Against a backdrop of pressing regional challenges ranging from accelerating climate impacts to strained public finances and rapid digital transition, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has inaugurated a landmark first-of-its-kind regional platform, the Caribbean Evaluation Space (CEvalSpace), to transform evidence-based governance across the Caribbean. The three-day inaugural event, which kicked off on September 1 and runs through September 3 at the Wyndham Grand Barbados, brings together more than 150 stakeholders from over 15 Caribbean nations, marking a major step forward in the CDB’s 10-year 2026–2035 Strategic Plan focused on institutional resilience and development impact.
The opening ceremony drew high-level participation from regional and development leaders, including Barbados’ Minister of Economic Affairs and Planning Marsha Caddle, CDB President Daniel M. Best, and Head of CDB’s Office of Independent Evaluation Dr. Roberto La Rovere. Unlike conventional one-off conferences, CEvalSpace is designed as a permanent collaborative hub that centers Caribbean-led priorities, local knowledge systems, and cross-sector learning. The initiative is delivered in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank’s Office of Evaluation and Oversight, Caribbean Evaluators International, the University of the West Indies, and CLEAR-LAC, with all public plenary sessions streamed globally via CDB’s official website, LinkedIn, and YouTube to expand access beyond in-person attendees.
Attendees span a diverse cross-section of regional actors, from senior government policymakers and public sector leaders to development practitioners, academic researchers, private sector and civil society representatives, independent evaluators, and early-career emerging professionals. Over the course of the event, 45 expert speakers will lead 20 targeted sessions exploring critical themes that shape Caribbean development, including democratic governance, public accountability, public sector institutional performance, innovative evaluation practices, the role of artificial intelligence and data in policy design, and measuring long-term development outcomes.
In his opening address, CDB President Daniel M. Best framed evaluation as a core strategic function rather than a post-project technical check, a shift that comes as Caribbean nations navigate overlapping systemic challenges. “Today, evaluation is no longer a technical exercise conducted at the end of a project. It has become a strategic function of leadership and learning institutions,” Best stated. He emphasized that independent evaluation is foundational to holding public institutions accountable for the public resources they manage and the development outcomes they guarantee to regional communities.
Against a context of constant economic and social change, Best argued that traditional approaches to decision-making are no longer sufficient. “In such an environment, intuition alone is not enough. Experience alone is not enough. Good intentions are certainly not enough. We need evidence that helps us invest wisely, learn continuously, and adapt quickly,” he explained. “Strong organisations are not those that never make mistakes. They are those that learn the fastest.”
Dr. Roberto La Rovere expanded on the long-term vision for the initiative, noting that CEvalSpace is far more than a three-day gathering. The platform aims to address longstanding gaps in regional evaluation capacity by creating a sustained space for knowledge exchange and capacity building that elevates Caribbean perspectives. “What we are building is not limited to these few days together. We are creating a space where policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and emerging leaders can learn from one another, strengthen a culture of evaluation and evidence, translate knowledge into action,” La Rovere said. “The Caribbean needs leaders who can ask hard questions, generate the evidence, and use it to strengthen accountability, improve performance, and build stronger institutions.”
Regional stakeholders have framed the launch of CEvalSpace as a critical investment in the Caribbean’s ability to tackle its most intractable challenges, from climate adaptation to inclusive economic growth, by building a culture of continuous learning and transparent governance across public and private institutions.