Carib Scope

标签： Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

圣文森特和格林纳丁斯

  • SVG sends largest-ever team to Caribbean Dinghy Championships

    SVG sends largest-ever team to Caribbean Dinghy Championships

    As regional sailing competition prepares to kick off in St. Maarten, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is making history with the largest national sailing squad the nation has ever sent to the Caribbean Dinghy Championships, running across four days from Thursday to Sunday 2026.

    The seven-athlete line-up marks a defining milestone for sailing development across SVG, according to an official statement released by the SVG Sailing Association. The achievement also underscores the rapid strengthening of the country’s youth sailing development programme, which has expanded access to competitive training for emerging athletes across the island nation.

    The full roster of competing sailors spans multiple competitive classes: Jordi Lewis and Rio Marks-Dasent will compete in the RS Zest division; Joshua Osborne and Isaiah Blackett will race in RS Quest; Kai Marks-Dasent will compete in the ILCA 6 class; Joshua Weinhardt will enter the ILCA 4 division; and Keyron Harris will compete in the Optimist class. The squad is a deliberate mix of seasoned regional competitors and exciting young newcomers, with multiple athletes set to make their regional championship debut at this event.

    In the official press statement, the association noted that for many of these young athletes, a spot at the Caribbean Dinghy Championships is the culmination of years of consistent commitment, daily training and relentless perseverance that has led them to this moment, where they will go head-to-head with the top young sailing talent from across the entire Caribbean region.

    Sabrina Marks-Dasent, the team’s manager, described the moment as a point of national pride for SVG’s sailing community. “This isn’t just the largest team we have ever fielded for a Caribbean Dinghy Championships – it is clear proof of how far we have come in nurturing the next generation of sailing talent in our country,” she said. “For many of these first-time competitors, every race, every interaction, and every moment on the water will deliver experience that no local training session can match. It will be irreplaceable for their growth as athletes.”

    Over the past several months, the full team has put in intensive preparation through structured local training camps and domestic competitions, with financial and logistical support provided by the SVG National Olympic Committee. Their training covered every core skill required for competitive dinghy racing, from precise boat handling and strategic race positioning to physical fitness and open-water seamanship. Beyond the race course, their participation in this year’s championship reinforces the steady expansion of accessible sailing opportunities for young people across all of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

    The Caribbean Dinghy Championships is one of the region’s premier annual sailing events, bringing together elite youth and adult dinghy sailors from dozens of Caribbean nations to compete across multiple competitive divisions. Beyond the action on the water, the championship serves as a critical development pipeline for emerging Caribbean sailing talent, while also fostering cross-regional connection, cultural exchange and a shared commitment to sporting excellence.

    As the SVG team travels to St. Maarten, they carry with them the full support and well wishes of the entire Vincentian sailing community. The SVG Sailing Association emphasized that no matter the final race results, the team’s participation alone represents another major step forward for the long-term growth of competitive sailing in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

  • VINLEC fuel surcharge rises to 86.71 cents despite $798,000 subsidy

    VINLEC fuel surcharge rises to 86.71 cents despite $798,000 subsidy

    St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ primary electricity provider, VINLEC, announced Tuesday that it will implement an October 2026 fuel surcharge of 86.71 cents per kilowatt-hour, even after applying a record monthly subsidy of EC$798,591 to soften the impact of global energy market volatility on consumers.

    This new rate marks a 7-cent per kWh increase from September’s charge, and also surpasses the previous all-time high surcharge of 83.20 cents applied to July 2026 electricity bills by 3.5 cents. VINLEC officials confirmed that the $798,591 subsidy applied to October bills is the largest single-month subsidy the company has ever allocated, a direct response to the unprecedented spike in global fuel prices. Without this intervention, the company added, the October fuel surcharge would have climbed above 92 cents per kWh, placing a far heavier financial burden on residential and commercial customers.

