility and unorthodox shots, met the great English bowling side… It was an extraordinary performance, which is still written about in the annals of batsmanship,” Gonsalves said.

    Gonsalves also praised Sobers’ exceptional leadership, noting that his ability to bring out the best in his teammates exceeded even that of the revered West Indies captain Frank Worrell. “He had this ability to draw out of those whom he led that which they themselves did not know as yet that they possessed… that which was the best in them, which they themselves did not as yet know that they possessed,” he said. Gonsalves concluded by noting the high honors bestowed on Sobers across his lifetime: CARICOM awarded him the Order of the Caribbean Community, the bloc’s highest honor; Barbados named him a living national hero, and will now honor him with a state funeral, a distinction usually reserved for heads of state and government.

  • School registration fees were ‘a mess’ — Minister

    School registration fees were ‘a mess’ — Minister

    St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Ministry of Education is rolling out a sweeping new policy to standardize and eliminate inconsistent entry fees for first-year secondary school students, a key campaign promise from the ruling New Democratic Party (NDP) administration designed to cut education costs for local households.

    Education Minister Philip Jackson made the formal announcement of the policy change on July 15, confirming that all registration-related fees will be eliminated for Form 1 students enrolling in both public and government-assisted private secondary schools across the country. The reform grew out of an internal ministry review that exposed widespread, unfair disparities in how individual schools charged incoming students and their families.

    During an interview with NBC Radio, Jackson explained that after the NDP took office, ministry staff collected and analyzed registration fee packages from secondary schools across the nation to identify areas for reform. The review painted a clear picture of systemic inconsistency: mandatory registration fees ranged from as low as EC$30 to as high as EC$100, physical education t-shirts cost between EC$25 and EC$95, non-refundable processing fees spanned EC$50 to EC$100, report books varied from EC$10 to EC$25, and vague “supplies” charges ran from EC$30 to EC$50.

    “When you look at the range in the prices, they’re all over the place… and we concluded that’s really a mess,” Jackson told radio listeners. Beyond the gaps in pricing, he noted, there was no consistent framework for what schools could charge for or how fees were labeled, creating serious concerns around fairness, transparency, and financial accountability for families already struggling with rising living costs.

    Jackson drew a clear line between acceptable charges for tangible goods and what he termed “fuzzy” administrative fees that left parents confused. Most families are comfortable paying for physical items they can see and use, such as school ties, badges, and sports uniforms, he explained. But vague charges labeled “processing fee,” “admission fee,” or “registration fee” offer no clear value for families, creating unnecessary confusion and financial strain.

    To address these issues, the ministry issued an official circular to all eligible secondary schools on July 14 that lays out a new standardized fee framework. Under the new rules, schools are only permitted to charge for a limited list of required items: school badges, school ties, physical education uniforms, school polo shirts, and a parent-teacher association fee — a deliberate inclusion meant to strengthen collaborative partnerships between homes and schools.

    All other charges are now categorized as optional, meaning parents may choose whether to purchase these items through the school or source them independently. Optional items include student photographs, school handbooks, report books, homework books, art supplies, music equipment and materials, flash drives, school cooperative fees, textbook loan scheme contributions, and exercise books — all of which were previously classified as mandatory charges.

    A key provision of the new policy requires schools to accept any reasonably compliant exercise books, even those sent from overseas in donation barrels, as long as they are properly labeled. Jackson stressed that students must not be harassed or penalized for using these independently sourced materials.

    For schools that have already completed Form 1 registration under the old, unstandardized fee structure, the ministry has mandated immediate adjustments. All schools must revise their registration packages to align with the new framework, identify any impermissible fees that have already been collected, arrange full refunds for those charges, and notify parents of refund amounts, timelines, and disbursement methods. “That is the responsibility of the school, just like how they communicated up front the original fees,” Jackson said.

    The announcement comes after some school principals raised concerns that eliminating registration fees would create revenue gaps for core operational expenses, including toilet paper, security services, and printer supplies. Jackson acknowledged these concerns but noted the ministry anticipated this pushback and conducted a data-driven assessment of potential funding shortfalls before rolling out the policy.

    “We did the actual research based on the data we collected, and I’m confident that we will be able to meet the shortfall. It’s far less money than most people think,” Jackson said. In many schools, he added, the per-student revenue gap between the old and new fee structure ranges from just EC$60 to EC$85, and fears that the change will collapse school operations are vastly overstated.

