Carib Scope

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  • Guyana recalls High Commissioner to Canada

    Guyana recalls High Commissioner to Canada

    On April 23, 2026, Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd confirmed in an interview with local outlet Demerara Waves Online News that the country has recalled its High Commissioner to Canada, Keith George, who will now take up a new role as a senior advisor to Todd directly. While declining repeated questions about whether unstated personal factors contributed to the diplomat’s recall, Todd framed the move as a strategic adjustment tied to the rapidly expanding scope of Guyana’s diplomatic work, most notably the ongoing border dispute case the country has brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Venezuela.

    According to unidentified sources, George left his Ottawa diplomatic posting back in September 2025 to travel home for the funeral of Elisabeth Harper, the former Permanent Secretary of Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs who passed away after a battle with cancer. He never resumed his post in Canada following that trip, the sources added. When pressed repeatedly on whether personal issues prompted his recall, Todd repeatedly declined to comment, eventually cutting short the phone interview before ending further discussion of the topic.

    Instead of addressing speculation, Todd highlighted George’s decades of diplomatic experience and professional standing, describing the long-serving diplomat as an exceptional public servant with an unblemished, outstanding record of service to Guyana. “He served us well. There is nothing wrong with his record of service. I think he has done exemplary in terms of his diplomacy and in terms of his experience,” Todd told reporters.

    Prior to his appointment as High Commissioner to Canada, George held the position of Director of Frontiers at Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, giving him deep specialized expertise in the long-running border dispute with Venezuela that is currently before the ICJ. That case centers on legal challenges to the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award that established the current border between the two South American nations. It is this specific background that makes George a critical addition to the country’s legal and diplomatic team for the ICJ proceedings, Todd explained.

    In recent months, Guyana’s ICJ legal team has lost two key figures: co-agents Elisabeth Harper and Sir Shridath Ramphal, both of whom have passed away. To fill these vacancies, the government has appointed Sharon Roopchand-Edwards, current Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and George as the new co-agents for the case. Carl Greenidge, a former minister under previous PNC and APNU+AFC administrations, will remain as Guyana’s lead agent for the proceedings.

    Todd added that even while George was stationed in Canada, he remained an active member of the ICJ case working group. However, coordinating the complex work of the case remotely created significant logistical and operational challenges. Given George’s unparalleled institutional knowledge of the border dispute, bringing him back to headquarters to work on the case full-time was the most pragmatic decision for the country, the minister concluded.

  • Full probe into wiped consulate computer, London trust fund row — Bramble

    Full probe into wiped consulate computer, London trust fund row — Bramble

    In the wake of the November general election that brought the New Democratic Party to power, St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ foreign affairs chief has launched a thorough public investigation into two unusual administrative irregularities at key overseas diplomatic missions.

    Foreign Minister Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble first outlined the troubling findings to lawmakers during a Tuesday parliamentary session, then expanded on the details during an appearance on Hot97 FM the following day, emphasizing his commitment to full transparency and public accountability for the new administration.

    Shortly after taking up his appointment as Consul General to New York in March, Roland “Patel” Matthews reported a shocking discovery to Bramble: every piece of data stored on the consulate’s primary computer system had been completely erased. According to Bramble, no records of previous consular operations, administrative work, or diplomatic activities were left on the device when Matthews arrived. Access to the consulate’s computer system is restricted to the sitting Consul General via personal password protection, similar to how the foreign minister controls access to his own ministerial devices, Bramble explained.

    Matthews succeeded Rondy “Luta” McIntosh, a nominee of the previous Unity Labour Party administration who took up the post in August 2022. Bramble confirmed that he has not yet spoken directly to McIntosh about the data wipe, but made clear that the former consul general will be questioned as part of the probe. The foreign minister declined to speculate on whether criminal charges will be filed against any individual, noting he is not a legal official and the investigation remains in its early stages. At present, the government is assembling a team of competent experts including specialized IT professionals to conduct a forensic review of the system and map out a full timeline of events.

    Beyond the New York consulate data issue, Bramble also revealed that the country’s new High Commissioner in London has been blocked from taking control of a charitable trust fund created to support children across the nation. The fund, which receives ongoing financial support from European benefactors, is formally managed through the London High Commission and requires two authorized signatories for all transactions: one being the sitting High Commissioner, and a second who was an advisor to the previous Unity Labour Party government.