    Since the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines rolled out national cost-of-living support initiatives in May 2026, VINLEC’s cumulative subsidy contributions have topped EC$3.9 million, underscoring the company’s efforts to offset steady price increases driven by global market forces. The root cause of the latest surcharge hike, VINLEC explained, is the all-time record high benchmark price for diesel fuel reached across most Caribbean territories in September 2026. This sharp price increase stems from global supply chain disruptions tied to ongoing geopolitical tensions, which have sent ripples through energy markets across the region.

    Even as it navigates short-term market volatility, VINLEC reaffirmed its long-term commitment to reducing reliance on fossil fuels by expanding renewable energy penetration across St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Two key projects are currently advancing to meet this goal: the recently recommissioned solar farm at the Lowmans Bay Power Station, which has nearly tripled solar photovoltaic generation capacity at the site, and an ongoing Battery Energy Storage System project at the company’s Cane Hall facilities. The Cane Hall storage project is on track to be completed by early 2027, and will provide the grid flexibility needed to support additional renewable energy expansion across the island chain.

    In its announcement, VINLEC urged customers to continue practicing electricity conservation wherever practical to help manage individual monthly costs. The company also noted that customers with questions about their October electricity bills or the new fuel surcharge can reach the VINLEC Customer Services Department via email at [email protected], by phone at 456-1701 extension 237 or 238, or through the company’s official Facebook page.

  • When home and school unite, the youth shine!

    When home and school unite, the youth shine!

    The debate over where responsibility for child development lies—with families or educational institutions—has long persisted among educators and community leaders. While schools can never replicate the foundational role of a family, and teachers should never be forced to stand in for absent parental guidance, building intentional, sustained partnerships between home and school stands as an irreplaceable pillar of positive youth development. This op-ed from experienced school counsellor Ann-Marie Ballantyne makes a compelling case for collaborative engagement, particularly amid rising concerns over youth violence across the Caribbean, including St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

    Nearly 200 years ago, 19th century writer Ellen G. White captured a timeless truth about child rearing: that consistent, intentional instruction and guidance at home is the strongest possible preparation for a child’s academic journey. Yet today, far too many parents walk away from their core responsibility to nurture, discipline, and support their growing children. Many refuse to coordinate with school staff to guide their children’s development, only to shift blame to schools, communities, and every other party when their child faces crisis later on.

    To ground this discussion, Ballantyne reached out to fellow educators across the region to gather their insights on how parent-teacher partnership shapes student well-being and growth. One educator explained that strong collaborative bonds allow parents and teachers to openly share observations of a child’s strengths, ongoing challenges, and developmental progress, enabling targeted, timely support that addresses issues before they escalate. Another educator highlighted a troubling pattern: many parents actively engage with schools to support their children through primary school CPEA exams, but dramatically pull back from involvement as soon as their children transition to secondary school.

    This sharp drop-off in parental engagement during adolescence is particularly damaging, because the teenage years represent one of the most critical developmental stages in a person’s life. Adolescents navigate rapid, overwhelming shifts across every dimension of their lives: physical growth, changing social dynamics, expanding intellectual capacity, and turbulent emotional shifts. To navigate these changes healthily, they need consistent, intentional support from responsible, caring adults in both the home and school setting.

    Ongoing collaboration between parents and teachers delivers tangible, far-reaching benefits for both student well-being and academic performance. When children see that both their families and educators are invested in their whole-person success, they gain greater motivation to learn and grow. Shared investment also helps young people build a strong sense of personal responsibility and accountability. Simple, consistent actions from parents go a long way: regularly checking homework, monitoring school attendance and punctuality, attending PTA meetings, maintaining open communication with teaching staff, checking in on a teenager’s overall well-being, and celebrating their effort along the way.

    For their part, teachers also bear a responsibility to keep parents actively informed—not only to share concerns about problem behavior, but to highlight student wins and positive growth. When a child feels seen, loved, and supported by both their family and their school community, they are far less likely to turn to harmful behaviors such as bullying, substance misuse, and violent acting out.

    Rising school violence has become an urgent public concern across many Caribbean nations in recent years, including St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Problematic youth behavior does not develop overnight: it is often the product of disconnection between families, schools, and young people. Building strong, trusting relationships across these three groups is one of the most powerful tools to address the current surge in youth-related crime.