    “Let us not be fatalistic about it… It’s not a whole set of money that’s going to cause the school operation to suddenly crash,” he said, noting that previous generations of Vincentian students attended secondary school without any registration fees, and schools operated successfully without this revenue stream.

    To cover any remaining gaps, the government has already allocated a total of EC$172.2 million in recurrent expenditure and EC$63.5 million in capital spending for the education sector this year, funding that covers both daily school operations and major infrastructure upgrades across the country.

    Jackson clarified that the new fee policy does not impact annual school fees charged by denominational secondary schools, which are not fully funded by the state and have long been permitted to charge separate fees supported by congregational tithes and offerings. Per longstanding national agreements, these fees must still be clearly labeled as “school fees” to maintain transparency for families. Looking ahead, Jackson added that the ministry will conduct a broader review of these independent fee arrangements to align them with the country’s long-term goal of universal, accessible secondary education for all students.

  • Film showcases Taiwan’s journey to global tech heavyweight

    Film showcases Taiwan’s journey to global tech heavyweight

    On July 16, a special screening of the documentary *A Chip Odyssey* — a film tracing Taiwan’s transformation from an emerging economy to a global leader in advanced semiconductor and technological innovation — was hosted by Fiona Huei-Chun Fan, Taiwan’s ambassador to St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). The event, held to mark the 45th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations between Taiwan and SVG, drew a diverse audience including senior SVG government officials, STEM program students, scholarship recipients, and local media representatives, and was organized in partnership with SVG’s National Centre of Technological Innovation, with additional participation from the Information Technology Services Division and National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.

    Among the high-level attendees were Phillip Jackson, SVG’s Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Innovation, Digital Transformation and Information; Lavern King, Minister of State within the education and innovation ministry; and Chieftain Neptune, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister. Following the screening, an interactive discussion was held to deepen audience understanding of Taiwan’s tech development trajectory and its role in global supply chains.

    In her opening remarks, Ambassador Fan emphasized that Taiwan’s current status as a global tech powerhouse is the product of decades of consistent investment in technological research and manufacturing capacity, the development of distinct industry business models, and forward-looking government policy frameworks. She outlined Taiwan’s current diplomatic initiative, branded “Trusted Technology Taiwan”, which leverages the island’s mature industry ecosystem and skilled talent pool to build secure, reliable semiconductor and tech supply chains alongside like-minded democratic international partners under the framework of “Integrated Diplomacy”.

    Fan also highlighted that deep, multifaceted bilateral cooperation between Taiwan and SVG has already brought tangible benefits to SVG’s national development, with technology serving as a core pillar of the partnership. From rolling out smart surveillance systems to strengthen public safety to deploying digital tools for smart agriculture and improved telehealth services, the two sides have collaborated on projects that boost SVG’s national development and overall resilience.

    Beyond technology, youth capacity building and educational exchange have long formed a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship. Over the past 20 years, Taiwan has awarded scholarships to 321 Vincentian students to pursue higher education in Taiwan, with 2026 seeing a record high number of new scholarship recipients. “This growing commitment to educational exchange demonstrates the continuously deepening people-to-people bond between Taiwan and SVG,” Fan noted.

    Speaking at the event, Minister Jackson shared his perspective on Taiwan’s development experience in the context of today’s shifting global geopolitical environment. As a small island nation itself, Jackson noted that Taiwan’s success in carving out a leading niche in the global high-tech sector offers a valuable case study for SVG’s own development planning. He also encouraged Vincentian youth studying abroad to return to their home country after completing their degrees to contribute their new skills and knowledge to SVG’s long-term growth.

    As 2026 marks four and a half decades of formal diplomatic ties between the two countries, both sides have reaffirmed their commitment to expanding collaboration and deepening bilateral relations, building on their existing foundation of shared values and mutual trust. Organizers of the screening noted that the event successfully advanced its core goal: helping SVG government stakeholders, young students, and the general public gain a clearer understanding of Taiwan’s critical role in the global advanced technology supply chain.

  • Team SVG wins historic Caribbean Junior Squash title

    Team SVG wins historic Caribbean Junior Squash title

    The 2026 Caribbean Junior Squash Championships (Junior CASA), hosted in Tortola, will go down in the history books of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) squash, after Team SVG delivered a dominant, title-winning run that cemented its status as the top junior men’s squash program in the Caribbean.

