On the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, Antigua and Barbuda’s Foreign Minister, E.P. Chet Greene, held a pivotal meeting with UK Minister Chris Elmore to discuss preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), set to be hosted in Antigua and Barbuda. The meeting underscored the robust collaboration between the two nations as they intensify planning for this landmark event. Minister Greene expressed pride in Antigua and Barbuda’s role as host and highlighted the productive partnership with the UK, emphasizing the importance of joint efforts in ensuring the summit’s success. The discussions also focused on the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Centre of Excellence, a cornerstone initiative of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS). This center aims to foster innovation and sustainable development solutions tailored to the unique challenges faced by SIDS. Minister Greene urged the UK to fully support this initiative, which aligns with the broader goals of advancing shared Commonwealth values and achieving sustainable development. Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to supporting island nations in overcoming their distinct challenges and advancing global development priorities. Minister Greene’s packed schedule at the UN General Assembly included additional bilateral discussions with other nations, expected to yield significant benefits for Antigua and Barbuda. The meeting marks a significant step in strengthening international cooperation and advancing the interests of small island states on the global stage.
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OPINION: Why Back-to-School Time Shouldn’t Mean Back to Unhealthy Food Marketing
Renée Thomas-Venugopal, an Instructor at St. George’s University and a member of Grenada’s National Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Commission, recently shared her experience as a first-time parent navigating the ‘First Day of School’ preparations. While the excitement of preparing her toddler for preschool was palpable, she was struck by the unethical marketing tactics targeting children with unhealthy, ultra-processed foods. These products, often promoted as essential for school lunches, are designed to appeal to young consumers, exacerbating the rise of obesity, diabetes, and other preventable illnesses among children and youth.
As a public health advocate, Thomas-Venugopal emphasizes the importance of nourishing children with healthy foods to support their physical and mental well-being. She highlights the concerning normalization of unhealthy products through pervasive advertising and the profit-driven motives of food companies and fast-food chains. This marketing strategy not only harms children’s health but also places a growing burden on the region’s already strained healthcare systems.
To address this issue, Thomas-Venugopal calls for stronger advocacy and collective action. She references the Healthy Caribbean Coalition’s campaign, ‘Let’s Do Better for the Children,’ which underscores the urgent need to protect children from harmful marketing practices. Parents alone cannot tackle this challenge; it requires a unified effort from communities, educators, policymakers, and governments. Implementing robust policies to ban the marketing of unhealthy foods to children is crucial to safeguarding their health and future.
Thomas-Venugopal’s message is clear: it is everyone’s responsibility to create healthier environments for children. By amplifying voices and advocating for change, society can ensure that children receive the strong, healthy start they deserve. The time to act is now, as the consequences of inaction will have far-reaching implications for the region’s productivity and healthcare systems.
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Run Barbados turns 42 with new wellness chapter
Barbados’ iconic sports tourism event, formerly known as Run Barbados, is undergoing a transformative rebranding. Now titled the Run Barbados Marathon and Wellness Weekend, the event will take place from December 4 to 7, 2025, with an expanded focus that merges competitive running with holistic health experiences. This evolution introduces elements of movement, mindfulness, and community engagement, marking a significant shift in the event’s 42-year history. Cheryl Carter, Chief Operations Officer at the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), emphasized the strategic move as a response to global trends in sports and lifestyle, as well as Barbados’ ambition to become a leading destination for sports and wellness tourism. The event has seen steady growth, with 1,600 athletes from 25 countries participating in 2024, up from 1,200 entrants from 18 countries the previous year. Carter highlighted that the inclusion of wellness programming is expected to further boost international interest. The event’s economic impact is substantial, driving visitor arrivals and benefiting industries such as hospitality, transport, retail, culture, wellness, and technology. Kamal Springer, BTMI’s Manager of Sports, announced that the 2025 edition will extend by one day to accommodate a new opening wellness event, fostering deeper connections between international visitors and local runners. Last year, the event attracted 700 overseas visitors and over 1,400 local participants. Organizers are also focusing on local engagement through media partnerships and school incentives, including $5,000 prizes for the largest primary and secondary school groups. The event’s international reach continues to expand, with past participants from Kenya, Iceland, Iran, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, and across the Caribbean. The 2025 wellness agenda will highlight Barbados’ East Coast through a collaboration with Walker’s Reserve and WIRRED, featuring a 5K hike on December 7. Springer encouraged the hiking community to participate and witness the conservation efforts in the area.
