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标签： Barbados

巴巴多斯

  • ‘5 by 35’ – Caribbean leaders pitch for billions to boost climate resilience

    ‘5 by 35’ – Caribbean leaders pitch for billions to boost climate resilience

    At the opening of the Climate Smart Summit held at Barbados’ Hilton Barbados Resort this Wednesday, regional leadership put forward an ambitious, coordinated investment initiative dubbed “5 by 35” that aims to reshape the Caribbean’s energy and agricultural sectors over the next decade. The plan calls for mobilizing $5 billion in targeted investment by 2035, with leaders framing unified action as the only path to boosting regional climate resilience, cutting costly food imports, and lowering living expenses for local communities across the bloc.

    Dr. Mohammad Nagdee, executive director of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), formally introduced the “5 by 35” vision to summit attendees, emphasizing that the $5 billion target by 2035 is fully within reach, even as total regional investment needs for renewable and sustainable energy across CARICOM member states far outpace this figure. “Industry analysis shows meeting all of CARICOM’s renewable energy requirements would demand more than $12 to $15 billion in total investment,” Nagdee explained. “But the $5 billion by 2035 target is an achievable starting point that will drive meaningful transformation.”

    A core critique underpinning the new initiative is the Caribbean’s long history of fragmented climate and development action, where years of strategic planning have failed to translate into tangible on-the-ground progress. “It’s often said the Caribbean produces more development and climate reports than any other region in the world, but far too few of those plans have been turned into financing and real impact for people,” Nagdee said. “A fragmented approach will never get us where we need to go — we need coordinated, collective action to unlock the scale of investment required.”

    CCREEE has already made early progress toward the 5 by 35 goal: the organization has secured $15 million for active projects in the first half of 2026, and is currently negotiating another $350 million in potential investment, both directly and through partnerships with regional and global stakeholders. Proposed projects under the initiative include offshore wind energy pilot programs, green infrastructure for sustainable shipping, and large-scale energy resilience projects to strengthen utility systems against extreme weather.

    Nagdee stressed that concessional, low-interest financing from global development partners in the Global North will be critical over the next two years to de-risk investments for private capital and make the region attractive for large-scale funding. “Over the next two years, we need to leverage the support of our development partners to reduce investment and country risk, so we can unlock the much larger volume of private investment we need to hit our targets,” he said.

    Alongside the regional energy plan, Barbados’ Minister of Agriculture Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight outlined a $272 million national agricultural investment package at the summit, designed to strengthen the island’s food security and modernize its agricultural sector. The package targets five priority areas that will scale local production and attract private investment, with projected returns for both investors and the national economy.

    The largest allocations include $110 million to restructure Barbados’ legacy sugar industry into a fully circular economy, where every byproduct of sugar production will be utilized, including for renewable energy generation. Another $110 million will go toward building a modern export pack house and central food terminal hub, which will deliver more consistent supply for markets and greater income certainty for farmers and distributors. The plan also allocates $24 million for a new state-of-the-art abattoir and $8 million to revive and expand Barbados’ iconic Sea Island cotton industry.

    Cutting Barbados’ heavy reliance on food imports remains a top national priority, Munro-Knight noted. Currently, the island imports 8.6 million kilos of agricultural goods annually, totaling $325 million in import spending. “We’ve identified 16 key products that we currently import that we can produce locally at scale, and at a lower cost than bringing them in from overseas,” she said.

    To kickstart the transformation and signal government commitment to private investors, Barbados is already increasing public investment in enabling agricultural infrastructure, including a new tissue culture laboratory, upgraded veterinary and food testing facilities, support for household food production initiatives, and digital agricultural tools for smallholder farmers. “We are stepping out first to deliver food security, demonstrating our commitment by putting our own capital on the line,” Munro-Knight said. “This sends a clear signal to private investors: come partner with us, because we are invested in this transformation too.”

