AGP Executive Report

Violent Crime Update: Police have launched murder investigations after the discovery of 84-year-old farmer Lida Lewis’ body in Peruvian Vale, with officers detaining at least four men of interest as a post-mortem is scheduled; reports say she was found with a phone in her mouth and that rape is suspected, while investigators also check whether the killing links to an earlier incident at her property. Security & Crime Response: The latest homicide adds to a growing violence crisis, following the July 1 ambush shooting of 49-year-old Gayron “Gale” Jackson in Mount Young. Fuel Cost Pressure: In Parliament, PM Godwin Friday said the government’s EC$11.8m net liability to fuel suppliers is part of the bonus-malus system used to shield consumers from global oil price swings. Mental Health Reform: The Health Ministry says it is moving to change public attitudes toward mental health, citing staffing limits and the need to treat mental illness as curable. Carnival Safety Push: A Crime Prevention Unit executive urged citizens and visitors to make safety a priority during the busy Carnival period. Sports & Development: Vincentian teams are gearing up for regional action, including FIBA AmeriCup pre-qualifiers and OECS Championships, while local youth sport continues to receive support.

Homicide Update: St. Vincent police have launched investigations after the discovery of 84-year-old farmer Lida Lewis’ body in Peruvian Vale, with officers detaining at least four men of interest; reports say she may have been raped, but police have not confirmed that, and they’re also checking whether the killing links to an earlier incident at her property. Violent Crime Wave: The new murder adds to a spike in killings, following the July 1 ambush shooting of 49-year-old Gayron “Gale” Jackson in Mount Young. Fuel Cost Relief: Prime Minister Godwin Friday told Parliament the government’s EC$11.8m net liability to fuel suppliers is part of the bonus-malus system used to shield consumers from global oil price swings. Mental Health Reform: The Ministry of Health says it’s moving to change public attitudes toward mental health, citing a staffing strain and promising a new reform programme. Carnival Safety Push: A Crime Prevention Unit officer is urging residents and visitors to prioritize safety during the Carnival rush. Tourism & Business: SVGHTA says Restaurant Week “Taste of Vincy” was a success, while Serenity Dive launched the country’s first hydrostatic testing facility for scuba tanks. Regional Sports: SVG basketball and athletics teams are preparing for FIBA AmeriCup pre-qualifiers and OECS Championships, with youth programmes continuing across the Grenadines.

Crime Prevention for Carnival: Police Station Sergeant Steven Billy is urging citizens and visitors to treat safety as a top priority as Carnival ramps up, saying offences often rise during the season and reminding people to take practical steps to protect themselves. Mental Health Shift: The Ministry of Health says it is moving to change public attitudes toward mental health, with Minister Daniel Cummings pointing to staffing limits and stressing that families should not be abandoned or hidden away. Parliament Watch: Two controversial “Dual Citizenship” related bills—Representation of the People (Amendment) and a Constitution (Amendment)—were deferred again after first readings were listed but consultations still haven’t happened. Sports Focus: SVG’s men’s senior basketball team is heading to Guyana for FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers after training in Trinidad, while Athletics SVG names 13 athletes for the OECS Championships in St Kitts and Nevis. Tourism & Local Business: SVG Hotel and Tourism Association hails Restaurant Week “Taste of Vincy,” and Serenity Dive launches the country’s first hydrostatic testing facility at Blue Lagoon Hotel and Marina. Regional Rights: CARICOM moves to address discrimination against Rastafarians, appointing St Kitts and Nevis PM Terrance Drew to chair a new regional committee.

CARICOM Solidarity for Venezuela Quakes: Prime Minister Godwin Friday says St. Vincent and the Grenadines will back CARICOM’s relief push with US$100,000 after deadly earthquakes in Venezuela. Rastafarian Rights Drive: CARICOM is moving toward a regional meeting and a new committee to tackle discrimination and marginalisation faced by Rastafarians, with Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew set to chair the committee. Local Justice Update: Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force has charged 21-year-old Delroy Harry with murder over the June 23 killing of St. Lucian Troy Cassely, plus attempted murder counts. Weather Watch: A tropical wave is expected to bring showers and possible isolated thunderstorms Friday, with sea swells and gusty winds prompting caution for small craft and sea bathers. Maritime Security: Indian Navy says it foiled a piracy attempt on the St. Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged MV Golden Arsenal in the Gulf of Aden; the crew stayed safe. Tourism & Community: OECS held a workshop in Saint Lucia to boost community-based tourism, aiming to keep tourism benefits in local communities.

