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An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.0 rattled several Caribbean countries on Wednesday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The Trinidad-based Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) said that the quake, which occurred at 5.07 am (local time) was at a depth of eight kilometers (km).

It said that the quake was felt 206 km east north east of Point-à-Pitre, the capital of the French country of Guadeloupe, 233 km east of Saint John’s in Antigua and Barbuda and 246 km north east of Roseau, the Dominica capital.

Government and opposition lawmakers Tuesday closed ranks and elected retired Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Davidson Bostic as Barbados’ second president.

None of the legislators in the two Houses of Parliament raised any objection to the election of Bostic, who will replace Dame Sandra Mason and assume office on Independence Day, during a transition ceremony marking Barbados’ 59th anniversary of Independence from Britain on November 30.

retired Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Davidson Bostic

His election was greeted with loud desk-thumping from members of the ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and the Democratic Labour Party (DLP).

Bostic’s nomination had been jointly submitted by Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne, and political commentators said that his unanimous endorsement reflected widespread confidence in his leadership, experience and unifying presence.

The former health minister and University of the west Indies graduate, served as the director of operations at the Barbados-based Regional Security System (RSS) before retiring from active military service.

He later entered public office, representing the City of Bridgetown and serving as Minister of Health and Wellness from 2018 until his retirement from public life in 2022. In recognition of his service, he was awarded the Order of Freedom of Barbados, the island’s highest national honour.

The Speaker of the St. Lucia Parliament, Claudius Francis, who attended the parliamentary session on Tuesday, described the event a ‘moment of Republican maturity.

‘The occasion was solemn, dignified, and quietly momentous. It marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one,’ he wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday.

‘Bostic brings to the presidency a reputation for discipline, service, and quiet resolve. His elevation was expected, yet it carried the weight of continuity and national confidence,’ he said, noting that in ‘a political climate often marked by sharp division and rhetorical sparring, Thorne’s unfiltered support was anything but regular.

‘It was a gesture of national unity, a moment of statesmanship that transcended party lines. His words, devoid of hedging or partisan caveats, signaled a maturity in political discourse that Barbados-and indeed the wider Caribbean-should take note of,’ Francis wrote.

The Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs on Wednesday donated over TT$1.5 million to 15 athletes and sporting organisations to assist with their development.

The cheques, totaling $1,585,000.00, were presented in the Ministry’s conference room, Nicholas Towers.

Director of Sports, Gabre Jesu McTair said the donations underscore the Ministry’s steadfast commitment to empowering athletes, coaches, and youth leaders through meaningful financial partnerships.

Athletes and sporting organisations on hand to receive the $1.6 million in donations from the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs

The assistance provided will bolster international competition preparation, stimulate community-based youth programmes, and strengthen the fabric of local sport and development projects across Trinidad and Tobago.

McTair, reaffirmed the Ministry’s dedication to nurturing opportunities for young people and athletes to achieve their fullest potential.

‘Today’s disbursement represents more than financial assistance; it reflects our belief in the potential of our citizens to represent Trinidad and Tobago with pride, purpose, and excellence.

‘We remain committed to ensuring that our sporting and youth sectors are vibrant, well-supported, and continually inspired,’ McTair said.

The recipients thanked the Ministry for its ongoing support, while noting that the funds will play a vital role in their preparation, training, and community engagement efforts.

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy is looking forward to a much-improved showing from his side when they take on India in the second and final Test match here on Friday.

The Windies slumped to an embarrassing defeat by an innings and 140 runs inside three days in the opening Test last Saturday, their fifth loss in their last six Test matches.

Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday, Sammy said the team had done some serious introspection following the loss and was in positive spirits.

He said judging from the way the players approached their training session on Wednesday, he was expecting a motivated side in the final Test. ‘Things have not been going well for a little bit.I see some of the guys lack confidence and it’s something that has to come from within, but you know with lack of performances it’s always hard to rise yourself above that level.

‘But my job is to continue to instill that in the way we practice, in the way we think, in the way we plan and strategise,’ Sammy said.

‘The conversations that we had after the Test, to see the way they came out there and really put a conscious effort to train better, I expect some sort of improvement, at least in the way they think and the belief they have going into this Test match.’

The West Indies last defeated India in a Test match in 2002 in the Caribbean and their last win on the subcontinent came in 1994 in a drawn Test series.

