In a landmark ceremony concluding CARICOM Energy Month 2025, the Caribbean Community celebrated exceptional women and youth leaders revolutionizing sustainable energy development across the region. The prestigious WISE (Women in Sustainable Energy) and SEY (Sustainable Energy Youth) Awards recognized ten visionaries for their transformative contributions to policy innovation, community advocacy, and clean energy entrepreneurship.
The November 28th gala at Georgetown’s Pegasus Hotel honored eight female pioneers and two youth innovators spanning 2024 and 2025 award cycles. Guyana’s Shevon Wood received recognition for policy leadership while Jamaica’s Carol Lue triumphed in business entrepreneurship. Social impact accolades went to advocates Jayda Overton (Guyana) and Gabrielle Gay (Barbados), with utility sector honors awarded to Cheryl Lewis (Jamaica) and Nikita Mullings (Bahamas).
Youth champions Amir Dillawar (Guyana) and Damani Thomas (Jamaica) secured SEY honors for their groundbreaking solar energy initiatives and carbon neutrality efforts. Ambassador David Prendergast, CARICOM’s Director of Sectoral Programmes, emphasized that regional energy transition “must reflect and embrace the vital contributions of women and youth” across all sectors from policymaking to consumer engagement.
The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), which partnered with CARICOM on the awards, reinforced through representative Dr. Neibert Blair that “the CARICOM energy transition cannot be achieved without women and youth.” Blair highlighted awardees’ roles in climate adaptation, workforce modernization, and policy development that collectively shape the region’s sustainable future.
This celebration capped a month-long series of energy transition activities including electric vehicle expositions, academic engagements, and community initiatives like the Regional Energy Kilo Walk. The awards ceremony underscored CARICOM’s commitment to gender-inclusive and intergenerational leadership in achieving its clean energy objectives across 15 member states and 6 associate members.