    This perspective aligns with recent research from leading regional academic Professor Donna-Maria Maynard of the University of the West Indies, who has spent years studying adolescent development and the root causes of youth behavior from a psychological framework. As recently as March 2025, Maynard delivered a public lecture at the Cave Hill Faculty of Humanities and Education titled *Rethinking youth violence in the Caribbean: A psychological perspective*, where she outlined her key findings. Maynard confirmed what many on the ground have observed: the Caribbean is currently facing an unprecedented rise in violent crime involving young people. Beyond outlining the root causes of youth violence, she highlighted solutions that center closer examination of core social institutions—including families and schools—and how these structures shape young people’s life trajectories. She also emphasized the critical need for early intervention in school settings, to identify and support at-risk youth before harmful behaviors escalate into crisis.

    When parents and teachers work together, with shared commitment to young people’s success, they build a strong foundation that supports healthy child development and paves the way for a safer, more inclusive, civil society. Revisiting Ellen G. White’s long-held observations confirms this core truth: children who develop habits of obedience and self-control at home enter school far better prepared to thrive, avoid many of the common temptations facing young people, and become a positive support to their teachers and peers. For young people who do not receive that consistent foundation at home, White also urged teachers to approach their work with empathy and kindness, noting that gentle, encouraging guidance can be a transformative blessing for vulnerable youth.

  • SVG taking part in World Island expo in Korea

    SVG taking part in World Island expo in Korea

    As a small island nation making intentional moves to amplify its global footprint, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has joined the 2026 World Island Exhibition hosted in Yeosu, South Korea, turning the international gathering into a launchpad for its tourism, culture, and local business sectors.

    Running through November 4 under the overarching theme “Islands: Connecting the Ocean and the Future”, the exhibition brings island nations from across the globe together to share their unique identities and development visions. SVG’s official three-person delegation touched down in Yeosu on October 5 to prepare for the country’s showcase. The team is composed of Angenella Young, Export Marketing and Promotions Coordinator at Invest SVG; Asif Bailey, Content Creator and Graphic Designer at the same investment promotion agency; and Saflana John, Administrative Officer II from SVG’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment and Diaspora Affairs.

    In an official statement from Invest SVG, the national agency leading SVG’s exhibition participation, the country is poised to gain multiple strategic advantages from joining the global event. Beyond raising international awareness of the small island nation, the expo serves as a high-profile platform to boost SVG’s burgeoning tourism sector and celebrate its deep-rooted cultural heritage.

    Nadine Agard-Juillerat, Acting Director of Invest SVG, described the country’s participation as a landmark moment of national pride. “Yeosu gives us a global stage to share our story, from the beauty of our islands and the richness of our culture to the creativity of our producers,” Agard-Juillerat shared. “Every conversation at our booth is an opportunity to build awareness, open doors for our products and invite the world to look at SVG as a place to visit, trade with and invest in.”

    A core focus of SVG’s showcase is highlighting the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of the nation’s local small businesses. Invest SVG has curated exposure for a collection of promising local brands, including natural goods maker Jazzy All Naturals, independent art studio Kong Art Creationz, lifestyle brand Rocks n Roses, designer Peta Odini, artisan Calvert Jones, and specialty brand SVG Teas. According to the agency’s press release, early visitor engagement at the SVG booth has already generated strong international interest in these local products, creating new pathways for export expansion that aligns with Invest SVG’s dual mandate of attracting foreign investment and growing national exports.

    SVG’s exhibition booth also sets an innovative example for destination marketing, blending cutting-edge digital technology with authentic cultural presentation. Guests can explore the archipelago’s stunning landscapes and coastal communities via immersive virtual reality headsets, while vibrant handcrafted carnival costumes from local production house Mirage Productions bring the vivid energy and cultural heritage of Vincentian carnival to life for international audiences.