    Bramble voiced public confusion over why the former government advisor was added as a co-signatory to the charitable account in the first place. Now, when current High Commissioner Brereton Horne and the new administration attempt to update the signatory list and bring the fund fully under official diplomatic control, they have faced stiff resistance from both the former High Commissioner and the ex-government advisor. Bramble said the deliberate obstruction creates the unsettling impression that the outgoing officials view the charitable fund as personal property, rather than a public resource for vulnerable children. “These things must stop,” he declared.

    Bramble framed the decision to publicly disclose both incidents as a core fulfillment of the new Godwin Friday government’s campaign promise of open governance and accountability to voters. “The people voted me to work for them,” he said. “As long as I am there, I am going to do what I have to do to make sure that I serve the people.” He added that he welcomes fair, objective criticism of the administration’s work, noting that no government is perfect and there is always room to improve. Uncovering administrative irregularities inherited from the previous government, he argued, is a necessary first step to building meaningful progress for the nation moving forward.

  • $33M San Pedro Hospital Set to Transform Northern Healthcare

    $33M San Pedro Hospital Set to Transform Northern Healthcare

    After decades of unfulfilled promises and years of detailed preliminary planning, one of the most transformative infrastructure projects in Belize’s modern healthcare history is finally moving forward at full pace. The new San Pedro and Caye Caulker General Hospital, a $33 million development fully funded by the Republic of China (Taiwan), is set to reshape access to advanced medical care for tens of thousands of residents across northern Belize once completed.

    When it opens its doors, the facility will earn two key distinctions in Belize’s national healthcare network: it will become the country’s second-largest hospital, trailing only the capital’s Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), and only the second tertiary-level care center nationwide. This milestone fills a long-standing gap in advanced medical services for communities in the northern coastal region, where residents have long had to travel long distances for specialized treatment that was unavailable locally.

    On a recent inspection of the active construction site, Area Representative André Perez for Belize Rural South shared his optimistic assessment of the project’s progress. Perez, who has represented the region where the hospital is being built, noted that crews are making the most of the current dry season to accelerate work, after past plans for the facility never moved beyond the drawing board.

    “I’m pleased to see that it’s happening very rapidly. The building is coming along and of course we’re scheduled that if all goes well that we will be wrapping up by December,” Perez told reporters during the site tour. He acknowledged that unforeseen weather-related delays could push back the timeline slightly, but emphasized that current conditions have allowed contractors to move at an impressive pace. “Right now dry season so they’re moving swiftly as best as possible take advantage of it. So it’s a beautiful project. I’m very much excited.”

    Beyond expanding the country’s overall healthcare capacity, the new hospital will also serve as a critical regional referral center for communities along Belize’s northern coast, including the high-population tourist hubs of Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. For decades, residents and visitors on these islands have faced urgent medical challenges requiring evacuation to larger facilities on the mainland, a gap that the new tertiary center will eliminate.

    Perez highlighted that the project is the realization of a pledge that political leaders made to local communities more than a generation ago, one that never came to fruition until now. “This is something good for Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker as well. Very important that this hospital is going to serve both communities,” he said, confirming that the facility’s scale puts it among the largest in the country. “According to the contractor, they’re sharing with me the size of the hospital makes it actually, if I’m not mistaken, it could be potentially the second largest hospital in the entire country next to KHMH. So very exciting. There’s so much work that is happening here for Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye. It’s a promise that has been made decades ago and it never materializes.”

    If construction remains on its current trajectory, the hospital will welcome its first patients as early as December 2026, marking a historic shift in healthcare access for northern Belize.

