Caribbean News

CARPHA Speaks to the Region on World Hypertension Day 2023

Published

2 years ago

May 16, 2023

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. 16 May 2023. “Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is the number one risk factor for illness and premature death from cardiovascular disease, and one of the most common non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Caribbean region. This disease may go undetected, thus getting your blood pressure checked frequently is especially important, so that timely treatment including lifestyle changes and/or medication can be started to reduce progression to complications,” remarked Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), in observance of World Hypertension Day.

The non-Latin Caribbean has the greatest mortality rate from cardiovascular disease (418 per 100,000 inhabitants).

A study that examined 10-year mortality trends in 20 English and Dutch speaking Caribbean countries/territories, discovered that cardiovascular disease accounted for most deaths (13-25%) with Montserrat, Bermuda and Trinidad and Tobago having the highest percentages^[1]. In the adult population aged 30-79, the regional age-standardized prevalence of hypertension was 35.4% in 2019. It was more substantial in men (37.6%) compared to women (33.3%). Furthermore, the top 20% of countries in the world with the highest prevalence included countries in the Caribbean with Dominica (47.7%) having the highest prevalence and Belize with the lowest prevalence (38%) (Pan American Health Organization, 2021).

Uncontrolled blood pressure can cause serious health problems such as heart failure, stroke, damage to the kidneys and the back of the eye. Although blood pressure usually increases with age, hypertension is preventable and treatable. According to the World Health Organization, although hypertension is an easy condition to diagnose and treat, globally about 46% of adults remain unaware that they have this condition.^[2]

The risk factors contributing to hypertension are similar to those of other major chronic NCDs such as cancer and diabetes. Behavioural and lifestyle-related factors – eating too much salt, being overweight and not getting enough exercise, excessive use of alcohol and smoking of tobacco – can put people at a higher risk for developing high blood pressure.

“While there is no cure for hypertension, making lifestyle changes can greatly enhance your quality of life and reduce your risk of developing heart disease and stroke,” stated Dr. Heather Armstrong, Head of Chronic Disease, and Injury at CARPHA. She stressed the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle at all ages. “That means reducing your salt intake, eating a healthier diet rich in fruits and vegetables, getting enough exercise and maintaining a healthy body weight for your height and age, and avoid the harmful use of alcohol.”

In the Region, Caribbean governments and other stakeholders are working towards achieving a 25% decline in the prevalence of hypertension by 2025 and premature mortality by a third by 2030.

Through combined and coordinated efforts, CARPHA is committed to continuing its work to increase awareness of the dangers of high blood pressure and to address the risk factors associated with the disease. CARPHA’s work in Integrated Disease Management includes the publication and implementation of clinical guidelines to support the diagnosis, management and care of diabetes and hypertension, disease conditions which are major risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases. With the support of the French Development Agency (L’Agence Française de Développement-AFD), CARPHA is spearheading the revision of a clinical guideline for the management of hypertension in primary care in the Caribbean.

Additionally, CARPHA has developed a Regional Framework for Reduction of Sodium in Caribbean populations, a major risk factor for hypertension that aims to Change the food environment, Educate the population, strengthen system capacity, and Assess progress (CESA). Salt awareness programs, webinars and messaging systems have been put into place to further educate and support CARPHA Member States.

World Hypertension Day is observed annually on May 17^th. This year’s theme is Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer. The objective is to raise awareness, promote hypertension detection and encourage citizens of all countries to prevent and control this silent killer.

Caribbean News

Guyanese Scholar and Olympian Arrested in Iowa ICE Crackdown

Published

1 week ago

September 27, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

September 27, 2025 – In a shocking breach of public trust and institutional oversight, Ian Andre Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, who is a citizen of Guyana, was arrested on September 26 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under a string of serious offenses that raise troubling questions about hiring practices, accountability, and public safety.

Roberts, born in Georgetown, Guyana, is a former Olympian and accomplished scholar. According to online reports, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Coppin State University after transferring from St. Francis College in Brooklyn, where he played soccer. He holds two master’s degrees—from St. John’s University and Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business—attended an Executive MBA program at MIT Sloan School of Management and earned a doctorate in education with a focus on urban educational leadership from Trident University.

Despite these accomplishments, Roberts was living and working without legal authorization. ICE reported that he fled a traffic stop and abandoned his school-issued vehicle. At the time of his arrest, he was reportedly in possession of a loaded handgun, a fixed-blade hunting knife, and $3,000 in cash. He also has a prior weapons-related charge.

ICE officials questioned how Roberts could hold such a prominent role while subject to a final deportation order issued in May 2024. The school district said they were unaware of his immigration status, noting that he had undergone background checks and completed an I-9 form confirming work authorization. Roberts was placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.

This case highlights vulnerabilities in systems meant to safeguard public institutions and underscores the challenges ICE faces in identifying individuals operating outside U.S. immigration laws while in positions of authority.

For many, Roberts has become a near-literal poster child for these enforcement gaps.

Caribbean News

Bermuda Shaken by Targeted Murder as Crime Returns After a Decade of Calm

Published

2 weeks ago

September 21, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Bermuda is reeling after the brazen murder of 37-year-old Janae Minors, a mother of two, who was gunned down in her own beauty supply store on Court Street, Pembroke. The attack, which police describe as “targeted,” has rattled the island, not only for its brutality but for what it says about the state of law and order in a country that less than a decade ago was celebrating a dramatic fall in violent crime.

The Attack on Court Street

According to police, at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, a lone gunman pulled up on a stolen black motorcycle, walked into the Beauty Monster shop Minors owned, and shot her multiple times. Despite the rapid response of emergency services, she succumbed to her injuries shortly after being transported to hospital.