    The SVG contingent got off to a blistering start in the tournament’s individual and doubles competitions, walking away with four medals across age groups. Zavin Garrick claimed gold in the Under 11 division, while Jayden George took home the top spot in the Under 17 draw. Jaydon Williams added a bronze medal for his third-place finish in the Under 19 category, and the boys’ doubles pairing rounded out the medal haul with a silver. Several other squad members also picked up consolation and plate division titles, showcasing the depth of talent across the team.

    Carrying that early momentum into the team event, the top-seeded SVG boys’ squad — made up of Garrick, Savante Padmore, Ethan Webster, George, Aiden DeFreitas and Williams — delivered on pre-tournament expectations from the opening match. The team dominated group stage play, securing decisive wins over Jamaica, Barbados, and Guyana to advance to the knockout round. In the semifinal, SVG pulled off a 4-2 victory over the Cayman Islands to punch their ticket to the championship match, setting up a rematch with defending champion Guyana, a long-standing regional powerhouse.

    SVG’s first group stage win over Guyana had ended in a lopsided 5-1 scoreline, and the championship match proved that result was no lucky break. The team’s youngest competitor, Garrick, got the championship off to a flying start with a straight-game blowout of Jude Gobin, winning 11-2, 11-0, 11-4. George and Williams followed with straight-game wins over Justin Ten Pow and Joshua Verwey respectively, putting SVG within one win of the historic title. It was DeFreitas who sealed the victory, outlasting Shiloh Asregado in a four-set thriller 11-8, 10-12, 11-2, 11-9 to secure SVG’s first-ever Caribbean Junior Squash Championship team title.

    While SVG’s girls’ team, made up of Caeli George, Naira Skye-John and Ciara George, finished 9th overall in the team competition, the combined results of the boys’ and girls’ squads pushed SVG to a third-place podium finish in the overall team standings.

    Looking ahead, head coach Jules Snagg and his young squad are already setting their sights on defending their team title at the 2027 edition of the championships. Meanwhile, Jayden George is set to test his skills against the world’s best junior players next July, when he competes at the World Junior Squash Championships, hosted in Canada from July 20 to 31, 2026.

  • The rise of regenerative tourism

    The rise of regenerative tourism

    By Azubah Adams

    First, I wish to honor the passing of my long-time teaching colleague, Ms. Sharon Francis. Her lasting contributions to national development leave a profound void, and I extend my deepest condolences to her family and loved ones during this difficult time.

    In my earlier columns, I examined the careful balance Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) must strike between expanding its tourism industry and protecting the one-of-a-kind natural and cultural assets that draw visitors to the nation. I also outlined how deeper collaboration between the agricultural sector and the hospitality industry could elevate visitor experiences while opening new economic doors for local farmers and small business owners.

    That discussion naturally leads to a framework that is quickly reshaping the future of global travel: regenerative tourism.

    This movement is far more than just another trendy industry buzzword. As SVG grows its tourism footprint — with Sandals Saint Vincent expanding its room capacity and Argyle International Airport adding new international flight routes — a critical question emerges: is merely maintaining our current assets enough to secure long-term success?

    At its core, regenerative tourism reorients the industry away from prioritizing the sheer number of incoming visitors to measuring success by the net positive value each visit creates. Instead of relying solely on tourist arrival figures as the key metric of growth, this philosophy centers cultural respect, environmental stewardship, and community uplift as the most important markers of meaningful progress.

    ### A New Mindset for Modern Travel

    Global traveler priorities are shifting dramatically. Today, more visitors than ever are seeking trips that are authentic, eco-conscious, and socially impactful. Data from Booking.com’s annual Sustainable Travel Report confirms that a growing majority of global travelers want their trips to leave destinations in better condition than they found them. Regenerative tourism was developed to directly answer this growing demand.

    Unlike traditional tourism models that frame destinations as a disconnected collection of hotel rooms, sightseeing spots, and beaches, regenerative tourism approaches destinations as interconnected living ecosystems, where nature, local culture, community well-being, and economic activity are deeply intertwined. Its goal is not simply to cut down on tourism’s negative footprint — it is to actively leave destinations better off.

    This framework draws its core inspiration from regenerative agriculture, a practice that goes beyond preserving existing farmland to actively rebuild soil health, restore damaged ecosystems, and boost biodiversity. When applied to tourism, the core principle remains the same: visitors should contribute to the long-term vitality of the places they travel to enjoy.

