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Flash-Flood Warning issued for Barbados

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Flash-Flood Warning issued for Barbados

Update

The Barbados Meteorological Services has discontinued the Flash-Flood Warning for Barbados, effective immediately.

Meteorologist Charisse Brathwaite said the threat of flash flooding has diminished, prompting the discontinuation of the warning.

However, the public is advised that light to moderate showers and periods of rain remain possible this afternoon, with the alert level remaining elevated.

The discontinuation statement was issued at noon today, August 17, and is the final statement on the event.

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Earlier story

The Barbados Meteorological Services has issued a Flash-Flood Warning for Barbados as a tropical wave continues to affect the island, producing moderate to heavy showers.

The BMS said the showers are expected to produce between two and three inches of rainfall, creating a high possibility of significant flooding, particularly in low-lying areas.

The rainfall could result in runoff from higher elevations, soil erosion and land slippage on exposed or scarred surfaces, and water accumulation on roads and fields.

Flooding is also possible at the foot of hillsides and along coastal roads. The BMS warned that fast-moving water could carry large objects or debris from higher elevations.

Motorists should also expect delays, with some roads potentially becoming impassable or communities being cut off.

The warning will be updated or terminated at noon today, or sooner if conditions warrant. (BMS)

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued for Barbados

Nationnews Desk
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Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued for Barbados

The Barbados Meteorological Services has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch as a tropical wave affects the island.

Moderate to heavy showers are affecting Barbados, with the possibility of frequent lightning strikes, particularly during heavy downpours.

The Met Office warned that lightning activity could result in power outages if strikes hit utility infrastructure and reminded the public that lightning can be life-threatening.

The watch was issued this morning and is in effect until noon today or sooner if conditions improve. (BMS)

‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ actress, Hayden Panettiere, dies at 36

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‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ actress, Hayden Panettiere, dies at 36

 American actress Hayden Panettiere, famed for roles in television shows such as “Nashville” and “Heroes,” has died aged 36, her family said ​in a statement issued by her publicist on Sunday.

No cause was stated, but ‌the death of the nominee for a Grammy and two Golden Globe awards was being investigated, the publicist, Kasey Kitchen, told broadcaster NBC News.

“She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought ​immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who ​watched her onscreen,” said her father, Alan “Skip” Panettiere.

A former child actor, Panettiere ⁠gained recognition voicing Dot, the young princess ant in Pixar’s 1998 animated hit, “A Bug’s Life.” ​Her work on the film’s read-along album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word ​Album for Children.

She shot to fame playing a high school cheerleader with superpowers, Claire Bennet, on NBC’s serialized hit “Heroes,” which debuted in 2006. She also appeared in the 2000 football drama “Remember the Titans,” starring Denzel ​Washington.

“We join in mourning the sudden passing of Hayden Panettiere,” the screen actors’ union SAG-AFTRA, ​which counted her as a member since 1994, said in a statement. “Our hearts are with her daughter, family, ‌friends ⁠and fans.”

Panettiere earned two Golden Globe nominations, in 2013 and 2014, for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for her role as Juliette Barnes in the musical drama “Nashville.”

She was also part of the satirical horror “Scream” franchise.

Panettiere’s most ​recent appearance was in ​the psychological thriller “Sleepwalker,” released ⁠in January 2026, playing a grieving mother plagued by sleepwalking episodes, website IMDb shows.

Her memoir “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” released in May, portrayed ​the trauma around the difficult 2014 birth of her daughter, and ​her subsequent ⁠battles with postpartum depression and alcohol addiction then.

Panettiere is survived by her daughter Kaya, whom she shared with former fiancé and Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Kaya lives with Klitschko in Ukraine, Panettiere ⁠said this ​year.

Her brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, 28, died in 2023 ​from complications related to an enlarged heart and an aortic-valve condition, the family told U.S. media that year. (Reuters)

Man fined $30,000 after pleading guilty to cannabis trafficking and importation

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Man fined $30,000 after pleading guilty to cannabis trafficking and importation

A 29-year-old man has been fined $30,000 after pleading guilty to charges of trafficking and importing cannabis.

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Suarez ‘may never return’ to Barbados

Carlos Atwell
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Suarez ‘may never return’ to Barbados

The Suarez Circus’ experience in Barbados has left a bad taste in the mouths of its management.

Ivan Suarez, one of the managers, says he is not sure if they will ever return to the island.

“They [the authorities] put us in a position where they are making it look like this is our fault, but that’s not true. We move all around the world, we know the procedures. This is not our first time, but it looks like it’s the first time for them. It’s been a really bad experience. I’m not sure if we will ever return,” he told the DAILY NATION yesterday as his teams stepped up preparations to set up at their new location at the Garrison Savannah.