    In a happy twist of timing, SVG’s trip to South Korea has delivered an unexpected opportunity to expand the nation’s international visibility beyond the exhibition. The Invest SVG team was able to secure media sponsorship for the national SVG Robotics team competing at the 2026 FIRST Global Challenge, a global robotics competition also being held in South Korea, putting a spotlight on the country’s next generation of young innovators.

    This report was updated to correct an inaccuracy from the original Invest SVG press release: multiple other Caribbean nations are also participating in the 2026 World Island Exhibition, a detail not reflected in the agency’s initial statement.

  • Murder accused killed while attempting to rob ganja farm — police

    Murder accused killed while attempting to rob ganja farm — police

    A 23-year-old man who was already awaiting trial on charges of murder and attempted murder has been killed by multiple gunshots early Friday during an attempted break-in at a licensed commercial cannabis operation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, local law enforcement confirmed.

    Joel Williams, a long-term resident of Ottley Hall who carried an extensive rap sheet of firearm-related and violent offenses, was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident at CANNASVG farm, where responding officers found his body with multiple gunshot wounds.

    The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force confirmed that dispatch received emergency calls just after 12:10 a.m. alerting officers that two masked, heavily armed men had forced entry into the Georgetown-based cannabis property. By the time first responders arrived at the location, only Williams was located on the site, already incapacitated by his injuries.

    A district medical officer officially pronounced Williams dead at the scene, and authorities have scheduled a post-mortem examination to formally confirm the exact cause of his death. To date, law enforcement has not released any information identifying who fired the fatal shots that killed Williams, nor have they announced any suspects of taken into custody in connection with the shooting. The second man who allegedly accompanied Williams during the burglary attempt remains unidentified and has successfully evaded capture, with police still working to trace his whereabouts as of the latest updates.

    Williams’ death closes a three-year string of increasingly serious criminal charges against the young man, dating back to 2022. In October of that year, Williams was found in illegal possession of a loaded pistol and five rounds of ammunition in New Montrose. The case led to a conviction at the Serious Offences Court in January 2023, when Williams was 18 years old. During his sentencing, then-Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne publicly noted that the country’s rising tide of gun-related crime had turned her courtroom into a de facto “gun court”, a remark that underscored the scope of the region’s ongoing violent crime crisis.

    Just months after that conviction, Williams was named as one of four men charged in connection with a violent crime spree that included robberies and kidnappings at the Campden Park Industrial Estate. Charges from that incident included trespassing on commercial property while armed, assaulting a facility worker, and kidnapping a warehouse security guard by force.

    Most recently, in February 2026, Williams and Ottley Hall neighbor Kyle Providence were formally charged with murder and attempted murder. The charges stem from a February 2025 shooting in Edinboro that left 24-year-old Carl Quow of Chauncey dead and another victim, Jolani Thompson, injured.

  • SVG to introduce a new type of CBI programme — Friday

    SVG to introduce a new type of CBI programme — Friday

    Against a backdrop of growing international scrutiny of Caribbean citizenship-by-investment (CBI) schemes, Prime Minister Godwin Friday has reaffirmed St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ commitment to launching a revised, highly regulated CBI programme, with a targeted launch in the first quarter of 2027. The announcement came during an on-the-record interview with St. Kitts and Nevis-based journalist Andre Huie, held on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand.

    Friday acknowledged that CBI programmes face widespread global headwinds, particularly after the European Union issued a mandate in June 2024 demanding that five existing Caribbean CBI-hosting nations — Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia — phase out their programmes by 2028 or face the loss of visa-free access to the Schengen Area. In response to this demand, Caribbean CBI leaders crafted a coordinated joint response in July, opting for sustained diplomatic dialogue over immediate compliance and planning a high-level delegation visit to Brussels to meet with senior European Commission, European Council, and European External Action Service officials, as well as representatives from individual EU member states.

    Despite this external pressure, Friday stressed that CBI programmes remain a viable economic development tool for small island nations, pointing to growing global uptake of similar schemes: Argentina recently launched its own CBI initiative, and multiple European countries already operate active programmes. The Prime Minister, whose New Democratic Party (NDP) made introducing a CBI programme a core campaign pledge ahead of its November general election victory, noted that both the economic opportunities of CBI and international concerns about the scheme — including risks of money laundering, illicit financial flows, and security gaps — are equally valid.