    ### Clarifying the Distinction: Sustainable vs. Regenerative Tourism

    Though the two terms are often used interchangeably, they represent vastly different levels of ambition for the travel industry.

    Sustainable tourism centers on one core question: how can we stop causing harm to destinations? A traveler embracing sustainable practices might stay at an eco-certified hotel, reuse towels to cut water use, avoid damaging sensitive coral ecosystems, and dispose of waste responsibly. These practices are undeniably important — they reduce environmental harm and help preserve precious natural resources.

    Regenerative tourism asks an entirely different question: how can tourism actively improve the destination we visit?

    Rather than just steering clear of damaging coral reefs, for example, a regenerative-minded traveler might join or fund local coral restoration projects. Instead of buying mass-produced imported souvenirs and food, they intentionally seek out locally grown produce, locally owned accommodations, and community-led experiences that keep tourism revenue cycling within local Vincentian economies.

    This difference is subtle but transformative. Where sustainable tourism seeks to maintain what already exists, regenerative tourism seeks to restore what has been damaged. Instead of casting travelers as passive consumers of a destination’s offerings, it positions them as active partners in strengthening local communities, protecting fragile ecosystems, and building long-term economic resilience.

    This shift also demands new thinking from tourism businesses. Hotels and resorts no longer stop at reducing their own waste or cutting carbon emissions. They become active contributors to local development by sourcing produce from nearby farmers, backing local conservation projects, investing in cultural preservation, and creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. When tourism operates this way, every stakeholder gains: communities grow stronger, ecosystems become healthier, and visitors leave knowing their vacation created lasting, positive change.

    ### What Could Regenerative Tourism Look Like in SVG?

    Opportunities to implement this model already exist across SVG’s islands.

    #### Mainland Saint Vincent: Tying Together Culture, Agriculture, and Community

    On the mainland, regenerative tourism can be built around the existing resources and traditions that already give Vincentian communities their unique identity. Local culture is already a core draw for visitors, and events like Vincymas prove that tourism can support a broad creative economy, from costume designers and seamstresses to musicians, performers, food vendors, and dozens of other skilled workers that make the celebration possible.

    But under a regenerative framework, culture becomes more than just a spectacle for visitors to observe. This model creates space for deeper engagement: visitors can join costume-making workshops, hear traditional cultural stories directly from community members, watch local craft demonstrations, and interact with the people who keep these traditions alive. This approach strengthens local creative industries while ensuring more economic benefits stay within local communities.

    Agriculture offers another powerful opportunity for growth. For years, policymakers and industry leaders have discussed agritourism as a way to diversify SVG’s tourism offerings. Regenerative tourism expands this idea further by building a stronger circular economy that connects farmers, tourism businesses, and visitors directly.

    Imagine if more hotels sourced the majority of their fresh produce from local farmers that use climate-smart, sustainable growing practices. Visitors would get fresher, more authentic meals, while their spending directly supports Vincentian producers, encourages the adoption of more sustainable farming techniques, and keeps more tourism revenue cycling through rural communities. In this model, every meal becomes an investment in local livelihoods.

    This approach is far from an unrealistic dream. Farmers across Saint Vincent already supply fresh produce to local hotels and restaurants, proving the foundation for a regenerative tourism model is already in place. Strengthening these existing connections will create more opportunities for rural communities while making local agriculture a core, visible part of the visitor experience.

    #### The Grenadines: Protecting Island Heritage and Growing the Blue Economy

    In the Grenadines, regenerative tourism must center the unique value of the nation’s maritime traditions and coastal communities. SVG’s reefs, seagrass beds, and coastal ecosystems are some of its most valuable tourism assets, but they face growing pressure from yachting traffic, marine recreation, and the impacts of climate change.

    A regenerative approach protects not just the natural environment, but also the traditional knowledge, skills, and cultural practices that are tied to the sea. On islands like Bequia, for example, traditional boatbuilding is a one-of-a-kind cultural heritage that highlights the deep connection between Vincentians and the ocean. Creating opportunities for visitors to learn these traditions directly from craftspeople, while ensuring the artisans benefit financially, helps preserve this important cultural asset for future generations.

    At the same time, a regenerative model can tie visitor spending directly to community-led conservation projects. Visitors can contribute to coral restoration, mangrove rehabilitation, marine conservation education, and support sustainable livelihoods for local fishers transitioning to eco-tourism work. The core goal is simple: tourism should leave our marine environments and island communities stronger, not weaker.