The circus was last in Barbados two decades ago. Originally located at the Belle in St Michael, it has been embroiled in controversy after being temporarily shut down by health officials on August 9 over issues with being in a restricted water zone.

Permission

However, Suarez said they had sought out all the necessary permissions, only to be shut down at the last minute.

“We had permission from the National Botanical Gardens via the National Conservation Commission, from Customs, from fire, police and town planning, but when health did its inspection, they said something about water and being in a Zone A area.

“This has never happened to us like this before. In every country, they have to do the proper inspections, but in this case, they gave us no chance, just told us to leave. At least they gave us another option and permission to set up here,” he said of the Garrison, where workmen were building the foundation for the relocated circus. The Savannah has been fenced off almost in its entirety as large container trucks traversed to and fro.

The circus manager said he was pleased with the Garrison, saying it was a central location, and that there would be parking provided on the nearby rugby field. However, he lamented the loss of earnings, which he said they would likely not be able to recoup.

“The damage to our reputation had already been done, and people would be frustrated having bought tickets only to be told the circus was closed. Still, a lot of people are supporting us and want to see a later show rather than get a refund, although those who came to the country specifically for the show and who now have to leave must get back their money.

“I want the public to know that any ticket already bought is valid for any other day we are open, and we are very grateful to the people of Barbados who still want to support us and are leaving a lot of good comments on social media. I just wish we were told about this location when we applied, so we could have come here first and avoided trouble,” he said.

Suarez said the big top should be up by tomorrow, and their next shows would begin on Friday. However, there was a race day planned for Saturday, so they would only have the 8 p.m. show then.

He said the original plan was to stay until September 27, but this was up in the air given the circumstances, adding they were due in the Dominican Republic in October.

The race day was confirmed by chief executive officer of the Barbados Turf Club, Rosette Peirce: “We plan to have races on August 22 as scheduled and to cancel the race day of September 5.”

When contacted, president of the Barbados Rugby Football Union, Donovan Bagwell, declined to comment.

Not everyone is happy with the move, as a viral video circulating on WhatsApp shows an irate man in what appears to be a meeting at the Garrison, saying there were other venues supposedly under discussion and the Garrison was not the right place for the circus. (CA)

‘Gangs united, so must be the police’ 

Carlos Atwell
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‘Gangs united, so must be the police’ 

Drug traffickers are “destroying” law enforcement due to the latter’s inflexibility and unwillingness to cooperate.

This is according to director of policing and risk management at the Regional Security System (RSS), Lieutenant Colonel Kerry Waterman.

He made this grim indictment recently during the closing ceremony of a three-week Drug And Gang Investigations Course at RSS headquarters, Paragon, Christ Church.

“Across the Caribbean, drugs, firearms and gangs do not exist as separate problems. They are interconnected. The same criminal networks involved in drug trafficking are often linked to firearms, violence, money laundering, corruption and other forms of organised crime. Our response therefore needs to be equally as connected.

“These guys are destroying us because they are working together. We need to work together as well. This is why the value of this course goes beyond learning individual investigative techniques. You’ve been exposed to areas such as intelligence, interviewing, interdiction, surveillance, digital forensics, handling exhibits, financial investigations, confiscation, criminal proceeds, gang structures and international cooperation. The real test now is how you’re going to apply these skills when you go back to your respective organisations,” he said.

Waterman said criminals did not respect boundaries and moved through jurisdictions effortlessly, while law enforcement agencies often got hung up on jurisdiction while refusing to share vital information.

“We need to work across the borders. We cannot work alone; we cannot work in silos. These criminals that we investigate do not respect boundaries – they don’t. And our professional relationships cannot stop at those boundaries as a result of this. We need to share intelligence. We need to preserve our relationships with our colleagues, especially the ones that you’ve met on this course. It makes life a lot easier when you know who you’re talking to on the other end. And you need to use these new regional and international networks that we now have available to you,” he said. 

The director also advised the 17 graduates from around the region to be open-minded and not to ignore the importance of financially crippling criminals.

“Do not deform the evidence. Don’t allow assumptions, personalities or pressure to dictate the direction of an investigation. We all know that sometimes we get blinkered and we go down the road. Let’s always look and have the bigger picture in mind. 

“Secondly, follow the money, and this is an area that we don’t often do well enough in. Arresting an individual is very important, yes, but disrupting the finances, assets and infrastructure that sustain these organised criminals can have a far greater long-lasting effect. So let them not have something to look forward to when they come out of jail,” he said.

Another important aspect Waterman emphasised was professionalism. He said it could get frustrating to investigate complex and dangerous situations with limited resources, but it was imperative to remain focused so as not to be ultimately outmanoeuvred.