  • Private Landowners Caught in Maya Land Dispute Down South

    Private Landowners Caught in Maya Land Dispute Down South

    In the remote Toledo District of southern Belize, a long-simmering conflict over Maya customary land rights has escalated from a theoretical policy debate to an on-the-ground standoff that has split communities apart, leaving private landowners trapped between legal title and escalating communal claims. As the Belizean government struggles to deliver on years of promised legislation to formalize Indigenous land rights, all sides report feeling disenfranchised, raising the prospect of new court battles that could delay a resolution for even longer.\n\nAt the heart of the clash is a fundamental collision of two deeply held claims to land: Indigenous Maya communities argue that communal land tenure is a core part of their cultural heritage and survival, tying their identity, food sovereignty and spiritual practices to collective stewardship of the territory they have occupied for centuries. On the other side, more than 8,000 private landholders in the district hold government-issued legal titles to their properties, protected under Belize’s constitution, and say they face growing pressure from neighboring Maya villages that have laid claim to their land. The Toledo Private and Lease Landowners Limited, which represents these landholders, has warned that competing demands and misaligned expectations are eroding trust and stoking social friction across every village touched by the dispute.\n\nTasked with navigating this delicate divide is the Office of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, whose director Gustavo Requena has emerged as a key mediator working to keep open lines of communication between rival stakeholders. In an interview, Requena acknowledged the legitimacy of both sides’ positions, emphasizing the complexity of striking a fair balance.\n\n“As a Maya person it is easy to understand why the Maya people want communal land. It is a part of our heritage. That is how we work, our dependency on the land for our very existence, whether that be our food, our spiritual needs, all of these things that make us Maya people,” Requena said. “At the same time, we can understand that we have over eight thousand private land owners within this district and the constitution protects their rights to private property. So it is about trying to create this balance and that is what the Office of Indigenous People’s Affairs does, try to be the neutral voice in all of these conversations – and that is not easy.”\n\nDespite ongoing mediation efforts, progress on national legislation to codify Maya land rights has stalled for years, leaving frustration at a boiling point. All major stakeholders – private landowners, Maya communities, and the Toledo Alcaldes Association – report that their concerns have been ignored by policymakers, and the standoff shows no signs of de-escalation.\n\nChester Williams, CEO of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, admitted that the deadlock will almost certainly lead to new litigation, as both factions believe their interests are not being adequately represented in the draft legislation. Still, Williams pushed back against widespread criticism that the current administration has dragged its feet on the issue, saying the prime minister has issued a direct order to pass the law before the government’s current term ends.\n\nWilliams noted that the issue’s extraordinary complexity has thwarted progress for previous leaders, pointing to his predecessor Liselle Alamilla, who served as commissioner of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs for five years without delivering a final resolution. “I don’t think it is because she did not want to, but rather because of the complexity of the issue. If it was easy, she would have gotten it done within the five-year time,” Williams said, adding that Alamilla has since shared valuable insight from her tenure that is guiding the current government’s work. “We have to ensure we look after the interest of every person who are going to be affected. This is not something the government can just wake up and say we are going to do this.”\n\nFor now, deep divisions remain between all parties involved, as the government forges ahead with a legislative process that officials acknowledge is fraught with complexity, but necessary to resolve one of Belize’s longest-running Indigenous rights disputes.

  • Climate Forum Wraps with Warning of Less Rain

    Climate Forum Wraps with Warning of Less Rain

    After three days of collaborative data analysis and cross-border discussion, the annual regional Climate and Hydrological Forum drew to a close on April 23, 2026, in Belize City, with a stark forecast that has put agricultural stakeholders and climate planners on alert across Central America.

    The forum, a rotating event hosted by member countries across the region, brings together hydrologists, climate scientists, policy leaders and agricultural extension officers to align on seasonal weather projections and share adaptive strategies for a shifting climate. This year’s gathering centered on one high-stakes question: what conditions can the region expect between May and July, a critical window for crop planting and growth?

    Climate experts at the event confirmed a major transition in global ocean-atmosphere patterns: the cooling La Niña phenomenon that dominated recent years is now retreating, giving way to the warming El Niño. The shift is projected to bring significantly drier conditions and below-average cumulative rainfall across Belize and much of Central America through the core growing months. Unusually widespread rainfall across Belize in early April already served as an early indicator of this unexpected climate shift, a deviation from historical patterns that experts say signals the growing volatility of regional weather.

    Orlando Habet, Belize’s Minister of Sustainable Development, emphasized the unique value of the annual collaborative forum ahead of this projected shift. “This gathering has been held for decades across different Central American nations, and its impact goes far beyond just sharing climate data,” Habet explained in closing remarks. “By pooling observations and technical experiences, and integrating new advances in forecasting technology, we can build more robust, region-wide early warning systems that benefit every sector, from disaster management to food production.”

    Habet added that the advance projection of El Niño-driven dry conditions is particularly critical for hurricane preparedness and protecting national food security. Early forecasts let agricultural communities time their planting decisions appropriately, while disaster response agencies can activate readiness protocols ahead of an active storm season, he noted.