    ### Is This Model Viable for SVG?

    Some may question whether modern travelers are willing to embrace this approach, but existing evidence across the Caribbean shows it works. Regenerative tourism does not force travelers to participate in unpaid conservation work; instead, it designs experiences that naturally encourage positive contributions, while attracting travelers whose values already align with responsible travel.

    Several Caribbean destinations have already proven this model can succeed. In Negril, Jamaica, Rockhouse Hotel has built robust local supply chains and invested heavily in local education through its charitable foundation, proving that even small accommodations can generate major positive community impact. In Belize, resorts partner with national marine conservation organizations, giving visitors the chance to directly support reef protection while enjoying world-class diving. Closer to SVG, Saint Lucia’s iconic Jade Mountain resort has invested in coral restoration and environmental stewardship for decades, proving luxury tourism and ecological responsibility can reinforce one another. In Tobago, Castara Retreats has built its entire business model around community integration rather than isolating tourists from local life, encouraging visitors to spend directly with local businesses and take part in daily village life.

    These examples make one thing clear: regenerative tourism is not an abstract, untested theory. It is already a working model across the Caribbean.

    ### The Next Natural Step for Global Tourism

    This framework does not mean sustainable tourism has failed. On the contrary, sustainability remains an essential foundation for responsible travel. But today’s interconnected environmental, economic, and social challenges demand that we think beyond simply maintaining what we already have. Regenerative tourism is the natural next evolution of the responsible travel movement. Instead of asking tourism to do less harm, it asks tourism to do more good.

    For a small destination like SVG, this shift can create a major competitive advantage in the global travel market.

    ### Looking Ahead

    Regenerative tourism aligns perfectly with the core values that have always made SVG special. Our greatest strengths have never been massive chain resorts or manufactured tourist attractions. They have always been our people, our tight-knit communities, our stunning natural landscapes, and our unfiltered authenticity.

    By strengthening partnerships between tourism and agriculture on the mainland, and expanding community-led marine conservation across the Grenadines, SVG can build a tourism industry that creates lasting shared value for all residents. Tomorrow’s travelers are increasingly seeking destinations where their visit leaves a positive legacy. They do not just want to visit paradise — they want to help paradise thrive.

    If SVG embraces regenerative tourism, it will not only remain one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful destinations. It can also become a regional leader, proving that tourism can strengthen local communities, restore damaged natural ecosystems, and build shared prosperity that lasts for generations.

    * Azubah Adams is a hospitality and tourism development professional with a focus on sustainability. The opinions expressed are the author’s own and do not represent the editorial stance of iWitness News.*

  • Police chief vows ‘crushing legality’ after triple murder in capital

    Police chief vows ‘crushing legality’ after triple murder in capital

    A brazen triple homicide steps from the main police headquarters in Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has triggered a sweeping, rule-of-law anchored crackdown on transnational and local criminal networks, Police Commissioner Enville Williams announced Saturday.

    The violence unfolded shortly before midnight on Friday, when patrol officers responded to urgent calls of repeated gunfire ringing out in the capital’s central Chinatown district. This busy commercial and social hub, located directly across the street from the Central Police Station between the Solidarity Carpark and local fish market, is a common gathering spot for residents to socialize over food, drinks and informal recreation.

    When first responders arrived at the scene, they found three men with life-threatening gunshot wounds, all of whom were pronounced dead at the location. Authorities have since identified the victims as 50-year-old Claude John, a cart operator from Largo Height; 34-year-old Karon Bowens, also known by the nickname “Twin”; and 23-year-old Giovannie Grant, both day laborers from Ottley Hall. Preliminary investigations into the attack indicate two masked gunmen approached the group from the coastal side behind a public restroom before opening fire. Law enforcement sources familiar with the case note that both Bowens and Grant had prior convictions for violent offenses, leading investigators to theorize that John may have been an unintended bystander caught in the targeted attack.

    In a recorded audio address released to social media Saturday, Commissioner Williams framed the killings as a dangerous escalation of gun-related violence plaguing the island nation, describing the attack as an audacious provocation carried out in the very heart of the capital, mere hundreds of yards from police central command.

    Acknowledging widespread public anger, fear, and lingering skepticism after previous police pledges to curb violent crime, Williams rejected offering empty assurances, instead outlining a fundamental shift in the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force’s strategy for combating organized gun crime.

    “The old playbook is closed,” Williams stated, addressing criminal networks directly. “You believe you understand how the police force operates. You think you can predict our response, map our patrols, and anticipate our next move based on how things used to be. You are fundamentally wrong.”