Tourism Leadership: Vincentian Shafia London has been appointed CEO of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority, taking over July 1 as the country pushes ahead with cruise plans and growing visitor numbers. Cruise Port Politics: Opposition leader Ralph Gonsalves says his ULP government held detailed talks with Global Ports Holdings before losing office, while the NDP signed an MOU for a 30-year cruise terminal lease—sparking fresh questions about the deal’s real costs and returns. Health Alert: The Ministry of Health is warning of rising HIV infections ahead of VincyMas, with new cases highest among ages 25–29 and men over 60, urging testing and safer sex. Weather Watch: A tropical wave is expected to bring showers and possible thunderstorms Friday into the weekend, with small craft operators told to use caution. Regional Rights Agenda: CARICOM will convene a meeting and form a committee to address discrimination and marginalisation faced by Rastafarians across member states, including SVG. Local Innovation: Serenity Dive launched SVG’s first hydrostatic testing facility at Blue Lagoon Hotel and Marina, ending the need to ship scuba cylinders abroad for safety checks. Sports & Community: Bequia’s basketball youth camps continue to grow, with Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday visiting a recent session. Public Safety: Police are investigating the shooting death of a Scottish man in Canouan and are probing possible links to a “vanished” private plane.

Tourism & Ports: Opposition leader Ralph Gonsalves says the ULP government held detailed talks with Global Ports Holdings before losing office, while the NDP signed an MOU for a 30-year cruise port lease—now with questions over the real costs and what the state will recoup. Public Health: Health officials warn of rising HIV infections ahead of VincyMas, with new cases highest among ages 25–29 and men 60+, urging testing and safe sex. Regional Rights: CARICOM will convene a meeting and set up a committee to tackle discrimination and marginalisation affecting Rastafarians across the Caribbean, including access to education, jobs and public life. Agriculture: FAO handed over $56,000 in agri equipment to boost soil testing accuracy and pest management, with a focus on hot pepper productivity. Weather: A tropical wave is expected to bring showers and possible isolated thunderstorms Friday, with small-craft operators urged to take care. Local Innovation: Serenity Dive launched SVG’s first hydrostatic testing facility at Blue Lagoon Hotel and Marina, ending the need to ship tanks abroad for safety checks. Education & Gender: OECS starts a new gender mainstreaming staff training series, and OECS reappointed Dr Didacus Jules to a fourth term as Director General. Crime Probe: Police are investigating the shooting of a Scottish man in Canouan and are also looking into possible links to a “vanished” plane.

Court Watch: Two bills on retroactive changes to election and constitutional rules are set for Parliament’s Thursday, July 2 meeting, with petitions raising questions about alleged foreign allegiance and eligibility. Regional Rights: CARICOM will convene a meeting and form a committee to tackle discrimination and marginalisation affecting Rastafarians, including education and employment barriers, with St. Vincent and the Grenadines among the committee members. Public Health: Ahead of VincyMas, the Health Ministry is warning of rising HIV infections, especially among ages 25–29 and men 60+, urging testing and safe sex. Tourism & Ports: Tourism Minister Dr. Kishore Shallow says the cruise and ferry berth lease deal with Global Ports Holdings includes termination clauses if expectations aren’t met. Crime & Security: Police are investigating the shooting death of Scottish man Danny Vettrino in Canouan and are probing possible links to a private plane that vanished earlier this month. Education: A newly installed Chief Education Officer, Marvis Findlay-Joseph, shares her vision for change as a separate dispute continues over withheld allowances for Adriana King. Sports: Bequia Basketball Association highlights progress in youth camps, while SVG’s men’s senior team prepares for FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Caribbean pre-qualifiers in Guyana.

HIV Alert Ahead of VincyMas: The Ministry of Health is warning of rising HIV infections in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with new cases spiking among people aged 25–29 and men 60+, urging testing and safe sex as Carnival season ramps up. Tourism & Ports: Tourism Minister Dr. Kishore Shallow says the government’s 30-year cruise and ferry berth lease with Global Ports Holdings (GPH) includes termination clauses if expectations aren’t met. Local Produce Push: Hotel and tourism leaders are calling on local hoteliers to join a national effort to promote locally produced food, following Restaurant Week activities. Education Tensions: Outspoken educator Adriana King is again criticizing the Ministry of Education over withheld end-of-year allowances, despite her salary being reinstated. New Education Leadership: The new Chief Education Officer, Marvis Findlay-Joseph, shares her vision for improving the sector after taking office June 26. CARICOM on Rastafarian Rights: CARICOM will hold a special regional meeting to examine discrimination and marginalisation affecting Rastafarians, with SVG among the countries on a committee. Canouan Shooting Probe: Police are following “all lines of enquiry” after a Scottish man was shot dead in Canouan, with reports linking the case to a previously vanished plane. Sports (Bequia & Netball): Bequia’s youth basketball camps are gaining momentum with visits from Vincentian basketball figures and the Prime Minister; DHL Mitres edged National Properties Netters to win the Netball knockout finals by one goal.