    To address these widespread concerns while unlocking economic benefits for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Friday confirmed the new programme will depart significantly from older CBI models. Key reforms include strengthened cross-border due diligence screening for all applicants, centralized national oversight coordinated by a dedicated government unit, and aligned regional governance through the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank will also play a formal role in ongoing monitoring and regulatory compliance, embedding robust financial safeguards into the programme’s structure from its launch.

    A third-party consultancy is currently finalizing the programme’s design, integrating adjustments to resolve concerns raised by the EU and other objecting nations. Friday added that peer OECS member states with existing CBI programmes are already implementing similar regulatory overhauls to address international scrutiny, signaling a region-wide shift toward more rigorous governance of these schemes. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that through targeted reforms, sustained diplomatic engagement, and shared goodwill between Caribbean nations and the EU, a mutually acceptable resolution can be reached that allows CBI programmes to operate responsibly while delivering broad economic benefits to small island developing states.

  • Reform the police force first to meet the challenges of crime

    Reform the police force first to meet the challenges of crime

    When examining the current leadership of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Police Force, the slow rollout of promised reforms, and the conspicuous lack of consistent action against the illicit drug trade that undergirds widespread community criminality, a critical question emerges: are SVG’s leaders truly committed to winning the fight against crime?

    Six months have passed since the Minister of National Security first announced planned personnel reshuffles within the police force, and the process only concluded earlier this week with the formal announcement of internal promotions. Far from restoring public confidence, however, these promotions have deepened public concern. The outcome, to put it bluntly, has been deeply disappointing and falls far short of what the public has a right to expect.

    Weeks ago, author Ronnie Daniel floated the idea of invoking emergency powers to curb the surge in violent crime across SVG. But before pursuing such a drastic measure, it is essential to ask: have all other available avenues under existing legislation been fully exhausted?

    Have policymakers and police leadership conducted a thorough review of current policing strategies, officer deployment frameworks, and the institutional structure of the force itself? After all, if the institution tasked with combating crime is not properly organized and aligned to meet its mandate, it cannot reasonably be expected to execute its core crime-fighting responsibilities effectively.

    One long-running criticism of SVG’s police force is that its leadership is far too focused on regulating internal officer matters rather than policing the entire country. Disproportionate attention is spent punishing junior male officers through denied leave, targeted harassment of disfavored personnel, and blocking promotions and career advancement opportunities. At the same time, junior female officers are regularly exploited by the same senior officers tasked with their mentorship and protection. Meanwhile, allies and personal favorites of leadership receive preferential treatment and unearned promotions. In short, the very shepherds tasked with protecting the flock are preying on their own.

    It is true that police leadership has a responsibility to manage personnel, but that cannot be their primary mission. Senior officers must prioritize preventing crime, investigating offenses, and protecting the public. A leadership that moves swiftly to discipline junior ranks but turns a blind eye to abuse of power within its own senior circles cannot earn or maintain public trust.

    Turning to the force’s institutional structure, there are pressing questions about the over-centralization of critical specialized units including the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Rapid Response Unit (RRU), Special Services Unit (SSU), Coast Guard, and traffic enforcement. This over-concentration of resources leaves communities outside major urban centers struggling to access timely, responsive policing services.

    The solution, many argue, is to establish dedicated operational bases for each of these specialized units across SVG’s different districts, staffed with enough officers to meet local needs and launch effective operations without delay. This does not mean simply posting one officer per district and labeling it a functional unit; rather, it requires building a full contingent of trained personnel capable of responding to incidents and executing operations independently, instead of forcing outlying communities to wait for resources deployed from distant central locations. When all essential services are concentrated in a single hub, rural and regional communities are left underserved and vulnerable, which is no way to deliver effective public safety.