    For Belize’s agricultural community, which anchors a large share of the national economy and supports rural livelihoods, the forecast is more than a climate update—it is a make-or-break guide for planting decisions that will shape harvest outcomes and food supplies for the year. May through July marks the traditional start of the main planting season, when farmers prepare fields and sow crops in anticipation of seasonal rains. A prolonged dry spell immediately after planting would leave young seedlings without sufficient moisture, likely leading to widespread crop failure.

    Andrew Mejia, Director of Extension at Belize’s Ministry of Agriculture, explained that the national government is already moving to support farmers in adapting to the projected dry conditions. “Accurate long-range forecasting is the foundation of agricultural resilience,” Mejia said. “It lets us guide farmers on when to plant, when to hold off, and what adjustments to make to protect their crops and their livelihoods. With this forecast calling for below-average rain across May, June, and July, we are urging caution to avoid devastating losses from post-planting drought.”

    To support preparedness, the Ministry of Agriculture has partnered with the World Food Program and Belize’s National Meteorological Service to roll out “Anticipatory Action”, a targeted support project designed to help smallholder farmers mitigate drought-related risks. Mejia noted that forecasting accuracy from the national meteorological service has improved steadily over the past decade, giving policymakers and farmers greater confidence in planning around the three-month projection. The consensus takeaway for producers across the country is straightforward: hold off on early planting, monitor weekly conditions closely, and adjust plans to account for the drier outlook.

    As climate change continues to amplify the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events across Central America, regional collaborative forums like this one have grown in importance, helping nations align on projections and share adaptive strategies to protect vulnerable communities and food systems.

  • Gonsalves opposes motion on national dev’t bank

    Gonsalves opposes motion on national dev’t bank

    A heated parliamentary debate has emerged in St. Vincent and the Grenadines over the New Democratic Party-led government’s plan to establish a new national development bank, a proposal that is drawing sharp pushback from the country’s newly ousted former prime minister. Opposition leader Ralph Gonsalves, whose Unity Labour Party exited power last November after holding office for 25 years, has publicly rejected the motion introduced by government senator Chelsea Alexander, calling for a full rethink of the initiative on the floor of parliament.

    In introducing the proposal, Alexander framed the new national development bank as a core pillar of the NDP government’s agenda to restructure national economic institutions to remove long-standing barriers to inclusive growth. She emphasized that the bank would address a critical gap in the country’s financial ecosystem: young entrepreneurs and innovators operating in emerging industries are frequently locked out of traditional commercial lending, leaving promising small businesses unable to get off the ground. By offering specialized, flexible financing tailored to these groups, the new bank would bridge this capital gap, Alexander argued. Beyond funding, she positioned the institution as an open invitation for young Vincentians to challenge conventional economic thinking, embrace innovation and entrepreneurship, and reimagine the country’s traditional industries for the modern era.

    But Gonsalves, who served as finance minister for 16 years during his administration, drew on decades of institutional history in SVG to argue that the current proposal is unnecessary and poorly conceived. He outlined a long history of failed development banking attempts in the country, dating back to a 2000 initiative launched by the then-NDP administration. That effort saw all assets — including a large portfolio of non-performing loans — from the 1960s-era Development Corporation transferred to a new development bank capitalized at just EC$5 million. Gonsalves noted that the bad loans far outstripped the new bank’s capital base, leaving the institution insolvent from its launch, a stillborn project that never delivered on its promises.

    When Gonsalves’ Unity Labour Party took office in 2001, the government inherited two insolvent state financial institutions: the failed development bank and the National Commercial Bank (NCB). To resolve the crisis, the ULP restructured the sector: viable development bank loans were transferred to NCB, a special entity was created to manage non-performing assets, and a network of targeted, sector-specific financing institutions was built to replace the failed single development bank model. When the majority stake in NCB was later sold to the Bank of Saint Lucia, the new ownership phased out the micro-enterprise lending program, prompting the ULP to expand the targeted network instead of reestablishing a central development bank.