  • Walters blasts govt’s lack of financial disclosure, demands answers

    Walters blasts govt’s lack of financial disclosure, demands answers

    A leading opposition figure in Barbados has launched a sweeping indictment of the current administration, accusing it of deliberately withholding critical public financial information and fostering a culture of non-accountability that has left dozens of major spending initiatives shrouded in secrecy.

    Senator Ryan Walters, shadow finance minister for the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), framed the growing controversy around the BiMPay instant payment platform as far more than an isolated oversight. The dispute began when Central Bank Governor Dr Kevin Greenidge initially declined to reveal the total construction cost of the national payment infrastructure, later issuing a public apology and clarifying that Phase 1 of the project had come in at approximately $6.7 million, under the original $10 million approved budget. Even with this late disclosure, Walters argued the incident is just the most recent example of a long-running pattern across government that treats legitimate public and political scrutiny as an unnecessary inconvenience.

    “This is not a single disagreement over one question from one reporter to one official,” Walters emphasized in his remarks. “This is a symptom of a deeply embedded cultural problem within this current administration. In this system, legitimate questions are brushed off as nuisances, independent oversight is dismissed as partisan opposition, and full transparency is treated as an optional extra rather than a core requirement of public office.”

    Walters stressed that all public funds ultimately belong to the people of Barbados, not the governing party or sitting ministers. “Public officials do not hold private purses – they are stewards of resources that belong to every citizen,” he said. “That means the public has an undeniable right to know how their money is spent, whether they are getting value for that investment, and what safeguards are in place to protect these critical resources from misuse or waste.”

    The shadow finance minister outlined a long list of ongoing initiatives where key financial details have not been released to taxpayers. Beyond the BiMPay project, these include: undisclosed costs for external consultants hired by the government since 2018, unanswered questions about ministerial travel expenditures, limited public data linking fuel import costs to retail pump prices, and the complete absence of published cost-benefit analysis for the government’s flagship We Gatherin’ 2025 initiative. He also pointed to the ongoing sale process for the Holetown Civic Centre, which is moving forward without any public disclosure of the project’s total costs to date.

    Turning to infrastructure and public health, Walters called out the repurposing of a large pandemic-era healthcare facility built in the northern parish of St Lucy. Constructed at a reported public cost of more than $125 million to expand COVID-19 care capacity, the facility no longer serves its original healthcare purpose and has reportedly been converted to house migrant labor. “Barbadians deserve a full explanation of what has happened to this massive public investment, which was originally meant to expand access to critical healthcare for our citizens,” he said.

    Walters also raised alarms about spending at state-controlled entities and cultural programs, specifically naming HOPE Inc. and the regional CARIFESTA cultural festival. He noted that despite hundreds of millions in public funds flowing through HOPE Inc. and critical concerns raised by the Auditor General, a sitting minister recently confirmed the organization has never released a full annual financial report for public oversight. For CARIFESTA, Walters said reported spending ballooned from an original projection of $8 million to $34 million, with hundreds of millions more allocated to associated infrastructure projects that remain incomplete, while costs continue to rise and deadlines are repeatedly pushed back. He is calling for a full independent audit of all CARIFESTA expenditures. “The public deserves hard facts, not just vague assurances and political talking points,” he said, criticizing the lack of comprehensive project evaluations across all these initiatives.

    The opposition critique extended to Barbados’ core social safety net, the National Insurance and Social Security Service (NISSS). While reaffirming the DLP’s longstanding support for social protection programs including the Solidarity Allowance and Cost of Living Cash Credit, Walters said compassion for vulnerable communities cannot come at the cost of regulatory compliance and financial transparency. He questioned whether all funds transferred from NISSS to finance these temporary government programs have been fully repaid.

    “National Insurance funds belong to the workers who have contributed to the system over decades, and they must be protected accordingly,” Walters said. “This is about safeguarding workers’ contributions, protecting pensioners’ earned benefits, and ensuring the long-term stability of our country’s most vital social protection institution. So far, clear answers to these questions have not been provided.”