    The commissioner announced that a highly coordinated, multifaceted law enforcement offensive is already underway against those responsible for the killings and the broader criminal networks that support them. He declined to disclose operational details including targets, patrol adjustments or tactical approaches, emphasizing that criminals will have no advance warning of police action.

    Crucially, Williams stressed that the entire crackdown will be conducted strictly within the bounds of the nation’s constitution and statutory law. “We do not need to break the law to break you,” he said. “Every asset, every intelligence capability, and every statutory power available under the Constitution of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is being weaponised against you. This offensive will be executed with absolute crushing legality.”

    Tactical response teams, investigating officers, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions are operating in full alignment to implement this new policing approach, Williams said, with the core goal of using the strict letter of the law to make operating in the country impossible for targeted violent offenders.

    The commissioner also issued a direct warning to any person aiding the attackers, whether by harbouring the gunmen, storing their weapons, providing transportation, or concealing information about the crime. “The law views you as an active participant in bloodshed. The statutory consequences coming for you will be indistinguishable from those coming for the shooter,” he said. Investigators are building an airtight, unassailable case focused on securing long-term convictions rather than media attention, he added, noting “we are not playing for headlines. We are playing for conviction in the court of law.”

    Williams also called on law-abiding members of the public to break the long-standing culture of silence that allows violent criminals to operate with impunity. Rejecting calls for blind faith in police, he urged citizens to judge the force by its coming actions, and to share any information they have about the shooting, or about ongoing criminal activity, with investigators. The public can submit tips via dedicated police tip lines 456-1810 and 457-1211, emergency lines 999 and 911, or any local police station, with all information treated as strictly confidential. Williams pledged that the force would fiercely protect informants’ identities under the law, noting that “criminals cannot survive without a community to hide in. They rely entirely on your silence to escape the justice system. That ends today.”

    Extending heartfelt condolences to the families of the three victims, Williams promised a swift and thorough effort to bring all responsible parties to justice, saying “Justice might appear slow, but rest assured, it is sure as the sun shines.”

    Closing his address, Williams reaffirmed the state’s commitment to upholding the rule of law over armed criminal groups. “This country belongs to the decent, law-abiding citizens of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It does not belong to thugs with guns,” he said. “They have misread our commitment to due process as weakness, and they have brought chaos to our doorstep. We are now taking the supreme authority of the law directly to theirs. The guns will not govern this nation. The law will prevail, and the absolute sovereignty of the state will be maintained.”

  • 2 men with history of violence among 3 killed in K’town

    2 men with history of violence among 3 killed in K’town

    On a Friday night in the capital city of Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a brazen public shooting left three men dead just hundreds of meters away from the island nation’s Central Police Station, shocking local communities and adding to a growing count of annual homicides. The three victims have been identified as Claude John, a resident of Redemption Sharpes, and Ottley Hall locals 35-year-old Karon “Twin” Bowens and 24-year-old Giovannie Grant.

    The attack unfolded in the Chinatown district of Kingstown, a busy commercial and social corridor situated opposite Central Police Station, nestled between the Solidarity Carpark and the capital’s fish market. This stretch of the city is a common gathering spot for locals, who regularly congregate here to eat, drink, socialize, and gamble, making the public attack all the more alarming.

    Preliminary reports from the scene outline a coordinated, targeted assault: two masked gunmen crept toward the group from the seaside path behind the city’s public washroom before opening fire, striking all three men fatally at the scene. Local law enforcement has not yet released an official statement on the incident, the investigation, or potential motives as of press time.

    The killings push the total number of homicides recorded in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the current year to 27. While this marks a 13-homicide drop from the 40 killings recorded in all of 2025, the year still has five months remaining, leaving open the possibility that the final count could narrow the gap between this year and last.

    Criminal analysts and insiders with knowledge of local gang activity have posited that John was likely an unintended casualty of the attack, with Bowens and Grant the actual intended targets. Both men had lengthy criminal histories that had previously put them in the national news headlines.

    Grant’s criminal record stretches back several years and includes multiple violent and non-violent offenses. In June 2023, he was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for assaulting his ex-girlfriend in a public attack that unfolded shortly after police had already warned him to stay away from her. The assault began in Little Tokyo and escalated to a public punch to the woman’s face under the Courts gallery on Upper Bay Street, after Grant failed to force his way into the car where she had sought safety.