Detectives say the killer was thin, tall, dressed in dark clothing with a full-face helmet, and wearing bright gloves. CCTV shows him fleeing north on Court Street, down Tills Hill toward TCD, before turning onto Marsh Folly Road. Investigators are pursuing all leads, with a focus on recovering evidence from nearby cameras and eyewitness accounts.

Police Commissioner Darrin Simons confirmed the attack bore the hallmarks of gang-related violence, a chilling indicator that Bermuda’s gang rivalries — long simmering beneath the surface — may once again be spilling into broad daylight.

A Vibrant Life Cut Short

Minors, remembered as a hardworking entrepreneur with “a vibrant, beautiful personality,” leaves behind two children, ages 16 and 18. Her murder has ignited outrage across Bermuda, not just for its senselessness but for its timing: the island had once prided itself on virtually stamping out gun violence.

Then: Near-Zero Murders

Back in 2014, Bermuda made international headlines for reporting zero firearm murders — a remarkable achievement given the small island had endured a spate of gang-related shootings in the early 2010s. Police credited intelligence-led operations, tighter firearms interdictions, and aggressive prosecutions of gang leaders. Community programs and mentoring initiatives also played a role, giving at-risk youth alternatives to gang life.

By 2015 and 2016, gun crime was at historic lows. That period was hailed as proof Bermuda could beat back the tide of violence with coordinated policing, social investment, and political will.

Now: Alarming Resurgence

Fast forward nine years, and the picture looks starkly different. In 2024 and 2025, Bermuda has recorded a rise in gun-related deaths. Rival gangs such as Parkside and 42 have resurged, fueled by a new generation of recruits. Economic pressures, high youth unemployment, and the easy flow of smuggled firearms through maritime routes have undermined earlier gains.

Community trust in the police has also eroded, making investigations harder and retaliations more likely. Opposition MPs and neighborhood leaders warn that without sustained focus, Bermuda risks sliding back into the violent cycles of the early 2010s.

Public Alarm and Political Pressure

Premier David Burt condemned Minors’ killing as “an escalation of community violence that cannot be tolerated,” promising stronger enforcement and deeper engagement with residents. The Bermuda Police Service has appealed for CCTV, dashcam, and doorbell footage from the area, urging residents that even the smallest detail could break the case.

Yet among the public, frustration is growing. People remember the calm of 2014 — when zero murders were recorded — and cannot understand how the island has returned to headlines dominated by gun violence. The contrast is stark: from celebrating the elimination of gun murders to confronting the targeted execution of a businesswoman in broad daylight.

A Test for Bermuda’s Future

The murder of Janae Minors has become more than a single case; it is now a symbol of Bermuda’s struggle to hold on to the progress it once made. The question facing the island is whether the successes of a decade ago can be replicated and sustained in today’s harsher climate of economic pressure and gang rivalries.

For Minors’ family, nothing can erase the tragedy of losing a mother and daughter so violently. But for Bermuda at large, her death is a wake-up call — that the island cannot afford complacency when it comes to crime.

As one community leader put it: “Nine years ago, we had beaten this. Now, we’re back to fearing what happens when the sun goes down. That is not the Bermuda we want to live in.”

Caribbean News

CARICOM-Africa Summit Yields Draft Pact on Trade, Travel and Reparations

Published

2 weeks ago

September 19, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Imagine an Atlantic Bridge connecting the Caribbean Region to the African Continent

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — When CARICOM leaders convened with African counterparts and Afreximbank officials in Ethiopia, the outcomes were savory and exactly what many Caribbean people want to see materialise as the islands become uniquely reconnected to the African continent.

At the Second CARICOM-Africa Summit, held at the African Union headquarters, leaders moved beyond symbolic language to agree on a draft communiqué that, if finalized, would anchor this partnership in practical action. While not yet officially published by the AU or CARICOM, the document points to an agenda that blends history with urgent twenty-first century priorities.

The draft outlines commitments to improve air and sea transport links, including the pursuit of a multilateral air services agreement to break down the barriers that still keep the Caribbean and Africa physically apart. It also calls for visa facilitation and simplified entry regimes, making it easier for citizens of both regions to travel, study, and work across the Atlantic.

Equally significant are pledges to advance double taxation treaties that could remove one of the most stubborn obstacles to investment. With Afreximbank’s Caribbean headquarters already established in Barbados and the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) gaining momentum, leaders now want to lock in the financial and legal frameworks that will drive new business.

Reparatory justice also featured prominently, with the draft communiqué sharpening a joint call for coordinated advocacy. CARICOM’s long-standing Reparations Commission is expected to work more closely with African institutions to demand global recognition and redress for the shared traumas of slavery and colonial exploitation.

CARICOM’s incoming chair, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew of St. Kitts and Nevis, captured the spirit of the gathering when he urged that the Atlantic Slave Trade be reimagined as an “Atlantic Bridge — a bridge of hope, a bridge of advancement, a bridge that will ensure our people take their rightful place in this world.”

For Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett, the meeting was a “homecoming,” but also a reminder that concrete steps like the Health Development Partnership for Africa and the Caribbean (HeDPAC) and improved transportation links are needed to transform rhetoric into results.

For citizens back home, wrestling with inflation and economic uncertainty, the Addis outcomes — transport, visas, investment, health, and reparations — are precisely the kinds of measures that can validate leaders’ journeys and rekindle faith in South-South cooperation. What was once only rhetoric now hints at the beams of an Atlantic Bridge, connecting the Caribbean and Africa in ways that could finally turn history’s tragedy into tomorrow’s advantage.