“There will be times when these cases progress really slowly; that’s a fact of life. There will be some times when we don’t have the full intelligence picture. On top of that, there will be times when you need to produce quick results. And it is stressful; we get it. But what I would say is that a strong investigation isn’t just one where you get the arrest; that’s not always the most important thing. 

“We need to make sure that what we do is lawful, is intelligence-led, evidence-led, properly documented and capable of the standard scrutiny, and ultimately results in a successful prosecution. Because, guess what? Those lawyers, those defence lawyers, and those criminals sometimes know the law better than we do because they’ve been through it so much,” he said. (CA)

Officials: Take extra care against measles

Carlos Atwell
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Officials: Take extra care against measles

Barbados is being urged to tighten its defences against measles as the Americas confront their worst outbreak of the highly contagious disease in more than two decades officials are reporting almost 47 500 confirmed cases and 44 deaths so far for the year.

The warning comes as regional health authorities sound the alarm over the rapid spread of measles, while local paediatricians and medical practitioners are urging parents not to become complacent about childhood vaccination.

The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has also called on governments across the region to intensify vaccination campaigns, disease surveillance and emergency outbreak preparations as transmission continues in several countries.

Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Arthur Phillips said Barbados was closely monitoring the regional situation and warned that the island remained vulnerable to imported cases.

“The ministry is aware of the PAHO alert and continues to closely monitor the regional measles situation. We take the increased transmission in the region seriously, particularly given the highly infectious nature of measles and the potential for imported cases,” Phillips told the Sunday Sun.

He said mass gatherings such as Grand Kadooment brought thousands of people from the Caribbean and further afield into close contact but stressed that vaccination remained the country’s most important line of defence.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is urging parents and guardians to ensure their children are fully vaccinated, particularly with the two recommended doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Phillips said Barbados had a strong routine immunisation programme and that MMR coverage improved in 2025, including a narrowing of the gap between children receiving their first and second doses.

He acknowledged, however, that coverage remains below the 95 per cent level considered necessary to maintain strong community protection, with first-dose uptake still higher than second-dose coverage.

“Our message to Barbadians, therefore, is simple: check your vaccination status and make sure you and your children are up to date,” Phillips said.

He urged parents whose children had missed an MMR dose to contact their usual vaccination site or health care provider.

The nearly 47 500 confirmed cases recorded so far this year have already tripled last year’s total, according to regional health officials.

Against that backdrop, the Paediatricians of Barbados, in a statement signed by 23 paediatricians, issued an endorsement of childhood vaccination and the Ministry’s immunisation schedule.

“In light of recent international discussion regarding childhood vaccine schedules, the paediatricians of Barbados wish to reaffirm, clearly and unequivocally, our continued support for the vaccination of children according to the Barbados Ministry of Health and Wellness (MHW) Immunisation Schedule.

“Vaccines remain one of the most effective tools in modern medicine for protecting children from serious and sometimes fatal, infectious diseases. The scientific evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of combination vaccines, including the MMR vaccine, is extensive, consistent, and has been gathered over several decades across millions of children worldwide. We continue to recommend that parents and guardians in Barbados follow the MHW’s established immunisation schedule, administered at the appropriate ages and intervals, without unnecessary delay or separation of combined vaccines,” it stated.

The group said its first duty was to the health and well-being of the children of Barbados and, as such, it would continue to base its clinical guidance on the best available scientific evidence, not on policy debates in other jurisdictions.

“We encourage all parents with questions or concerns about vaccination to speak directly with their paediatrician or family doctor, rather than relying on social media or unverified sources,” it stated.

The Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) also urged the public to seek credible information as it recognised the resurgence of opinions, unsubstantiated anecdotes, and false information related to vaccines currently in the public domain.

In a statement signed by president Dr Lynda Williams, the group said: “While this may reflect perceived issues in other countries reported in foreign media, BAMP wishes to highlight that in the Barbadian context, our national immunisation programme has not only improved the standard of our public health and prosperity over decades but also saved the lives of many of our children. 

“The protection provided by our national immunisation programme has not only caused a significant decrease in childhood mortality, but also spared us the sad consequences of vaccine-preventable diseases. BAMP restates our professional support for the current Barbados childhood immunisation schedule.” (CA/PR)

Circus likely for Garrison

Carlos Atwell
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Circus likely for Garrison

It appears as if the Suarez Circus is headed to the Garrison Savannah, St Michael.

After days of speculation, Government officials and management of the circus were seen at the Garrison yesterday (at right) inspecting the site.

Earlier yesterday, Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Turf Club Rosette Peirce said she was told the move was imminent.

“I would say yes, it is confirmed – verbally confirmed. I don’t have written confirmation as yet, but I have been given verbal confirmation by representatives of the Government. The NHC (National Housing Corporation) has the responsibility for the land and we’ve received the assurance from them that they’re moving forward, that they have given the permission,” she said.