    Walters also highlighted the continued delay of the mandatory independent actuarial review of NISSS, a routine assessment designed to identify early financial risks to the national insurance and social security system. Taken together, he said the dozens of unanswered questions add up to a deeply troubling pattern that cannot be dismissed as random coincidence.

    “Looked at one by one, the government may try to explain away each of these concerns as a simple delay or a misunderstanding,” he said. “But when you take them all together, the pattern is undeniable: questions get asked, most are ignored. Answers get promised, time passes, reports never materialize. Audits get pushed back, costs go up, deadlines get moved, and accountability vanishes. This pattern is far too consistent to write off as a coincidence.”

    Walters clarified that the DLP does not oppose necessary government spending, but objects to the complete lack of independent oversight and public reporting that has become standard across the current administration. He called on the Mia Mottley administration to immediately publish all outstanding audits, project reports, full expenditure breakdowns, and the delayed NISSS actuarial review.

    “Accountability is not a favor that the government grants to citizens – it is the fundamental requirement of holding public office,” Walters said. “Transparency is not achieved through PR stunts, speeches, press conferences or empty political rhetoric. Transparency only comes through full public disclosure. Until all the required information is placed before the people of Barbados, legitimate questions will keep being asked, and the Democratic Labour Party will keep demanding answers on behalf of every citizen.”

  • Gun courts alone won’t stop illegal firearms – senator

    Gun courts alone won’t stop illegal firearms – senator

    During Wednesday’s upper house parliamentary debate on a bill to amend the Supreme Court of Judicature Act, which would establish a specialized gun court in Barbados, opposition Senator Karina Goodridge issued a pointed call to reframe the nation’s approach to rising gun-related violence. While Goodridge, leader of the Friends of Democracy party, did not oppose the creation of the new firearm court division, she argued that the measure only addresses harms after crimes have been committed, failing to tackle the root of the problem: the steady flow of illegal weapons into the country.

    Goodridge emphasized that the island’s first line of defense against gun violence should not be the courtroom, but strengthened upstream controls that stop illegal firearms from reaching Barbadian communities in the first place. “Firearm court deals with the consequences of gun crime. It does not prevent a single illegal firearm from entering Barbados, and we must make that clear,” she told legislators. “It does not disrupt a single trafficking network. So the first line of defence against illegal firearms, in my view, may not be the courtroom.”

    The senator pushed for urgent investment in enhanced border security, pressing the government to answer critical unaddressed questions about how illegal guns are infiltrating the country’s borders. She called for additional resources and funding to be allocated to frontline agencies tasked with intercepting contraband, including Customs, Immigration, the Barbados Coast Guard, and national law enforcement units. Beyond border infrastructure, Goodridge also raised proactive concerns about the risk of institutional corruption undermining gun interdiction efforts. While she stressed that she has no concrete evidence of existing police corruption tied to gun trafficking, she argued that the government must put robust safeguards in place to prevent corrupt actors from facilitating the flow of illegal weapons.

    In addition to her call for a policy shift toward root-cause interventions, Goodridge flagged structural gaps that could weaken the effectiveness of the proposed gun court even if the bill passes. She noted that adequate staffing is not enough to run a modern, efficient judicial institution; outdated technology infrastructure across the Supreme Court has long been a source of complaint from judges, bar association members, and litigants alike. Goodridge recounted multiple instances of judicial officers reporting malfunctioning recording equipment and outdated digital systems that slow case proceedings and create administrative backlogs. To ensure the new gun court can deliver timely, consistent justice, she urged the government to prioritize upgrading the court’s technological infrastructure before the division launches. Goodridge also recommended that policymakers explore adopting the online court model used successfully in other jurisdictions to improve access and efficiency for gun-related cases.

    The debate over the gun court bill comes as Barbados grapples with persistent gun crime, prompting competing visions for how to reduce violence: one focused on expediting prosecutions and sentencing through specialized courts, and the other advanced by Goodridge that prioritizes cutting off the supply of illegal weapons at the source.

