A senior legislator from Antigua and Barbuda, Senator Kendra Beazer, has lauded the formal confirmation of a broad, community-representative delegation from the island of Barbuda to attend the upcoming 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2026), framing the milestone as an unprecedented global platform to elevate Barbuda’s unique local insights, on-the-ground expertise, and forward-looking development priorities to a multinational audience of Commonwealth stakeholders. Scheduled to convene under the official guiding theme “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth”, the 2026 summit will assemble heads of state, senior policymakers, civil society leaders, private sector innovators, and cross-sector stakeholders representing all 56 Commonwealth member states to advance coordinated action on shared priorities including inclusive sustainable development, targeted cross-border investment, and equitable, long-term shared prosperity for all member nations. Beazer emphasized that the newly announced Barbuda delegation was intentionally curated to mirror the full breadth of the island’s community fabric, bringing together 13 representatives spanning every major segment of local life: public administration, K-12 and secondary education, local small business, grassroots civil society, tourism leadership, faith-based institutions, and community development initiatives. The full roster of delegates includes Senator Kendra Beazer representing the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, Judith Harris of the Antigua and Barbuda Airport Authority, Pethrolynna Isaac and Johannes Nibbs from local community enterprise BarbudanGo, Charlene Harris of Holy Trinity Primary School, Jenita Cuffy of local philanthropic organization The BeFoundation, Gloria Cephas representing the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, Starr George as an independent community representative, Jezette Davis of the Barbuda Council, Pastor Roxan Gardner and Pastor Samuel Gardner of the Barbuda Adventist Church, Dekela George from Sir McChesney George Secondary School, and Karen Thomas of local business 10/20 Ltd. In formal remarks celebrating the delegation’s selection, Beazer stated, “I am deeply proud to see such a wide, representative cross-section of Barbuda’s population selected to take part in CHOGM 2026. Bringing leaders from the public sector, private industry, educational institutions, civil society networks, and faith communities into this global forum makes explicit the extraordinary depth of talent and collective commitment to progress that defines our small island community. This delegation carries the authentic voices, lived experiences, and shared aspirations of every segment of the Barbudan public, and sends a clear signal that we are fully prepared to make substantive, meaningful contributions to pan-Commonwealth conversations on sustainable development, targeted investment, climate and community resilience, and mutually beneficial cross-national partnership.” Beazer further outlined that the summit participation will create tangible, high-value opportunities for Barbudan delegates to connect directly with peers from across the Commonwealth, exchange context-specific best practices for small island development, and identify new, actionable collaborative pathways that will deliver tangible benefits to Barbuda and the entire twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. “Genuine, inclusive representation on the global stage is not a symbolic gesture, it is a critical tool to ensure marginalized small island voices are centered in decision-making that shapes our collective future, and I am delighted that our community will have a direct seat at the table for conversations that will build a more prosperous, sustainable Commonwealth for all people,” Beazer added. The senator extended formal congratulations to every selected delegate, and offered public gratitude to CHOGM organizers and local partners who supported the delegation’s selection and upcoming participation, noting that the diverse, people-centered lineup perfectly embodies the Commonwealth’s core founding commitments to inclusive stakeholder engagement and human-centered, equitable development. “For a small island community like ours, our most valuable, irreplaceable asset is our people. The diversity of this delegation is a direct reflection of the innovation, hard-won resilience, and thoughtful leadership that runs through every corner of Barbuda, and I have full confidence that every member of this group will represent our island with immense distinction and purpose on the global stage,” Beazer concluded.
Barbuda’s Public, Private and Civil Society Leaders Unite for CHOGM 2026
