Caribbean News
Over 200 Police Officers Complete Landmark Sandals Corporate University Leadership Training
Jamaica, April 11, 2025 – In a landmark collaboration between law enforcement and Sandals Resorts, 210 senior officers from the
Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) have successfully completed an intensive leadership training programme designed and delivered by the Sandals Corporate University (SCU).
Their achievement was celebrated on Thursday, March 13, at Sandals Montego Bay, marking a significant step in strengthening leadership within the force and reinforcing the critical link between security and Jamaica’s tourism industry.
Spearheaded by Sandals and Beaches Resorts Executive Chairman Adam Stewart, the leadership training programme was developed through discussions between the JCF and the tourism business community in St. James to enhance leadership skills within the force.
The intensive training session equipped JCF officers with key leadership and self-development principles, strengthening their ability to lead effectively within their ranks and engage with the public.
This first cohort represents the successful completion of the pilot phase, which trained over 50 percent of the leadership team of 400 officers from the Area One division—comprising Trelawny, St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland. The training was conducted over 10 days, from
November 11, 2024, to January 9, 2025.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr. Horace Chang commended the Sandals Corporate University and highlighted the reduction in crime that Area One is now experiencing.
“Area One has seen the largest reduction in homicides this year, particularly over the last eight weeks,” Dr. Chang stated. If this trend continues, the area will have recorded just over 100 homicides across all four parishes this year—compared to last year, when St. James alone exceeded that number.
Meanwhile, the Security Minister also applauded the SCU, emphasising what he indicated was its growing national significance.
“Knowing the history of Sandals, I am confident that the Sandals Corporate University will soon become one of Jamaica’s most important educational institutions. It is a pleasure and a privilege to have the police force being part of the groups that are working with the Sandals Corporate University,” Dr. Chang said.
The Importance of Security in Tourism
Commissioner of Police Dr. Kevin Blake added that the SCU’s initiative underscores the importance Sandals places on security in the tourism industry. “I want to acknowledge the visionary leadership of Sandals and the wider St. James tourism business community for this outstanding example of corporate responsibility and their deep understanding of security’s role in protecting this essential industry,” Commissioner Blake stated.
During the event, Sandals’ Executive Chairman, Stewart presented the graduating officers with their certifications, stressing that the programme is not just about learning new concepts, it’s about transforming leadership in Jamaica.
“Your leadership will continue to shape the future of this country,” Stewart told the JCF leaders. “Tourism is a key pillar of our economy,
and the JCF’s role in safeguarding this sector is absolutely paramount. This ecosystem thrives on the linkages we create, and I am privileged to work alongside individuals committed to making Jamaica a better place through collaboration between the private sector and policymakers.”
With the successful completion of the pilot phase and 210 JCF leaders now trained and certified, Senior Corporate Director of the Sandals Corporate University Dr. Luz Longsworth announced that SCU is advancing to phase two. This next stage will facilitate training for additional leadership team members as well as rank-and-file officers, guided by findings from a training needs assessment.
SCU is the educational arm of Sandals and Beaches Resorts, providing team members across nine countries in the region with opportunities for academic and professional growth. Through partnerships with internationally recognised universities, professional organisations, and local educational institutions, SCU offers programmes ranging from basic hospitality training to structured learning pathways that can ultimately lead not only to higher education degrees but also to community development.
Captions
Header – Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts, Adam Stewart, presents Assistant Commissioner of Police and Area One Commander Glenford Miller with his certificate for completing Sandals Corporate University’s leadership training programme.
1st insert – Seated in front of a group of officers from the Area One division who completed the Sandals Corporate University (SCU) leadership training programme are (L-R): Minister of National Security Dr. Horace Chang, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts Adam Stewart, Commissioner of Police Dr. Kevin Blake, Senior Corporate Director of SCU Dr. Luz Longsworth, and Deputy Commissioner of Police Warren Clarke.
2nd insert – Minister of National Security Dr. Horace Chang speaks during a ceremony recognizing 210 members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Area One division who completed a leadership training programme by Sandals Corporate University.
3rd insert – Commissioner of Police Dr. Kevin Blake delivers remarks during a ceremony recognizing 210 members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Area One division who completed a leadership training programme designed and delivered by the Sandals Corporate University.
