To mark this year’s Father’s Day, regional financial services group Sagicor organized a timely virtual webinar focused on one of the most discussed yet under-explored topics in Caribbean family life: the shifting landscape of modern fatherhood. Titled “The Dad Blueprint: Building Strong, Present and Purpose-Driven Fathers”, the online convening brought together a diverse cross-regional panel of social advocates, media professionals, influencers and financial experts to unpack the challenges, rewards, and core responsibilities of contemporary fatherhood, drawing from both personal experience and professional insight. The event was moderated by Sherlon Leon, Head of Sales at Sagicor Life (Eastern Caribbean) Inc.’s St. Lucia branch, per an official press release from the company.
A central thread running through all panel discussions was the rapidly evolving role of fathers in 21st-century family structures. Fabian Sargeant, a Barbados-based social worker and founder/president of the Men Empowerment Network Support (MENS), observed that while a growing number of men today are stepping into active nurturing and caregiving roles long dominated by mothers, outdated societal attitudes have failed to keep up with this cultural shift. “Many of us want to be actively present in our children’s lives, and we are taking on responsibilities that were once seen as exclusively maternal,” Sargeant explained. “But society still struggles to recognize and validate these new approaches to fatherhood, even as more men reimagine what it means to be a dad.”
Panelists also delved into the profound, long-lasting impact of paternal involvement on children’s long-term development and emotional well-being. Garth Williams, a communications strategist and broadcaster from Jamaica, emphasized that child-centered co-parenting is non-negotiable even when couples separate, pointing to stark data on the outcomes for children growing up without engaged father figures. “Globally, the majority of repeat criminal offenders and individuals struggling with chronic addiction come from homes marked by either absent fathers or abusive paternal presence,” Williams noted. He stressed that whether parents live together or co-parent apart, a stable, loving family foundation is the most critical predictor of whether a child will grow into a well-adjusted, socially responsible adult.
The conversation also included deeply personal reflections from Trinidad and Tobago social media influencer Anil James, who shared his experience growing up fatherless after his father died by suicide when James was only two years old. James explained that the absence of his own father shaped his intentional approach to raising his son, filling the gaps he experienced in his own childhood. “I grew up watching other boys bond with their dads and wishing I had that chance,” James said. “Fatherhood wasn’t taught to me, but I learned what I needed from that experience of longing. Today, I make sure to give my son everything I ever wanted as a child.”
Beyond social and emotional dimensions of fatherhood, the webinar also turned to the practical topic of long-term financial planning for children’s futures. Dunovan De Graff, Business Development Manager at Sagicor Investments Trinidad and Tobago Limited, urged parents of all income brackets to start investing for their children as early as possible, pushing back against a common misconception that investing is only for high earners. “Many low- and middle-income parents put off investing because they think they don’t have enough money to get started, or they’re overwhelmed by daily living expenses,” De Graff explained. “But waiting to start is one of the costliest mistakes you can make. Nothing beats the power of early compounding, no matter how small your initial contribution is.”
Andre Barrow, Assistant Vice President of Innovation and Business Solutions at Sagicor General Insurance Inc., echoed this message, encouraging parents to prioritize consistent, gradual progress over overnight success. He noted that social media’s distorted depiction of instant success often discourages parents from making small, steady investments in their children’s futures. “Social media makes it look like you can go from zero to hero overnight,” Barrow said. “But real progress, whether financial or personal, happens incrementally. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, so any small improvement you can make today is worth making.”
Sagicor officials noted that the webinar was a core part of the company’s 2026 Father’s Day outreach, designed to highlight the critical importance of active paternal engagement in building strong, resilient families across the Caribbean. Through the day’s open, honest discussions, panelists collectively concluded that modern fatherhood demands intentional presence, clear purpose, adaptive resilience, and an ongoing commitment to personal growth.