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Minister hails elder care facility as milestone for social inclusion
Barbados has taken a significant step forward in its social care system with the groundbreaking of the Residential and Respite Facility for the Elderly, a project hailed as a transformative milestone by Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey. The ceremony, held at Sterling House in St Philip, marked the beginning of a visionary initiative aimed at redefining care for the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and children. Humphrey described the project as “transformation in progress,” emphasizing its role as a model for inclusive care in Barbados. The facility, a collaborative effort between the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, the National Assistance Board, the Barbados Alzheimer’s Association, and Soroptimist International of Barbados, will provide residential and daycare services tailored to seniors, including those with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Unlike traditional institutions, the Sterling complex will feature community-style residences designed to foster dignity, care, and a sense of belonging. Phase one involves renovating the existing building to establish a daycare and respite center, with future plans including a dementia complex, residential spaces for individuals with disabilities, and daycare for children. Humphrey highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for interaction across generations to reduce societal divides. Kaila Branch of the Barbados Alzheimer’s Association underscored the urgent need for elder and dementia care, pledging ongoing support to train caregivers and combat stigma. The government plans to replicate the Sterling model island-wide, with similar facilities planned for St Thomas and St George. Humphrey also called for stronger family ties, expressing concern over the growing estrangement of elderly individuals from their families. He credited former minister Cynthia Forde and Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley for their pivotal roles in advancing the project. Forde, now Special Advisor on Elder Affairs, praised the facility as a testament to inclusive care, ensuring meaningful integration for all vulnerable groups.
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BWA unveils safeguards to protect communities during $160M overhaul
As Barbados prepares to embark on a transformative $160 million water infrastructure upgrade, authorities are emphasizing the importance of safeguarding residents and the environment during the construction phase. At a recent public stakeholder engagement session held at Lester Vaughan School, the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) presented a detailed Strategic Environmental and Social Management Plan (SESMP). This plan includes 18 targeted programs addressing occupational health and safety, road safety, traffic management, air quality, noise control, and compliance monitoring. Federico Scodelaro of the IDB explained that the SESMP aims to conduct a thorough evaluation of environmental and social impacts, establish effective mitigation strategies, and implement robust management procedures to minimize risks throughout the project’s lifecycle, from construction to eventual closure. Key risks identified include occupational accidents, dust and noise pollution, and potential disruptions to roads and small businesses, particularly in high-traffic areas. However, Scodelaro also highlighted the project’s positive outcomes, such as job creation, enhanced water supply reliability, and improved groundwater conservation. To ensure accountability, a three-tier grievance redress mechanism has been established, prioritizing urgent safety concerns for swift resolution. The infrastructure program is divided into four components: $100 million for replacing 100 km of deteriorated water mains, $50 million for leak detection and network optimization, $6 million for enhancing BWA’s technical capacity, and $4 million for staffing and monitoring. BWA Project Manager Shelley Parris underscored the project’s focus on improving service delivery, climate resilience, and environmental management. While acknowledging the challenges of funding and the scale of the work required, Parris expressed confidence in the BWA’s ability to manage the project effectively, citing past experiences with similar initiatives. The SESMP document is accessible online and at various public locations across Barbados.
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ECCB Governor urges Credit Unions to Strengthen Resilience Amid Global Challenges
In a compelling address at the Credit Union Summit held on September 24, 2025, at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort, Timothy Antoine, Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), urged credit unions across the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to bolster their resilience in the face of a rapidly evolving global financial landscape. Antoine described the credit union movement as a ‘force for good’ in the region, emphasizing its pivotal role in fostering financial and economic empowerment. He highlighted the current global economic challenges, including geopolitical tensions, trade wars, and the accelerating impact of artificial intelligence (AI), and called for proactive adaptation to harness the potential of these technologies while mitigating their risks. Antoine encouraged credit unions to ‘light candles in the darkest places,’ drawing on historical and faith-based resilience to continue empowering communities. Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, speaking virtually from New York, echoed these sentiments, underscoring the critical role of credit unions in supporting ordinary citizens across the Caribbean, particularly where traditional financial institutions have failed. Dr. Drew noted the region’s ‘polycrisis,’ encompassing climate change, post-pandemic recovery, inflation, and geopolitical instability, and urged credit unions to rise to these challenges as they have in the past. The summit, themed ‘One Vision, One Future: OECS Credit Unions Growing Together,’ aims to foster collaboration and growth among credit unions in the region.