    Many long-term residents of SVG remember a time when proactive raiding squads conducted random, visible patrols across communities, serving as a consistent reminder that law enforcement could intervene at any time. Today, community members know exactly who the drug pushers and dealers operating in their neighborhoods are; they are often neighbors, operating openly in plain sight, with well-documented impacts on community safety. To be clear, this knowledge does not justify arbitrary arrests based on rumor or gossip. All law enforcement action must follow due process and be supported by solid evidence. But the requirement for evidence cannot become a convenient excuse for inaction while dealers continue to operate openly and unchallenged. It is core police work to convert credible community tips and intelligence into prosecutable evidence, and to systematically investigate individual dealers and their criminal networks.

    As a working farmer, the author has seen firsthand the direct link between illicit drug use and praedial larceny – the theft of agricultural crops. Based on years of experience, individuals struggling with drug addiction are responsible for the vast majority of crop theft across SVG. Farmers pour months of labor, capital, and time into growing food products, only to have their harvest stolen and sold for pennies on the street by thieves. This pattern robs farmers of critical income, undermines national food production, and inflicts broader damage on SVG’s entire economy. These thefts cannot continue to be treated as isolated, minor incidents when they are deeply connected to larger criminal drug markets that must be addressed.

    Recently, reports have emerged of a 14-year-old female student in interior SVG who is allegedly addicted to cocaine, requiring a daily supply that she brings with her to school. If these allegations are true, every parent, educator, law enforcement officer, and policymaker in the country should be deeply alarmed. How does a child this young reach this point? Who is supplying her drugs? How have illegal narcotics become so easily accessible to schoolchildren, and what steps are being taken to hold accountable the adults who profit from hooking children on dangerous, illicit substances?

    Addressing this crisis is about far more than just arresting low-level drug users. It requires protecting vulnerable children, dismantling entire drug supply networks, and integrating prevention, treatment, and enforcement efforts into a cohesive national strategy. All the violence, gun crime, and social harm that plagues SVG is rooted in the illicit drug trade that enables it. Therefore, law enforcement must prioritize targeting the traffickers and disrupting the entire financial and operational structure of the trade.

    This means investigating senior drug suppliers, mapping and dismantling distribution networks, tracing and seizing illicit proceeds from the trade, and cutting off the channels through which illegal firearms enter and circulate in SVG’s communities.

    It also requires asking hard questions about SVG’s maritime borders and ports of entry. Have law enforcement agencies analyzed the connection between calm sea conditions, SVG’s natural sheltered waterways, the movement of illicit contraband, and the geographic locations where criminal gangs operate? Are maritime patrols, intelligence gathering, and border enforcement being coordinated effectively across agencies? If clear patterns of illicit activity can be identified, they should directly inform how and where enforcement resources are deployed.

    At the end of the day, SVG faces a clear choice: continue with a police force whose senior leadership is consumed by controlling its own ranks, or build a police force that is properly structured, resourced, and focused on preventing crime, investigating offenses, and dismantling criminal enterprises. Having senior officers direct traffic in downtown Kingstown may make for good public relations, but it cannot be the benchmark for measuring the success of a national crime-fighting strategy.

    What the public needs and deserves is meaningful, systemic reform within the police organization, deployment of specialized services to the communities that need them most, sustained intelligence-led operations, robust community protection, and systematic disruption of criminal markets. The public should not have to wait for another horrific act of violence to demand action. It is long past time for real, lasting change in how SVG confronts crime in our beloved nation.

    *Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of iWitness News.*

  • St Lucian duo fined 32k each over Arnos Vale drug bust

    St Lucian duo fined 32k each over Arnos Vale drug bust

    A coordinated operation by law enforcement and customs officials in St. Vincent and the Grenadines has taken down a transnational drug smuggling ring, resulting in heavy fines for two St. Lucian men who claimed to be in the country on holiday. Chief Magistrate Colin John handed down the sentence on Tuesday to 31-year-old farmer Kerry Edwards and 31-year-old McGavin Willie, ordering the pair to pay a combined total of EC$32,660 immediately or serve three years in concurrent prison sentences if they fail to comply.