T20 World Cup (Semi-final): Hayley Matthews says West Indies have “nothing to lose” as she targets an upset over Australia, drawing confidence from her 2016 final heroics and a 2023 record chase. OECS Leadership: Antigua PM Gaston Browne has taken over as chair of the OECS Authority at its 78th meeting, with a focus on integration, climate resilience, food and energy security, and regional security. Crime & Security: Police in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are investigating the shooting death of Scottish man Daniel (Danny) Vettrino in Canouan, and reports say detectives are probing whether it links to a private plane that “vanished” earlier in June. Public Health: Health officials warn HIV infections are rising ahead of Vincy Mas, with new cases clustering among ages 25–29 and men over 60, urging testing and condom use. Sports Development: SVG’s men’s senior basketball team is set for FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Caribbean pre-qualifiers in Guyana, with a training camp in Trinidad due to facility gaps at home. Fuel Prices: New pump prices take effect in SVG, with gasolene capped at $18.31 per gallon and dieselene at $17.53.

OECS Leadership Switch: Antigua and Barbuda’s PM Gaston Browne has taken over as chair of the OECS Authority at the 78th meeting in Antigua, with a focus on regional integration, climate resilience, food and energy security, and security and digital transformation. Public Health Alert: St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ health officials say new HIV infections are rising ahead of Vincy Mas, with the biggest numbers among ages 25–29 and men over 60; they’re urging testing and safer sex since you can’t tell by appearance. Crime Investigation: Police in Canouan are investigating the shooting death of 37-year-old Scottish man Daniel (Danny) Vettrino, found with multiple gunshot wounds in a Gym Hill car park; a post-mortem is set and reports say two men were detained for questioning. Sports Update: SVG’s men’s senior basketball team will compete in the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers in Guyana next month, with a training camp in Trinidad due to facility standards at home. Energy Watch: New fuel prices take effect in SVG today, with gasoline retail set at EC$18.31 per gallon.

Seismic Watch: UWI’s Seismic Research Centre says recent major quakes in Venezuela are unsettling but not a reason for panic, urging residents to stay prepared as monitoring shows a small rise in regional tremors. Homicide Investigation: Police in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are probing the June 24 killing of Scottish national Danny (Daniel) Vettrino, 37, found with multiple gunshot wounds in Canouan’s Gym Hill area; a post-mortem is planned and local reports say two men were detained. Public Health: Health officials report an uptick in HIV in SVG, with cases clustering among men 60+ and young adults 25–29, and they’re urging safer sex ahead of carnival. Police Accountability: Senator Carlos James says he will sue the government over alleged police brutality in the Kenton Harris and Louis Mercury cases, arguing accountability has been too slow and opaque. Regional Sports: SVG’s senior men’s basketball team is set for the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers in Guyana, with training in Trinidad due to facility gaps at home. OECS Leadership: Dr. Didacus Jules has been reappointed for a fourth term as OECS Director General.

Banking & Regional Finance: Scotiabank is buying the remaining 28.22% of Scotia Group Jamaica it doesn’t own, paying minority shareholders about J$54 billion and taking the 137-year-old firm private—raising the bigger question of who controls Caribbean banking and how the region stays plugged into global finance. Crime & Public Safety: Police in Canouan are investigating the shooting death of 37-year-old Scottish man Daniel Vettrino, found with multiple gunshot wounds near Gym Hill; local reports say two men were detained for questioning. Health: St. Vincent and the Grenadines is seeing a spike in HIV cases, with clusters among young adults (25–29) and older men (60+), as officials urge condom use and warn people can’t tell by appearance who is HIV positive. Police Accountability: Senator Carlos James says he will sue the government over alleged police brutality in cases involving Kenton Harris and Louis Mercury, calling for stronger accountability and reforms. Energy Costs: New fuel prices take effect June 29, with gasolene capped at $18.31 per gallon and dieselene at $17.53. OECS Leadership: Dr. Didacus Jules has been reappointed for a fourth term as OECS Director General. Tourism: Shafia London named new CEO of the SVG Tourism Authority, starting July 1. Food & Fisheries: SVG launches new fisheries and seafood safety strategies after stakeholder consultations under the UBEC project.