Peirce said while the planning was in motion, she could not speak on the execution.

“While I have no doubt it’s happening, they were meant to start moving the stuff to the Garrison [yesterday] but I haven’t seen any kind of development yet, so I really don’t know,” she said.

When contacted, manager of the circus, Reuben Suarez, said to call him back today and he would give details as to their next step.

The circus, originally located at the Belle in St Michael, has been embroiled in controversy after being shut down by health officials last Sunday over a disputed lack of a water connection. (CA)

100 digital stethoscopes donated to boost health care system

Nationnews Desk
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100 digital stethoscopes donated to boost health care system

The Bridgetown-based American University of Barbados (AUB) School of Medicine has helped to boost the country’s healthcare system by donating 100 state-of-the-art digital stethoscopes.

The advanced medical devices that convert traditional body sound waves into electronic signals were handed over to the Government of Barbados during a ceremony which took place at Parliament Buildings this week.

President of the AUB Meesam Ali Khan, who flew to Barbados to make the presentation, said the generous donation is in keeping with a promise the University made to Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley.

“We are pleased to be able to deliver these digital stethoscopes for the poor and needy. The needy people who are on the outskirts, who are in the countryside. We have seen them being used in India far and wide,” Mr Ali Khan said.

Meanwhile, Barbados’ Minister of Health and Wellness, Senator Lisa Cummins, says the donated devices will assist with developing the country’s tele medicine sector.

“Everyone has heard us talking about the need for us to be able to reduce the incidents of illness because of the failure to be able to monitor or to know what your numbers are.

“Therefore, this is an important donation for us. Therefore, frankly, when we have persons in our mobile clinics and our communities, we have persons who are predisposed to certain types of illnesses.

“Through these donated stethoscopes, our medical professionals will be able to monitor them from where they are or to be able to receive information on their vital signs, from where they are, while they are en route to hospital, or en route to another medical facility,” Minister Cummins said.

The Government Minister also announced that students from the AUB are now interning at the country’s lone tertiary healthcare institution, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The private medical school founded in 2011, continues to play a significant role in helping to improve the health and wellness of Barbadians.

This is through the much-talked-about free community medical clinic, which the University operates from its Wildey, St Michael Campus, Monday through to Friday, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The clinic provides free medical consultations and basic health services from Monday through Friday, as part of the institution’s social responsibility outreach.

Services provided are medical consultations and general advice, blood pressure and hypertension screening, diabetes blood sugar screening, nebulization and wound dressing, basic counselling, health certificates and food handling certificates.

“And we are going to expand that clinic also for all the patients,” Mr Ali Khan announced.

The Barbados Accreditation Council has registered the AUB as a tertiary provider of education.

The Educational Commission also recognizes the University for Foreign Medical Graduates. The recognition grants students the right to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination to become a practising physician in the United States.

The AUB has honoured scores of students with medical degrees, including 70 this year, marking a significant milestone in their academic and professional journeys. (PR)

Twin fires kill two, forcing hundreds to flee Greek island

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Twin fires kill two, forcing hundreds to flee Greek island

Two people died and and hundreds were evacuated after two fires broke out “almost simultaneously” on a Greek island near Athens, fire officials said.

About 200 firefighters were working to keep the twin fires from converging on the island of Salamina, which was under a high wildfire risk on Sunday.

The first blaze was reported at 14:40 local time (11:40 GMT) near the island’s south coast and spread rapidly due to high winds, followed by the second some 20 minutes later in the east.

More than 360 people have so far been evacuated by sea, Greek media report.

Five patrol boats have been sent to the area and several other private vessels are being made available for assistance, he added. A number of aircraft and 50 fire engines have also been deployed.

The first fire broke out in a mixed residential and forested area in Peristeria, a southern city on the island, chief fire officer Vasilios Vathrakoyannis said in a statement, followed by the second in the eastern town of Selinia.

Firefighters attending the first blaze found two bodies at the scene, he said.

At least four people have been taken to a local health centre with burns.

Salamina Deputy Mayor Thodoris Zannis said firefighters were trying to keep the fires from burning over a mountain on the island and meeting to form a single blaze.

The operation is being assisted by water tankers and construction machinery.

Salamina sits just west of Athens and has some 37 000 residents, many of them elderly.

Firefighters across Europe have been facing a series of wildfires this weekend, including officers in Belgium spending a third day beating back flames in the country’s largest nature reserve, Hautes Fagnes.

The wildfire – described as the largest in the country’s recent history – has more than doubled in size in 24 hours.

Meanwhile, at least one person died and dozens were injured in a wildfire that tore through Croatia’s coastline overnight on Friday.

It was described by Croatia’s fire chief Slavko Tucakovic as “one of the worst” blazes in the country’s history and saw around 1,200 residents and tourists evacuated. (BBC)

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