    The pair were arrested on October 9, 2026, following a multi-hour surveillance operation targeting a suspicious blue shipping container that had entered the New Kingstown Port. Narcotics officers led by Inspector Millington positioned themselves to monitor the container, which was registered to a Hilda Thomas of Fancy, and tracked its delivery by truck to a residential property in Arnos Vale. Once the container was delivered, Sergeant 508 Huggins secured a formal search warrant for the property before moving in to execute the raid.

    When officers arrived at the property just after 1 p.m., they announced their presence at the partially open front door and immediately detected the strong, distinct scent of cannabis, alongside sounds of frantic movement inside the home. PC Morgan moved to secure the property’s rear entrance, while officers on the front observed Edwards and Willie in the kitchen unpacking the blue barrel and spreading its contents across the floor. When no one responded to repeated knocks, Willie fled from the kitchen into a back bedroom, prompting officers to enter the property to carry out the search, after presenting the warrant to both suspects.

    A thorough search of the barrel uncovered a sophisticated smuggling operation, with illegal drugs hidden inside everyday consumer goods to avoid detection. 12 sealed packages of cannabis were concealed in cereal boxes, while 77 packages of cannabis resin (hashish) were tucked between bed sheet sets, inside a mop packaging, hidden in cereal boxes, and even stuffed inside sealed jars of peanut butter, with some cereal boxes marked “TEMPLE ROAD”. In total, authorities seized 3,632 grammes of cannabis and 20,974 grammes of cannabis resin, bringing the total weight of the intercepted shipment to 24,606 grammes.

    When confronted with the seizure, both Edwards and Willie maintained their innocence, telling investigators they had no connection to the drugs. They claimed an unidentified man had asked them to hold and inspect the barrel while they were visiting St. Vincent on vacation, noting they had only arrived in the country four days prior via speed boat, clearing entry at Chateaubelair Port. Despite their claims, the pair were formally charged with six separate drug offenses: possession with intent to supply, drug trafficking, and unlawful importation for both the cannabis and the cannabis resin.

    Local law enforcement emphasized that the arrest exposes deep cross-border links between organized criminal networks operating across Canada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Breaking down the sentence, the men were fined EC$4,600 for possession of hashish with intent to distribute, EC$18,020 for trafficking hashish, EC$4,400 for importing hashish, EC$800 for possession of cannabis with intent to distribute, EC$800 for importing cannabis, and EC$4,040 for trafficking cannabis. All fines are due immediately, with a three-year concurrent prison sentence awaiting the pair if they cannot pay the total amount.

  • Visually impaired sailor leads SVG to top 10 finish in Portugal

    Visually impaired sailor leads SVG to top 10 finish in Portugal

    PORTIMÃO, PORTUGAL — A small Caribbean nation has etched its name into the history books of inclusive global sailing, after a visually impaired athlete from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) made the country’s first ever appearance at the prestigious World Sailing Inclusion Championships this month. Competing alongside crewmate Scarlett Hadley, skipper Lorna Bacchus turned a historic debut into a milestone performance that has captured attention for its demonstration of resilience, teamwork and the transformative power of inclusive sport.

    Organized by global sailing governing body World Sailing, the Inclusion Championships stands as the sport’s flagship international event for para and adaptive athletes. Built around the core principle of creating a level competitive playing field for athletes of all physical abilities, the week-long gathering blends high-stakes racing, targeted skill development and cross-athlete community building. Far more than a simple competition, the event exists to prove that sailing can be a fully accessible, empowering activity for people regardless of disability, highlighting how dedication and teamwork can outpace physical limitations.

    Before the official racing got underway, Bacchus and Hadley earned a spot in the World Sailing Inclusion Development Programme, a specialized pre-regatta initiative designed to support first-time participants from emerging sailing nations. Over three days of intensive on-the-water training, the pair worked closely with elite coaches to master core race skills adapted to their needs: reading shifting coastal tides and wind patterns, honing precision starting techniques, and adjusting boat speed and sail trim on vessels they had never sailed before. The hands-on coaching not only built their technical skills but also strengthened the on-board communication that would prove critical during competition.