    Today, that existing ecosystem includes the Student Loan Company, the Farmer Support Company launched in 2014 with EC$5 million in seed capital, and PRYME — the Promoting Youth Micro-Enterprises initiative that offers grants up to EC$40,000 to young founders. It also includes the ULP’s widely accessed 100% mortgage program for public servants. Gonsalves argued that this distributed, fit-for-purpose network already serves all the functions the proposed national development bank claims to fill, across every key sector from agriculture and education to housing and creative industries.

    He further warned that creating a new, standalone national development bank would carry unnecessary administrative costs, and could even force the government to shutter the successful existing targeted institutions to fund the new bank. Gonsalves also raised critical questions about capitalization, pointing out that a development bank cannot operate without secure, low-cost source of capital to offer concessional lending while covering operating costs and expected non-performing loans. He noted that Alexander has not outlined a clear plan for securing this low-cost funding, calling a bank without sufficient capital a logical contradiction.

    Responding to the government’s reference to successful development banks in other regional Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) nations, Gonsalves argued that SVG’s existing institutional landscape already meets the country’s needs, and that existing commercial banks already actively seek bankable projects across all the sectors the proposal names. He also pushed back on the NDP’s framing of the bank as a key campaign promise, noting that campaign pledges are often framed broadly, but governing requires practical, grounded policy that works within the country’s actual economic context. Gonsalves clarified that he supports the government’s broad goals of inclusive economic development and supporting small and medium enterprises, but cannot endorse the proposal in its current form.

    The parliamentary debate on the motion was not completed before the statutory 5 p.m. deadline for private members’ business, and will resume at a future sitting of parliament.

  • PM rejects claim his MPs embarrassing him in Parliament (+video)

    PM rejects claim his MPs embarrassing him in Parliament (+video)

    A sharp political exchange has unfolded in St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ House of Assembly, where Prime Minister Godwin Friday has forcefully pushed back against allegations from Opposition Leader Ralph Gonsalves that unruly conduct by ruling party lawmakers is undermining his authority. The clash erupted during Tuesday’s debate on a private member motion — tabled by Government Senator Chelsea Alexander — that calls for the establishment of a new national development bank.

    During his opening remarks on the motion, Gonsalves centered a portion of his argument on the disruptive behavior of government backbenchers. He claimed that frequent unscheduled interjections and constant cross-talk from the ruling party benches not only prevented Friday from speaking on his own behalf but also weakened the prime minister’s public standing, embarrassing him before the legislative body and the public.

    The debate was ultimately suspended before a vote could take place, as the allocated time for private member motions expired before deliberations concluded. It was during this adjournment that Friday issued his sharp rebuttal to Gonsalves’ claims, turning the criticism back on the opposition leader.

    “The Honourable Leader of the Opposition talks about members embarrassing me. On November 27, the members on this side of the House embarrassed him. And let them continue,” Friday stated publicly, dismissing Gonsalves’ characterization outright. The prime minister went on to accuse Gonsalves of underestimating the competence and impact of ruling party lawmakers, noting that volume of speech does not equate to quality of argument. “It’s not who talk loud is who talk best,” he added, teasing that more unexpected political developments are on the horizon that Gonsalves has not anticipated. “And… what we have seen is that he got a surprise that he didn’t know was coming, and there’s more to come.”

    Observers widely interpret Friday’s reference to an unexpected surprise as tied to the ruling administration’s last-minute decision to postpone debate on a proposed constitutional amendment. The amendment had been listed on the House’s official Order Paper, prompting Gonsalves to launch a public campaign against the change just one week prior, immediately after the Order Paper was published.

    Gonsalves has alleged that the government’s push to amend the Constitution and national election law is a self-serving “insurance policy” designed to protect the prime minister and Foreign Minister Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble. The opposition leader’s Unity Labour Party has filed legal petitions challenging the eligibility of both Friday and Bramble to contest the November 2024 general election, a legal dispute that remains unresolved.

    Tuesday’s debate was marked by repeated disruptions from both sides of the aisle, with House Speaker Ronnia Durham Balcombe repeatedly issuing appeals for lawmakers to curb cross-talk and allow speakers to deliver their remarks without interruption. Gonsalves doubled down on his claim during his contribution, arguing that when government lawmakers interjected over his speech to respond on Friday’s behalf, it only reinforced his view that the conduct was embarrassing the prime minister.