    That September 2023, Grant received an additional one-year prison sentence for stealing EC$200 from a sanitation worker who had fallen asleep at the Public Health Department in Kingstown in January of that year. More recently, in May 2027, he faced a new wounding charge for allegedly cutting a 23-year-old Campden Park woman on the left hand during an incident in Kingstown; he was granted EC$2,900 bail ahead of a trial scheduled for February 8, 2027. That same March, he was charged with stealing EC$100 in cash from a 53-year-old South Rivers farmer at the Solidarity Carpark in February, pleaded not guilty, was granted EC$500 bail, and no update on the case’s court status is currently available.

    Bowens, meanwhile, had a repeated history of firearms-related offenses dating back to 2009. That September, he was sentenced to three years in prison after being caught carrying a Ruger GP 100-357 Magnum revolver and six rounds of .38 special ammunition by Rapid Response Unit officers in Ottley Hall. Officers reported that Bowens threw the weapon into nearby brush when he realized he had been spotted approaching the patrol.

    In May 2027, Bowens was again imprisoned for firearms-related violence: he received concurrent sentences totaling five years for possession of an unlicensed firearm, discharging the weapon, and wounding after he fired at Kemel Peters of Green Hill, accidentally striking Aaron Delpesche of Chateaubelair instead. Both Bowens and Grant also faced a joint 2022 charge of possession of 54 pounds of mutton suspected to be stolen, alongside two other co-defendants.

    This triple killing marks the second multiple-homicide shooting in Kingstown so far this year. On April 10, two men — 29-year-old Enrique “Shoubu” John of Layou and 22-year-old Raheem Guy — were shot and killed in the Stony Ground neighborhood of the capital. Enrique John, one of the victims, had been out on bail for two attempted murder charges at the time of his death, just two days after a court ruled he could retain bail despite violating his curfew. He was also a co-defendant in a high-profile credit union robbery case from July 2024 that brought multiple charges against five separate suspects.

  • SVG contributes as CARICOM send 88 containers of relief to Venezuela

    SVG contributes as CARICOM send 88 containers of relief to Venezuela

    In the wake of catastrophic twin earthquakes that tore through north-central Venezuela on June 24, regional unity has come to life as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) — with meaningful participation from St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and seven other member states — has completed a major humanitarian relief operation to support recovery efforts.

    The devastating seismic event, measured at magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 respectively, left an unprecedented trail of destruction across the affected region. Official and United Nations figures confirm more than 4,800 confirmed deaths, thousands of unaccounted-for missing people, nearly 17,000 injured people requiring urgent medical treatment, and more than 18,000 displaced residents who lost their homes and now live in overcrowded temporary camps. In response to this humanitarian crisis, CARICOM organized a collective regional aid shipment that delivered 88 containers of critical supplies to the Venezuelan port of La Guaira.

    The relief cargo covers the most urgent needs of earthquake-impacted communities: staple food supplies for displaced populations, essential prescription and emergency medications for overwhelmed medical facilities, construction materials to repair damaged infrastructure and temporary shelters, heavy equipment for clearing earthquake rubble, and 300 large-capacity water tanks to address disrupted access to safe drinking water. Alongside SVG, contributing nations include Guyana, Grenada, Belize, The Bahamas, Jamaica, and St. Kitts and Nevis, with additional backing from other CARICOM member states to round out the regional initiative.

    In remarks affirming SVG’s commitment to the effort, Prime Minister Godwin Friday drew on the country’s own firsthand experience with natural disasters to frame the mission. “We have faced our own difficult times, and we know how much it means to have friends and neighbours stand with you when you need them most,” Friday said. “So, we stand with our CARICOM partners and extend a helping hand to the people of Venezuela. We hope this contribution will bring comfort and support to families and communities working to recover and rebuild.”

    SVG’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble, emphasized that the coordinated response reflects the core values that bind Caribbean nations together. “When our neighbours face hardship, we must be prepared to stand together and respond. This humanitarian effort demonstrates what we can achieve through regional cooperation and collective action,” Bramble said. “St. Vincent and the Grenadines is pleased to contribute to this CARICOM initiative and to stand with the Government and people of Venezuela during this difficult period.”