    That preparation paid off across six days of grueling open-water racing, held along Portugal’s rocky Algarve coast. The Vincentian rookie team faced tough, unpredictable conditions: unusually light winds paired with strong, fast-moving tidal currents that pushed even experienced teams to their limits. Every leg of the race tested the pair’s tactical decision-making, mental resilience and ability to work as a cohesive unit. Over the course of the event, however, Bacchus and Hadley showed consistent, measurable improvement: their communication grew smoother, their boat handling sharper, and their on-course strategy more confident. They saved their strongest performance for the regatta’s closing contest, crossing the line in a top-10 position — a result that exceeded many pre-event expectations and hit the personal goal the pair set before the race: to get better every single day they competed.

    In an interview after the final race, Bacchus, who navigates the course using audio cues and tactile references as a visually impaired athlete, reflected on the experience. “As a visually impaired sailor, this championship was both challenging and empowering,” she said. “Every race taught us something new, and I am so proud to get the chance to represent SVG on this world stage.”

    Her crewmate Hadley echoed that sentiment, highlighting the welcoming community the pair found at the event. “The entire environment here was incredibly supportive,” Hadley said. “We didn’t just grow as sailors — we grew as teammates too. We hope our journey here inspires more people back home in SVG to get out on the water, no matter their ability.”

    Jenny Trumble, president of the SVG Sailing Association, called the debut a turning point for the sport in the Caribbean nation. “Lorna and Scarlett’s participation marks a historic milestone for Vincentian sailing,” Trumble said. “Their resilience and steady progress perfectly embody our vision of making sailing inclusive for all and growing the sport here. We couldn’t be prouder to see Saint Vincent and the Grenadines represented on this global stage.”

  • Mc Kree, Phillips assume diplomatic posts in Canada

    Mc Kree, Phillips assume diplomatic posts in Canada

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has officially seated a new leadership team at its Toronto consulate, marking a key milestone in the country’s plan to restructure its overseas diplomatic network and center its diaspora community as a core driver of national economic growth.

    Roderick Mc Kree, the new Consul General, and Laverne Phillips-Bramble, the Deputy Consul General, formally took up their posts at the Canadian consulate last Tuesday, according to an official announcement from the nation’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment and Diaspora Affairs.

    The appointments were first previewed in May, when Foreign Affairs Minister Fitzgerald Bramble shared the news during an Invest SVG diaspora outreach gathering held in Toronto. At that forum, Bramble outlined the government’s ongoing push to reshape its international missions, with a deliberate focus on aligning the work of overseas posts with the country’s broader economic development agenda by elevating the role of the diaspora.

    In its official statement, the ministry highlighted Mc Kree’s robust 30-year career in education as a foundation for his new diplomatic responsibilities. A native of Bequia and a former lecturer at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, Mc Kree brings a diverse academic and professional profile to the role. He holds a Doctor of Education from the University of the West Indies, and completed graduate and undergraduate studies in Psychology and Psycho-social Intervention at the University of the Orient in Santiago, Cuba. He also earned a Spanish language diploma from the University of ISACA in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba, making him proficient in both English and Spanish.

    The ministry’s release noted that Mc Kree’s decades-long career in education has cultivated sharp adaptability, collaborative problem-solving skills, and strong interpersonal abilities — strengths that position him to engage effectively across varied cultural and professional environments and navigate complex diplomatic challenges.

    Filling the deputy consul general role is Laverne Phillips-Bramble, a Marriaqua native whose professional background blends international business expertise and local media experience. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business and Management from Ming Chuan University in Taiwan, and spent more than 20 years working in local media at NICE Radio. Like Mc Kree, she is bilingual, fluent in both English and Mandarin Chinese.

    The ministry expressed full confidence that the combined experience, diverse skills, and global perspectives of Mc Kree and Phillips-Bramble will deliver meaningful progress in advancing Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ diplomatic, trade, and consular priorities across Canada.