    Beyond rejecting the embarrassment claim, Friday expanded his critique to Gonsalves’ broader approach to policy and governance, particularly in the context of the national development bank proposal. The prime minister framed the exchange as a reflection of deep ideological and policy divides between the ruling and opposition blocs, accusing Gonsalves of being stuck in outdated thinking.

    “Everything that I heard from the Honourable Leader of the Opposition displays a stunning lack of imagination,” Friday said. “You can’t govern based on simply everything that you saw in the past; you have to plan for the future. And that is what we bring to the table… a fresh approach, a new way of looking at things, more creativity, more diligence, hard work and putting the people of this country first.”

    Debate on the national development bank motion will resume at a later date, which will be finalized after Speaker Balcombe consults with Prime Minister Friday, the Clerk of the House, and motion sponsor Senator Alexander.

  • Guyanese cargo vessels again using Corentyne River free of cost

    Guyanese cargo vessels again using Corentyne River free of cost

    Last Updated: Thursday, 23 April 2026, 19:54
    By Denis Chabrol

    A simmering cross-border waterway fee dispute between Caribbean neighbors Guyana and Suriname has entered a new, uncertain phase, after a high-level government source confirmed Suriname has temporarily halted collection of controversial steep charges that previously reached over $5,000 USD per passage for Guyanese cargo vessels transiting the shared Corentyne River.

    The suspended fees included a $5,000 USD pilotage charge per trip, plus an additional $1.50 USD per tonne levy on bulk quarry exports including stone and timber produced at Guyanese concessions on the river’s western bank. The sudden pause in collection has Guyana holding out hope for a permanent, mutually agreeable resolution that restores low-cost access for its commercial shipping, but key negotiating gaps remain wide as of this week.

    Speaking exclusively to Demerara Waves Online News, Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd confirmed that Georgetown has yet to receive a formal response from the Suriname government to its core proposal: a return to the pre-2025 status quo, where Guyanese vessels paid a modest flat rate of just $75 USD per river crossing. Todd noted that this historic rate has long been viewed as fair and reasonable by the Guyanese government, and is the outcome the administration of President Irfaan Ali is pushing to reinstate.

    As of Thursday, however, Todd confirmed that Suriname has not agreed to roll back its new, sharply higher fee structure. “What they’re implying is that the fees that they are charging now are going to remain,” the foreign minister explained.

    The dispute escalated earlier this year after President Ali issued a warning that Guyana could implement reciprocal measures that would negatively impact Surinamese commercial operations based in Guyana. In response to that warning, authorities in Paramaribo, Suriname’s capital, offered a partial compromise: they asked Georgetown to submit a list of Guyanese vessels that it wanted exempted from the steep new fees.

    But Todd said Guyana has rejected that partial workaround, and has not moved forward to prepare the requested exemption list. “That is not an agenda item for us so far,” he said. Government agencies across Guyana are still holding internal consultations to align on a unified negotiating position and potential long-term administrative frameworks for river access, he added.

    Todd emphasized that Guyana remains committed to resolving the standoff through diplomatic channels, saying: “We’ll have to have continuous dialogue with our counterparts in Suriname because it is a matter that requires dialogue and a solution that is mutually acceptable.” The foreign minister added he remains optimistic that a bilateral resolution can be reached, despite the current impasse.

    When asked if Guyana had shared a list of Guyanese firms affected by Suriname’s new fees with Suriname’s government, Todd said disclosing specific company names “is not necessary for us.” Demerara Waves has independently confirmed that the Guyanese government has raised specific concerns about the impact of the fees on at least one major Guyanese quarry operating along the river.

  • BNSI urges workers to embrace AI

    BNSI urges workers to embrace AI

    As artificial intelligence reshapes workplaces across every global sector, the Barbados National Standards Institution (BNSI) is sounding a clear call to action: local workers and businesses that delay integrating AI and updating their change management frameworks risk falling permanently behind in an increasingly competitive digital economy. BNSI director Haydn Rhynd emphasized in an address to the Barbados Association of Administrative Professionals conference on Wednesday that the Caribbean nation simply cannot afford to put off embracing this transformative technology.

    Speaking exclusively to Barbados TODAY on the sidelines of the event, Rhynd acknowledged that widespread anxiety around AI’s impact on employment is common among the island’s workforce. Many workers, he noted, already grapple with internal fear of the unknown, with common concerns ranging from self-doubt about digital literacy to questions about whether they need full retraining to keep up, or even age-related anxiety about learning new systems. This tendency to view organizational and technological change as an inherently threatening force, he said, is the biggest barrier to widespread AI adoption on the island right now.