Fuel Prices Update: Gas at the pumps in St. Vincent and the Grenadines jumps to new maximums effective June 29, with gasolene set at $18.31 per gallon retail and dieselene at $17.53, after months of political warnings about a looming energy squeeze. OECS Governance: OECS leaders reappoint Dr. Didacus Jules for a fourth term as Director General, while also agreeing to raise the retirement age for judges of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court from 65 to 70. Public Safety & Accountability: RSVGPF wraps Crime Prevention Week with a Kingstown exhibition focused on carnival-season vigilance, as a separate legal critique renews calls for stronger police accountability and reforms. Regional Talks with the US: OECS forms a broad advisory team to guide negotiations with the United States on accepting a limited number of non-criminal third-country nationals and refugees. Education Leadership: Mavis Findlay-Joseph takes over as Chief Education Officer, bringing 34 years of experience to the Ministry. Food & Fisheries: SVG moves to strengthen fisheries and seafood safety with new strategies aimed at improving standards and boosting export access. Tourism Leadership: Shafia London is named new CEO of the SVG Tourism Authority, with the appointment drawing local pride from her Dickson roots. Sports: Amaia Edwards wins three national titles at the Wendell Hercules championships, and SVG basketball names a 13-player squad for a July tournament in Guyana.

CARICOM-Canada diplomacy: Foreign ministers met at the OAS General Assembly in Panama City and renewed a Canada-CARICOM Action Plan focused on security, climate resilience, economic competitiveness, and democratic governance. Food security planning: In Kingstown, the Zero Hunger Trust Fund held a stakeholder validation workshop to finalize its Strategic Plan 2026–2030, shaping priorities for food and nutrition security. Police accountability debate: A guest column renewed calls for stronger police accountability, arguing that the removal of the PACE framework has left citizens exposed. Health—mental health overhaul: SVG is moving toward community-based mental health care, with officials citing severe staffing gaps and high readmission pressures; a Cuban psychiatrist has been appointed to the MHRC. Health—GI surge: The Ministry warned of a gastrointestinal illness spike ahead of Carnival, urging better hand hygiene. Education & youth: A GHS student, Morica DaSilva, died of cancer on graduation day; meanwhile, SVGCC graduated 961 students and the CPEA saw top performers from Kingstown Preparatory School. Tourism leadership: Shafia London was named new SVG Tourism Authority CEO.

OECS Migration Talks: OECS leaders agreed to set up a broad, high-level advisory team to guide negotiations with the United States over accepting a limited number of non-criminal third-country nationals and refugees, with SVG PM Dr. Godwin Friday stressing the move’s implications for safety, resources and sovereignty. OECS Leadership: Dr. Didacus Jules was reappointed for a fourth term as OECS Director General at the 78th OECS Authority meeting, as leaders praised his work on food sovereignty, digital transformation, healthier communities and education reform. Judicial Reform: OECS heads also backed raising the retirement age for Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court judges from 65 to 70 to help address recruitment challenges. Public Health Alert: SVG’s Health Ministry warned of a surge in gastrointestinal illnesses ahead of Carnival, urging better hand hygiene as cases climb among both under-fives and older groups. Mental Health Overhaul: The ministry outlined a shift to community-based mental health care, alongside staffing shortages at the Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre and the appointment of a Cuban psychiatrist to fill a long-standing specialist gap. Tourism Leadership: Shafia London was named new CEO of the SVG Tourism Authority, starting July 1, with her Dickson roots highlighted by local supporters. Regional Digital Resilience: Grenada joined a regional cell broadcast emergency warning project validation workshop with SVG and other OECS states to strengthen disaster preparedness. Sports: Amaia Edwards swept three titles at the Wendell Hercules National Championships, while SVG basketball named a 13-member squad for the Caribbean FIBA Americup 2029 pre-qualifier in Guyana.

OECS Leadership: Dr. Didacus Jules has been reappointed for a fourth term as Director General of the OECS, with regional leaders praising his work on food sovereignty, digital transformation, healthier communities and education reform. Public Service Digital Push: St. Vincent and the Grenadines is moving ahead with a digital transformation agenda, discussed during a Public Service Week forum on making government services faster and more accessible, including a planned tax information system next year. Mental Health Overhaul: Health officials say SVG is shifting from institutional care to community-based mental health services, while severe staffing shortages at the Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre continue to strain nurses; the government has also appointed a Cuban psychiatrist to help close a long-standing specialist gap. Crime Prevention & Safety: The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force wrapped up Crime Prevention Week with an exhibition at Police Headquarters, urging vigilance during Carnival. Education & Youth Wins: Four Kingstown Preparatory School students placed in the top 10 of the CPEA, and 12-year-old Faith Grant became the first blind student admitted to Girls’ High School after excelling in the exams. Tourism Leadership: Shafia London was named new CEO of the SVG Tourism Authority, set to take up the role July 1.