Despite those statistics, Sammy said he was not daunted by the task of possibly defeating India.

‘When it’s all gloomy and doom and you see the sun burst through the clouds it brings a good mode and I thought honestly that the way we practiced, just from the practice today, I saw a difference.

‘The conversations that we had after the Test match, I asked and challenged every person to speak of yourself, speak about what you have to do or what you need to do in order for this team to be successful or competitive. Don’t look at the man next door, look at your own self,’ Sammy said.

‘The guys spoke about the things that they think they need to do and to see them really make a conscious effort out there to practice like that, I’m hoping that that can now dive into the Test match and we be a much more competitive side that challenges a Test match win.’

Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew says nurses from Ghana are due to arrive here as part of the twin island Federation’s deepening of relations with Africa.

Speaking on the monthly ‘Roundtable’ discussions with the media, Prime Minister Drew, a medical practitioner, described the presence of the nurses as a ‘tangible benefit’ of the new relationship and that it represents ‘a deliberate policy shift’ by his administration toward stronger South-South cooperation and sustainable partnerships with African nations.

Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew on the ‘Roundtable’ with the media

He said that this initiative forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen human resource capacity across critical sectors such as health, education, and technology, while at the same time advancing the Africa-Caribbean cooperation agenda that St. Kitts and Nevis has been actively championing at the regional and international levels.

Prime Minister Drew told reporters that the recruitment is not merely transactional but grounded in a long-term vision of mutual development and cultural exchange between Africa and the Caribbean, two regions linked by history, heritage, and a shared determination to shape their own development destiny.

Prime Minister Drew, who co-chaired the first in-person meeting between Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, earlier this year, has repeatedly underscored the importance of translating historical and diplomatic ties into practical outcomes.

He said through this ongoing partnership, St. Kitts and Nevis has forged academic, medical, and technical linkages with several African institutions, including the Open University of Tanzania, Cape Coast University in Ghana, and the Afreximbank.

The Ghanaian nurses are expected to arrive here later this year and will be integrated into the national healthcare system, supporting the Ministry of Health’s goal of strengthening service delivery, expanding capacity, and improving patient care across public facilities.

Police say they have seized guns, ammunition as well as a small wooden boat after conducting a marijuana eradication exercise at three areas in the Upper Berbice River.

A statement by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said that no one had been arrested in connection with the seizure and that during the four day exercise they used a drone to identify a six-acre farm that was already prepared for planting marijuana.

The police said that they destroyed four nursery beds with about 5,000 cannabis seedlings, 64 pounds of dried cannabis, and three other acres of marijuana plants as high as six feet. Thirty of the 64 pounds of cannabis were found in an abandoned church.

Police estimate the street value of the marijuana at just over five million dollars (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents).

They said that they seized a 12-gauge double-barrel shotgun, one .32 pistol with an empty magazine, three 20-gauge shotgun cartridges, two cellular phones, one 15 horsepower outboard engine, and one 50 horsepower outboard engine and a wooden boat. As well as a chainsaw and that other material at the sites were destroyed by fire.

President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Wayne Forde has been appointed to serve on FIFA’s Men’s National Team Competitions Committee.

The appointment, which will run from 2025 to 2029, sees Forde join a distinguished panel responsible for shaping policies and overseeing all matters related to men’s national team tournaments worldwide.

Wayne Forde

The committee plays a pivotal role in guiding the development and organization of major competitions under FIFA’s umbrella, including the FIFA World Cup and Continental Qualifiers.

In a statement, FIFA expressed its ‘pleasure and honour’ in extending this appointment, which falls in line with the governing body’s statutes and governance regulations.

According to the GFF, Forde’s appointment represents a milestone achievement that highlights Guyana’s increasing influence in global football governance.

The GFF noted, that Forde’s inclusion underscores the growing respect for Guyana’s leadership and contribution to football administration and development at the international level.

The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) says four regional countries have signed on to the agreement formalising their membership in the 22-year-old institution, inaugurated here in March 2003.

The CRFM said that Anguilla, The Bahamas, Dominica, and Montserrat signed the agreement during the recently held Caribbean Week of Agriculture in St. Kitts and Nevis.