    On Venezuela’s side, senior government officials formally received the shipment on behalf of the country’s government and public. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil accepted the aid alongside Vice Minister for the Caribbean Raúl Li Causi, while Interim President Delcy Rodríguez extended formal gratitude to all participating CARICOM leaders, specifically asking for her appreciation to be passed to Prime Minister Friday and the people of SVG. Gil echoed Rodríguez’s thanks, describing CARICOM as a consistent and reliable ally whose solidarity illustrates the power of regional collaboration during moments of crisis.

    In a closing statement in a public press release, the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines reaffirmed its longstanding commitment to regional solidarity and collaborative disaster response. “The government of St Vincent and the Grenadines remains committed to regional solidarity and cooperation, particularly in times of crisis and natural disaster,” the release said.

  • Credit rating downgrade reflects ULP’s ‘prolonged neglect’

    Credit rating downgrade reflects ULP’s ‘prolonged neglect’

    In the wake of a major credit rating downgrade for St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), a senior official from the newly elected government has pinned full responsibility for the fiscal decline on the country’s long-ruling previous administration. On June 30, global rating agency Moody’s announced it would lower SVG’s long-term local and foreign-currency issuer ratings from B3 to Caa1, maintain the country’s short-term non-prime ratings for both currencies, and revise the rating outlook from stable to negative.

    Moody’s outlined clear reasoning for the downward adjustment, pointing to intensifying liquidity pressures facing the SVG government, persistently high gross financing requirements, and a rapidly growing national debt that has become unmanageable for a small, undiversified island economy with extremely limited access to alternative financing sources. The agency explained that the country’s outsized financing needs are now constrained by an increasingly narrow, concentrated domestic funding pool, while years of consistent fiscal deficits have pushed the national debt onto a steep upward growth trajectory projected to continue through 2029. This sustained growth, Moody’s noted, has significantly eroded the government’s ability to absorb unexpected economic or natural shocks.

    Chiefain Neptune, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister from the new New Democratic Party (NDP) administration, acknowledged that SVG has weathered a string of severe external shocks over the past six years, including the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 eruption of the La Soufriere volcano, and Hurricane Beryl in July 2024—all of which Moody’s incorporated into its rating assessment. Even so, Neptune emphasized that the downgrade is fundamentally rooted in 25 years of ongoing mismanagement and neglect under the Unity Labour Party (ULP), which held power from March 2001 until the November 2025 general election.

    In that historic election, the ULP suffered a landslide defeat, securing just one of the 15 available parliamentary seats after entering the race holding a 9-6 majority over the NDP. Neptune argued that the scale of the ULP’s loss reflected widespread public frustration with the state of the country when Vincentians cast their ballots. He noted that the previous administration left the nation grappling with sky-high unemployment, the lowest wage levels across the Caribbean, and record-breaking homicide rates.

    “The Vincentian economy was left in ruins due to years of reckless overspending and excessive borrowing, which primarily benefited a small elite rather than fostering genuine development for St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” Neptune stated, adding that the resounding election result saw voters deliver a clear mandate for the NDP to lead the country’s recovery.

    Since taking office, the NDP government has already moved forward with policy measures designed to strengthen economic performance and put more disposable income directly into the hands of ordinary Vincentian citizens. But Neptune said the Moody’s downgrade lays bare the deep, systemic economic weaknesses inherited from the previous regime. “When we stepped into office, we understood that the economy was fragile. What we couldn’t foresee was just how bleak the legacy of neglect from the ULP truly was until we entered the Financial Complex in Kingstown,” he added.

    Neptune reaffirmed the NDP administration’s commitment to restoring fiscal and debt stability while advancing national development, acknowledging that Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday and his governing team face a massive task to address the accumulated challenges of decades. He noted that the Moody’s report has highlighted the full scale of the country’s economic difficulties, underscoring the need for a comprehensive, nationwide approach to reverse decades of underinvestment.

    Despite the steep challenges ahead, Neptune emphasized that the NDP took office with a clear public mandate to rebuild the economy, generate new employment opportunities, and create pathways for Vincentians to prosper at home rather than being forced to emigrate in search of work. The government’s recovery strategy is built around four core pillars outlined by Prime Minister Friday: agriculture, tourism, the blue economy, and innovation-driven new economy sectors.

    Neptune pointed to early signs of growing investor confidence in the administration’s plan, highlighting a recently signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Global Port Holdings that is expected to unlock new economic opportunities for communities across SVG. “This is just one example of the potential for growth,” he said. “Through disciplined fiscal management and steadfast commitment, the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is determined to turn things around, reversing the neglect of the past and delivering for all Vincentians.”