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The prestigious Anthony N Sabga Awards for Caribbean Excellence has unveiled its 2026 laureates, with visual artist Sheena Rose and social advocate Shamelle Rice among five distinguished honorees recognized for their transformative contributions to regional development. Announced during a virtual ceremony streamed from Port of Spain, the awards celebrate exceptional professionals whose work exemplifies the highest standards of excellence across multiple disciplines.

Professor Compton Bourne, Chairman of the Regional Eminent Persons Panel, emphasized the rigorous selection process involving ten eminent Caribbean citizens who evaluated outstanding candidates from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, and Trinidad and Tobago. The panel’s decisions reflect the program’s commitment to identifying individuals whose work significantly advances Caribbean society.

Now in its 21st year, the awards program has recognized 66 laureates across four categories—Arts and Letters, Entrepreneurship, Public and Civic Contributions, and Science and Technology—distributing over TT$32 million (approximately US$4.7 million) in support. Each 2026 category winner receives TT$500,000 (approximately US$73,500) to further their developmental work.

Sheena Rose, honored in the Arts and Letters category, has gained international recognition for her intellectually rich artistic practice that challenges social hierarchies through painting, murals, and performance art. Her work has been featured in solo exhibitions from London to New York and has garnered coverage in major media outlets including The New York Times and BBC. Beyond her creative practice, Rose dedicates significant time to mentoring emerging artists and has participated in residencies across four continents, strengthening Barbados’ artistic community while building global connections.

Shamelle Rice received recognition in Public and Civic Contributions for her groundbreaking work through Jabez House, a registered charity she founded in 2012 that supports women seeking to transition from sex work to legal employment. The organization provides comprehensive support including vocational training, job placement, mental health services, housing assistance, and basic needs support. Notably, Jabez House has assisted over 1,000 women across the Caribbean region, achieving transition success rates exceeding 50% among this highly stigmatized population. Rice’s academic background in psychology, social work, and gender studies, combined with her strategic partnerships with government and international organizations, has enabled her to create sustainable change for vulnerable women and their families.

The 2026 cohort also includes Jamaican telecommunications entrepreneur Dean Nevers, while the Science and Technology award was jointly presented to Guyana-born American biotech innovator Dr. Niven Narain and Jamaican climate scientist Professor Tannecia Stephenson. The laureates will be formally inducted into the program’s College of Laureates during a gala ceremony scheduled for later this year, where they will share insights into their impactful work strengthening Caribbean societies and enhancing the region’s global presence.

Amid escalating traffic congestion plaguing Barbados, a stark contrast has emerged between the island’s competing political pledges and the expert-backed demand for a cohesive, data-centric national strategy. The Barbados Labour Party (BLP), Democratic Labour Party (DLP), and Friends of Democracy (FOD) have each unveiled distinct campaign proposals to alleviate gridlock, ranging from constructing flyovers and ‘sea taxis’ to carving new roadways. However, Deputy Principal of the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill, Professor Winston Moore, cautions that such fragmented approaches are inadequate without a unified framework grounded in empirical evidence and integrated urban planning.

Professor Moore advocates for a paradigm shift towards a ‘smart city’ model, emphasizing the critical need for real-time traffic data collection and adaptive signal systems that dynamically respond to traffic volume fluctuations. This methodology, he explains, focuses on systematically reducing bottlenecks through coordinated junction management, thereby enhancing travel time predictability and overall network reliability. The University of the West Indies is already cultivating the necessary expertise, producing graduates in data and business analytics equipped to assist the government in this evidence-based transition.

Beyond technological integration, Professor Moore identifies deeply ingrained travel patterns as a fundamental contributor to congestion. The necessity for individuals to make multiple stops—such as dropping children at school and a spouse at work—before commencing their own commute exacerbates peak-hour pressures. He proposes a holistic planning system that includes situating schools closer to residential communities and establishing a dedicated, potentially privately-funded school bus system to minimize these multi-stop journeys.

Further recommendations include implementing staggered work schedules and expanding remote work options to distribute travel demand more evenly across the week. The development of reliable transit hubs, inspired by successful international models like those in Canada, is also highlighted as a pivotal component. These hubs, supported by adequate parking infrastructure, would encourage a shift from private vehicle use to public transport by addressing commuters’ reluctance to relinquish their personal cars.

Echoing this sentiment, Roy Raphael, Head of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT), affirmed the potential of transport hubs to significantly ease congestion. Raphael also suggested the introduction of toll systems on specific high-traffic routes, such as sections of the ABC Highway, to facilitate quicker movement into urban centers like Bridgetown, where traditional commuter volumes have notably declined.

In a significant narcotics interdiction case, three Barbadian fishermen now face serious drug trafficking charges following the seizure of cocaine valued at over $33 million off the island’s coast. The accused individuals include 55-year-old Sylverton Lewis Clarke from Emerald Park East, St Philip; his 33-year-old son Renaldo Jabari Carrington of Lower Burney, Haggatt Hall, St Michael; and 39-year-old Ryan Adrian Kelly-Prescod, who reportedly has no fixed address.

The charges allege that within Barbados’ Exclusive Economic Zone—a maritime territory established under the Marine Boundaries and Jurisdiction Act—the defendants unlawfully possessed 676 kilogrammes of cocaine, classified as a controlled substance. Additionally, they face accusations of intending to supply and traffic the substantial drug quantity, which authorities estimate holds a street value of $33,830,000.

During their appearance before Magistrate Manila Renee in the No. 2 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court, the defendants did not enter pleas to the indictable offenses. Police prosecutor Sergeant Kenmore Phillips vigorously opposed bail, citing multiple factors including the substantial evidence against the men, the circumstances of their apprehension at sea, and Kelly-Prescod’s lack of permanent residence. Magistrate Renee subsequently ordered all three defendants remanded to Dodds Prison until their next court appearance scheduled for March 3.

Legal representation for Clarke was provided by attorney Matthew Willoughby, working in association with counsel Andrew Willoughby. The case continues to develop as authorities pursue their investigation into one of the most substantial drug seizures in recent Barbadian maritime history.