Against the backdrop of accelerating regional digital integration across the Caribbean, a new leadership chapter has opened for the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), with St. Kitts and Nevis’ senior cabinet minister Konris Maynard voted in as the organization’s new president.
The election took place on September 23, 2026, during the CTU’s 32nd General Conference of Ministers, a gathering held as a core component of this year’s CTU ICT Week in French Guiana. Maynard, who currently serves as St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Public Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Domestic Transport, Information, Communication and Technology and Posts, participated in the conference virtually; at the time of the vote, he was fulfilling duties as the country’s Acting Prime Minister, preventing in-person attendance.
The election marks a historic milestone for St. Kitts and Nevis, the Western Hemisphere’s smallest sovereign nation. The CTU is the Caribbean’s leading intergovernmental body dedicated exclusively to advancing telecommunications and information and communications technology (ICT) development across the region, placing the small island nation at the helm of one of the bloc’s most critical regional institutions.
Maynard is no stranger to CTU leadership: he previously served as the union’s vice president from 2024 to 2026, after being elected to that post at the 30th General Conference of Ministers hosted by St. Kitts and Nevis in October 2024.
In his first remarks after accepting the presidency, Maynard expressed profound gratitude to CTU member states for placing their confidence in both him and his country. “I am deeply humbled by the confidence that my colleagues from across the Caribbean have placed in me to serve as President of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union. I thank them sincerely for their support and for entrusting me with the responsibility of helping to lead this important regional institution,” he said.
Outlining his policy priorities for his two-year tenure, Maynard made strengthening the CTU’s institutional capacity and deepening cross-regional cooperation the centerpiece of his agenda, with a core goal of accelerating inclusive, impactful digital transformation across all Caribbean nations. “Our region is at a pivotal moment. Digital transformation is no longer simply about technology; it is about how we transform government, strengthen our economies, improve education and healthcare, increase resilience, enhance cybersecurity and create new opportunities for our people,” Maynard noted. He added that he looks forward to collaborating with fellow ministers, the CTU Secretariat, regional and international partners, and all relevant stakeholders to advance a shared vision of accessible, meaningful digital progress across the Caribbean.
Maynard also paid public tribute to the outgoing administration, led by Trinidad and Tobago, which held the CTU presidency for four consecutive years from 2022 to 2026. Trinidad and Tobago was first led by Senator Hassel Bacchus, and later by Senator Dominic Smith, after winning re-election for a second two-year term in 2024. Maynard commended both outgoing leaders for their foundational work, emphasizing that his tenure will build on the progress they achieved rather than pursuing an entirely new agenda.
“I wish to place on record my sincere appreciation to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, Minister Hassel Bacchus and Minister Dominic Smith for their leadership and contribution to the CTU over the last four years. Much important work has been advanced during their tenure. My commitment is not simply to begin something new, but to build upon the foundation already laid, strengthen what is working and work collectively to take the CTU to even greater heights,” he stated.
For St. Kitts and Nevis, the presidency carries unique symbolic weight beyond policy responsibilities, Maynard explained. “For the smallest sovereign nation in the Western Hemisphere to be entrusted with the presidency of an organisation representing the collective digital aspirations of our Caribbean region is a humbling honour. It demonstrates that leadership is not determined by the size of a country, but by our willingness to serve, to contribute and to work together towards a shared vision,” he said.
As the CTU’s highest decision-making body, the annual General Conference of Ministers brings together cabinet ministers responsible for ICT and telecommunications from all member states to set the organization’s strategic direction and regional priorities. As president, Maynard will guide the CTU’s work across key priority areas: accelerating inclusive digital transformation, expanding universal meaningful connectivity, strengthening cybersecurity and regional digital resilience, advancing regulation and adoption of emerging technologies, and unifying Caribbean negotiating positions in global digital policy forums.