‘Currently, there are 17 member states of the CRFM that have been actively involved in the effective management of the organization. The CRFM prides itself on meeting the needs of its members with the available resources,’ said CRFM executive director, Dr. Marc Williams.

‘When attracting resources to support the implementation of our work program and alleviate the financial burden on member states, the CRFM is frequently asked about its governance framework.’

He said that the CRFM has in the past adopted several key policies to improve its governance framework, including the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy (CCCFP), which enables participating states to collectively undertake the scientific research and studies necessary to determine the status of fish stocks, determine available fishing opportunities, and develop rational harvest strategies and fisheries management plans to ensure optimum sustainable use of the resources and protect the ecosystems.

In addition, the Personal Data Protection Policy ensures that the roles and responsibilities of employees of the CRFM Secretariat are clearly defined, understood, and followed by all employees, and which provides procedural guidance on how the CRFM Secretariat and its governance bodies will implement the Policy;.

The other policies implemented are the Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy and the Whistleblower Policy.

Williams said that the CRFM is making a conscious effort to ensure that its initiatives are gender-sensitive and considerate of the needs of youth and indigenous peoples.

Electoral officials say that voter confirmation process in Dominica is set to begin next Wednesday with the mission being to to modernise the electoral process, making it transparent, inclusive, more efficient, and credible.

‘For many years, electoral reform and modernisation have been central to national dialogue in Dominica. It has been a process marked by reflection, consultation, and commitment, all driven by a shared goal: to strengthen our democracy and ensure that every vote truly counts,’ said the chairman of the Electoral Commission, Duncan Stowe.

Duncan Stowe speaking at news conference

He told a news conference that the mission is clear and it is to ‘modernise the electoral process, making it transparent, inclusive, more efficient, and credible,’ adding ‘we have sought to enhance transparency, build trust, embrace responsible use of technology, and ensure that the system works fairly for every Dominican’.

The Electoral Reform legislation was passed earlier this year by parliament and Stowe said that since the passage of the legislation the Electoral Commission has been working diligently to operationalise the reforms, including training personnel, strengthening systems, and preparing for full implementation.

‘It has not been without challenges, but the progress has been steady and determined. Today we announce that we are ready to begin the confirmation process from October 15 2025,’ Stowe said, adding that the Commission believes that ‘democracy must continually evolve to serve the people.

‘This reform is more than an administrative change , it is a renewal of trust between the people and the institutions that safeguard their voice. We have come a long way, and though challenges remain, we are proud of our progress and confident in the work ahead,’ Stowe added.

Chief elections officer, Anthia Joseph, said that the voter confirmation process will take place over the next 15 months.

The main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) has in the past expressed serious concerns regarding the electoral reform legislation calling for amendments to ensure fair, free, and credible elections in Dominica.

The UWP argues that while the proposed reforms aim to address long-standing issues within the electoral process, they fall short of meeting public expectations for genuine change.

Among the concerns include the integrity of the voter registration system with the party calling for a complete re-registration of voters to ensure an accurate and legitimate electoral roll.

A tropical storm watch has gone into effect for several Caribbean islands as Tropical Storm Jerry is forecast to become a hurricane on Thursday.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that the storm is located about 835 miles east sout east of the northern Leeward Islands and has maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour (mph).

A tropical storm watch is in effect for Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, Sint Maarten, Saba , St. Eustatius, Guadeloupe and the adjacent islands.

The NHC said that interests elsewhere in the northern Leeward Islands and the British and U.S. Virgin Islands should monitor the progress of Jerry, the 10th named storm of this year’s Atlantic Hurricane Season that ends in November.

The NHC said that Jerry is moving toward the west-northwest near 23 mph and that this

general motion is expected to continue with a decrease in forward speed during the next couple of days, followed by a turn toward the north-northwest and north beginning on Friday. ‘On the forecast track, the core of the system is expected to be near or to the north of the northern Leeward Islands late Thursday and Friday. Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is expected during the next few days, and Jerry is forecast to become a hurricane on Thursday,’ the NHC said.

The NHC said that on Thursday into early Friday, rainfall of between two to four 4 inches is expected across the Leeward Islands with a risk of flash flooding, especially in areas of higher terrain.

It said swells generated by Jerry are expected to reach the Leeward and Windward Islands on Thursday, then spread westward toward the Greater Antilles on Friday.

‘These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.’