Caribbean News

Powering the Next Wave: Perry Institute Celebrates Conclusion of its 2024 Rising Tides Program

Published

1 year ago

August 15, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

Rising Tiders at Jaws Beach 2024

Kate Harrison, distinguished PADI Course Director and coral restoration specialist

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS) celebrated a milestone last week with the successful conclusion of its 2024 Rising Tides program, an initiative that has rapidly become a beacon of hope for marine conservation in The Bahamas. This summer, the program certified five students as PADI Open Water Divers and four as Reef Rescue Divers. Additionally, two returning students advanced to the prestigious rank of Advanced Open Water Divers, further solidifying their commitment to marine stewardship.

Launched in 2022, the Rising Tides Youth Program was conceived to inspire and equip young Bahamians with the knowledge and skills necessary for careers in marine science, environmental studies, conservation, and research. The program’s balanced curriculum of classroom instruction and field studies has proven to be a potent formula for success, attracting a growing number of aspiring marine biologists each year.

Transformative Experiences Underwater

The 2024 cohort, under the expert guidance of PADI Dive Instructors and coral restoration specialists from the Reef Rescue Network, achieved significant milestones. These certifications are not mere accolades but pivotal steps that pave the way for future academic and professional opportunities in various fields, from commercial diving and coral science to PhD research and rescue diving.

“I thoroughly enjoyed training the Rising Tides students in their Open Water, Reef Rescue Diver, and Advanced Open Water courses. Their enthusiasm and keen interest in marine life were truly inspiring,” said Kate Harrison, PIMS’ coral restoration specialist and PADI Course Director, a highly distinguished title held by only a few hundred professional divers worldwide. “Programs like these will undoubtedly have a lasting positive impact on The Bahamas.”

Voices of the Future

Dr. Karlisa Callwood, Director of PIMS’ Community Conservation, Education, and Action program

The program’s impact is perhaps best expressed through the voices of its participants. Mateo, a 17-year-old student, said, “This program has opened my eyes to the incredible diversity and beauty of our marine ecosystems. It’s been an unforgettable experience, and I can’t wait to continue my journey in marine science.”

Seraph Gomez, an 18-year-old with a passion for sustainable technology, reflected on his time in the program. He said: “Diving beneath the surface with Rising Tides has inspired me to use technology to preserve and protect our environment. It’s been a life-changing experience.”

Serenity Russell, a 16-year-old with dreams of working in marine conservation, said: “I love the learning aspect because I’m being educated on topics I find interesting. I love experiencing new things and venturing out with our group, then sharing our experiences and findings.”

Alicia Wilchombe, 16, who aspires to be a professional dive instructor, valued the sense of community fostered by the program. She said: “I love learning new things about people. It’s been so enriching to not only work with but also relax with the group. It feels like we’re all friends.”

A Crucial Investment

The significance of the Rising Tides program extends far beyond the individual achievements of its participants. In a world where environmental challenges are escalating, the Perry Institute’s commitment to nurturing young conservationists is a critical investment in the future of The Bahamas’ marine ecosystems.

Danielle Cartwright, Education Coordinator and head instructor.

“Through Rising Tides, we aim to move environmental conservation from a niche interest to a national responsibility,” said Danielle Cartwright, the Education Coordinator at PIMS. “Our marine ecosystems, our ‘blue economy,’ is our lifeblood. We need the next generation to become its stewards. Seeing the ‘Tiders’ grow and develop their skills has been incredibly rewarding.”

Dr. Karlisa Callwood, the Director of PIMS’ Community Conservation, Education, and Action (CCEA) program and creator of the Rising Tides program, echoed this sentiment. She said: “We provide these students with hands-on experience necessary to deeply understand the workings of Bahamian marine ecosystems and the role they can play as conservationists personally and in their communities.” The CCEA program works towards promoting conservation through enhanced community engagement, providing tools, training, and experience to help foster a greater conservation ethic across The Bahamas, while also building the next generation of Bahamian conservation leaders.

Looking Forward

As the 2024 program draws to a close, the Perry Institute is already planning for the future. Recruitment for the next cohort of Rising Tides students will commence in January 2025, with details available on PIMS’ website and social media channels. Interested Bahamian students are encouraged to apply and join a growing community of young marine conservationists dedicated to safeguarding their natural heritage.

Photo Captions: Meet the leaders behind Rising Tides: Kate Harrison, distinguished PADI Course Director and coral restoration specialist; Dr. Karlisa Callwood, Director of PIMS’ Community Conservation, Education, and Action program; and Danielle Cartwright, Education Coordinator and head instructor.

About the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS)

For over 50 years, the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS) has been at the forefront of marine research and conservation in The Bahamas and the Caribbean. Our mission is clear: leading through science, we innovate solutions, create opportunities, and inspire action to protect and restore ocean life for people and the planet. Our vision? Thriving seas and empowered communities.

From our beginnings as the most productive marine lab and field station in the world on Lee Stocking Island, we’ve evolved into a global, program-based non-profit tackling critical issues such as coral reef restoration, fisheries conservation, and the protection of mangrove and coastal ecosystems. Our holistic approach integrates cutting-edge scientific research with community education and engagement, as well as international collaboration to make lasting impacts on marine environments.

At PIMS, we’re more than just scientists—we’re educators, advocates, and partners. We empower local communities, provide pathways to conservation careers, and work tirelessly to protect and restore the ocean ecosystems that are vital to both biodiversity and human well-being.

For more information on the Rising Tides Youth Program and other initiatives, please visit the Perry Institute’s website or follow them on social media.

Caribbean News

Guyanese Scholar and Olympian Arrested in Iowa ICE Crackdown

Published

2 weeks 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

3 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

3 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.