    Contrary to popular narratives that AI will eliminate millions of jobs, Rhynd argued that the technology is transforming existing roles rather than erasing them entirely. Workers that choose to embrace the shift rather than resist it will not only stay relevant in the evolving job market – they will gain a competitive edge that allows them to lead their fields. By learning to leverage AI tools to handle repetitive, mundane tasks, employees free up valuable time and mental bandwidth to focus on high-value work that relies on uniquely human skills like creativity, critical thinking, and interpersonal connection. This, Rhynd stressed, makes the current era of rapid technological change a fantastic opportunity rather than an unprecedented threat.

    To help local businesses and workers navigate this transition smoothly, BNSI has developed a comprehensive set of industry-specific change management standards designed to lower barriers to AI adoption. Beyond the standardized frameworks, the institution also offers hands-on training support tailored to organizations of all sizes and sectors. These training sessions walk participants through the fundamentals of working with AI, helping teams select the right tools for their specific operational needs and demystify the process of integration. Rhynd reported that growing numbers of previously reluctant Barbadian organizations are now recognizing the urgency of action, with more stakeholders than ever coming to the conclusion that inaction on AI is no longer a viable option.

    However, Rhynd also issued a critical caution for businesses rushing to integrate AI: the shift to the technology requires equal attention to strengthening cybersecurity and data protection protocols. Widespread questions remain around confidentiality, with many leaders unsure what types of internal information is safe to share with public AI tools, and how to build secure processes for data handling. To address this gap, BNSI also offers targeted standards to guide organizations through the process of building robust data protection frameworks that mitigate risk while still allowing them to benefit from AI capabilities.

    Pointing to the accelerating pace of AI innovation, Rhynd noted that the technology has already proven adaptable to virtually every sector of the global economy. From healthcare and food production to manufacturing, agriculture, finance, and general business operations, AI can deliver efficiency gains and productivity improvements across every part of Barbados’ economy. No industry can afford to write off AI as irrelevant to their work, he added, urging all stakeholders to move quickly to position the island for success in the AI-driven future.

  • David Collado and Leah Campos tour historic sites in the Colonial City

    David Collado and Leah Campos tour historic sites in the Colonial City

    On Thursday, a joint site visit led by Dominican Republic Tourism Minister David Collado and U.S. Ambassador to the nation Leah Castillo put a much-needed spotlight on the Colonial City, one of the country’s most culturally rich yet underpromoted heritage destinations, as part of a broader push to boost cultural tourism draw. The walking tour kicked off at Parque Duarte, where local producers and artisans had set up immersive displays showcasing the breadth of Dominican-made goods and handcrafted creations. During their stop at the park, both senior officials got a first-hand taste of local culture, sampling popular traditional chilled treats and fresh coconut water, while admiring intricately designed handcrafts fashioned from two of the region’s most iconic natural stones: amber and rare blue larimar.

    After wrapping up their time at Parque Duarte, the official delegation made their way through a curated route of the Colonial City’s most iconic and historically significant landmarks. The 16th-century walled district, which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the Americas, currently draws approximately 8% of all international tourists that visit the Dominican Republic each year, a figure tourism officials hope to grow through targeted promotion and infrastructure investment. The tour itinerary included stops at famous pedestrian corridors Calle Billini and Calle Isabel la Católica, the historic Convento de los Dominicos, public gathering spaces Plaza Tirso de Molina, Plaza de España and Plaza San Antón, the centuries-old Iglesia Las Mercedes, and the Museo Fortaleza de Santo Domingo, a former military fortress that now houses exhibits tracing the capital’s colonial and post-independence history.

    The joint visit comes as the Dominican Republic works to expand its tourism product beyond the sun-and-beach getaways that have long been the country’s main tourist draw, highlighting cultural and heritage travel as a key growth area that can attract longer-staying, higher-spending visitors while supporting local artisans and small businesses. Collaboration between the Dominican tourism sector and U.S. diplomatic officials also aims to strengthen bilateral ties through people-to-people cultural exchange, and encourage more U.S. travelers, who make up the largest share of the country’s international visitors, to explore the Colonial City’s unique offerings.