4th insert – “Tourism is a key pillar of our economy, and the JCF’s role in safeguarding this sector is absolutely paramount.” — Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts, Adam Stewart.
By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media
October 14, 2025 – It’s being called political theatre — but for citizens, constitutional watchdogs, and democracy advocates across the Caribbean, it feels far more serious. Within a single week, two national parliaments — in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis — descended into turmoil as opposition members stormed out in protest, accusing their Speakers of bias, overreach, and abuse of parliamentary procedure.
For observers, the walkouts signal a deeper problem: erosion of trust in the very institutions meant to safeguard democracy. When Speakers are viewed as political enforcers instead of neutral referees, parliaments stop functioning as chambers of debate and start performing as stages for power and spectacle — with citizens left wondering who, if anyone, is still accountable.
October 6: St. Kitts Parliament Erupts
The first walkout erupted in Basseterre on October 6, 2025, when Dr. Timothy Harris, former Prime Minister and now Opposition Leader,
led his team out of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly in a protest that stunned the chamber.
The flashpoint came as the Speaker moved to approve more than three years’ worth of unratified parliamentary minutes in one sitting — covering 27 meetings and three national budgets — without individual review or debate.
Dr. Harris called the move “a flagrant breach of the Constitution and parliamentary tradition,” warning that the practice undermines transparency and accountability. “No serious parliament can go years without approving a single set of minutes,” he said after exiting the chamber.
The Speaker defended the decision as administrative housekeeping, but critics were unconvinced, branding the move a “world record disgrace.” The opposition’s walkout triggered renewed calls for the Speaker’s resignation and sparked a wider public discussion about record-keeping, accountability, and respect for parliamentary norms in St. Kitts and Nevis.
October 10: Trinidad Opposition Follows Suit
Four days later, on October 10, 2025, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago staged its own walkout from the House of Representatives in Port of Spain.
The UNC accused the Speaker of partisan bias, claiming she had repeatedly blocked urgent questions, ignored points of order, and allowed government members to breach standing orders without consequence.
“The Speaker has failed in her duty to act impartially,” the Opposition declared in a statement. “Parliament is not the property of any political party or Presiding Officer.”
The dramatic exit was seen as a culmination of months of rising tension and frustration, with opposition MPs arguing that parliamentary rules were being selectively applied to silence dissenting voices.
Political analyst Dr. Marcia Ferdinand described the twin walkouts as “a warning sign that parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean is teetering on the edge of performative politics.”
“When chairs become political shields rather than constitutional referees,” she said, “democracy becomes theatre, not governance.”
A Pattern Emerging
While St. Kitts and Trinidad are very different political environments, both incidents point to the same regional fault line: the perception that Speakers — the guardians of parliamentary order — are no longer impartial.
In Westminster-style systems like those across the Caribbean, the Speaker’s authority depends not on power but on public confidence in fairness. Once that credibility erodes, parliamentary control collapses into confrontation.
Governance experts say the implications are serious: eroded trust between government and opposition, declining public confidence in state institutions, and growing voter cynicism that “rules” are flexible tools of political advantage.
Why It Matters
Parliamentary walkouts are not new in the Caribbean, but what makes these recent events different is their frequency and intensity — and
the regional echo they’ve created. Social media has amplified images of lawmakers storming out, with citizens from Barbados to Belize questioning whether the same erosion of decorum could be happening in their own legislatures.
Analysts warn that if this perception takes hold, it risks diminishing the moral authority of parliamentary democracy itself.
“Once opposition MPs believe the rules are rigged, and once citizens believe Parliament is just performance,” said one Caribbean governance researcher, “you’ve lost the most valuable currency in democracy — trust.”
Restoring Balance
Political reformers across the region are calling for tighter Standing Order enforcement, independent parliamentary service commissions, and training to strengthen Speaker neutrality. Civil society leaders say the public must also play its part by demanding transparency and refusing to normalize partisan manipulation of parliamentary procedure.
Whether these twin walkouts become catalysts for reform — or simply another episode of Caribbean political theatre — will depend on what happens next inside those chambers.
For now, democracy watchers agree on one thing: when opposition leaders feel the only way to be heard is to walk out, the entire democratic house — not just its Speaker — is in danger of collapse.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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