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Elderly rights bill set to go before House – Minister
Barbados is on the verge of enacting groundbreaking legislation aimed at safeguarding the rights of its elderly population. Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey, announced on Wednesday that the Rights of Older Persons Bill is in its final drafting phase and could be presented to Parliament by the end of the month. Humphrey made the revelation during the groundbreaking ceremony for a new Residential and Respite facility in Sterling, St Philip. He emphasized that the bill represents the final piece in a comprehensive series of social policy reforms, following the recent passage of the Child Protection Bill, Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, and the Social Empowerment Agency Bill. Humphrey highlighted the urgent need for the legislation, pointing out that Barbados is nearing the threshold of becoming a super-aged society, with 20% of its population aged 65 and over. He warned that the declining birth rate exacerbates the challenge of supporting an ageing population, stressing the shared responsibility of families, communities, and the state in caring for the elderly. The minister described the bill as both long overdue and transformative, urging the nation to view the ageing population as an opportunity to build a more inclusive and dignified society. ‘When we do this, then we will build a much better Barbados,’ he concluded.
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Gibbs pledges new focus on housing efficiency, upkeep
In one of his first public addresses as the newly appointed Housing Minister, Chris Gibbs outlined a significant reset in housing policy, emphasizing reforms for the troubled HOPE programme and a new maintenance-focused mandate for the National Housing Corporation (NHC). Speaking at the Barbados Annual Construction and Design Conference (BACDC) held at Sandals Royal Barbados, Gibbs addressed critical issues plaguing the housing sector, including the inefficiencies of the HOPE initiative and the NHC’s dual role in construction and maintenance. Gibbs, who replaced Dwight Sutherland following his resignation for personal reasons, pledged to transform HOPE into a project management-focused institution, leveraging public-private partnerships to deliver affordable housing solutions. He acknowledged the programme’s challenges, including delays and financing issues, but expressed optimism about its future. Gibbs also announced a strategic shift for the NHC, prioritizing maintenance over new construction to address long-standing inefficiencies. He proposed a two-tiered building strategy: an industrial model for planning and design, supported by innovative techniques, and an artisanal model for routine maintenance, engaging small contractors and artisans. This approach aims to streamline operations and ensure sustainable housing solutions for Barbados.
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Belize Police Department Rolls Out Online Criminal Record Application System
For years, obtaining a police record in Belize was synonymous with enduring lengthy queues at local police stations. This document, formally referred to as a record of conduct, is a prerequisite for various activities, including job applications, scholarships, professional licensing, and certain travel procedures. However, the process was often burdensome, particularly for residents in rural areas, who faced significant time, cost, and logistical challenges.
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President Ali urges bold action on global crises at UN General Assembly
In a compelling address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali emphasized the urgent need for bold and decisive action to tackle the multifaceted crises gripping the world. Against the backdrop of a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape, President Ali highlighted the Caribbean’s vulnerability to climate change, alongside the broader global challenges of armed conflicts, food insecurity, and economic instability. He called for introspection within the UN, questioning its effectiveness in addressing escalating geopolitical tensions and humanitarian disasters. ‘Where are we at 80?’ Ali asked, pointing to the intensification of conflicts, worsening food insecurity, growing displacement, and the existential threat of climate change. He expressed deep concern over the erosion of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to shrinking development aid and reduced peacekeeping budgets. Ali also condemned the ongoing humanitarian crises in Gaza, Sudan, and Haiti, labeling the situation in Gaza as ‘mass extermination’ and urging immediate action to halt the violence and advance a two-state solution. Additionally, he warned of emerging threats such as cybercrime, misinformation, and transnational organized crime. As the UN commemorates its 80th anniversary, President Ali joined a growing number of leaders voicing frustration over the organization’s inability to maintain global peace and security in an increasingly volatile world.