  • Greenidge concedes misstep after criticism over refusal to reveal BiMPay cost

    Greenidge concedes misstep after criticism over refusal to reveal BiMPay cost

    Barbados’ top banking official has issued a public apology for brushing off a reporter’s transparency question, finally releasing the first-phase cost figures for the country’s newly launched national instant payment platform BiMPay.

    Central Bank Governor Dr. Kevin Greenidge released an official video statement Wednesday acknowledging his inappropriate response to a journalist’s cost inquiry at a Monday post-launch press conference. At that earlier event, the governor sparked widespread public criticism when he dismissed the question, telling the reporter the cost did not matter and directing them to find embedded figures in existing financial reports rather than providing a direct answer.

    In his Wednesday address, Greenidge took accountability for the misstep, noting the public has a clear right to know how taxpayer-funded public resources are allocated. “A reporter asked me a fair question on the cost of BiMPay, and I should have answered it directly. There is no place for making light of a question like that, and no place for seeming dismissive of the public’s right to know how public resources are being used,” he said.

    The governor extended his apology first to the reporter, who he noted was only carrying out their professional duties, and then to all members of the public who perceived his response as disrespectful, evasive, or unwilling to meet accountability standards. He clarified he never intended to hide information, but acknowledged that his phrasing came across as non-transparent to audiences.

    Greenidge explained his initial hesitation stemmed from a desire to avoid out-of-context discussion of a single cost figure without context on what the spending covered, but emphasized this was not a justification for his evasiveness. He then released the official figures: the entire first-phase payment infrastructure for BiMPay, which launched last Friday, has so far cost approximately $6.7 million, coming in well under the $10 million approved total budget for the phase.

    “You cannot hide expenditure of this kind in public financial reporting to which I have referred. The Central Bank has always been prepared to explain clearly what has been spent, why it has been spent, and what Barbados has been receiving for it,” he added, noting that full final cost figures will be published once remaining works are completed and reconciled through standard public financial processes.

    BiMPay, the Caribbean nation’s first real-time domestic payment system, allows instant, secure money transfers between commercial banks and credit unions 24 hours a day. Early data from the Central Bank shows the platform processed 20,000 transactions totaling nearly $8 million in its first 48 hours of operation.

    Greenidge highlighted the system’s core public benefits, noting it reduces overall business costs: individual users pay no transaction fees, and fee caps have been put in place to protect micro and small businesses. He also addressed early user frustrations with token access, account registration, multi-account linking, and in-app performance, confirming the Central Bank is collaborating closely with participating financial institutions to resolve these growing pains quickly.

    The governor emphasized that public trust is foundational to the success of this major national digital infrastructure initiative, and reaffirmed his longstanding commitment to transparent communication of financial and economic issues to the Barbadian public, pointing to his years of public educational explainer series on complex topics. He closed by promising continued full accountability to citizens and collaborative work to ensure BiMPay delivers maximum public benefit.

  • NCD deaths at 83 per cent as Govt calls for wider action

    NCD deaths at 83 per cent as Govt calls for wider action

    Barbados is confronting an unprecedented public health emergency driven by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are now responsible for 83% of all adult deaths in the Caribbean nation and draining hundreds of millions of dollars from public coffers annually, according to Junior Health Minister Davidson Ishmael. Speaking Wednesday at the opening keynote of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council Health and Wellness Conference held at Bridgetown’s Hilton Hotel, Ishmael delivered a sobering wake-up call, backed by the latest national health data, that the combined human and economic toll of chronic conditions has pushed the small island developing state to a breaking point.

    “Eighty-three per cent of the adults who die in our country die as a result of a non-communicable disease,” Ishmael told the packed audience of education leaders, business representatives and public health delegates. “And that should startle you. It should also bring sober reflection even as you look at your own self individually, but it should also cause us to reflect on what is happening across the board in our country. These deaths are largely preventable. These are premature deaths that we’re talking about.”

    Ishmael highlighted the growing, visible impact of NCDs across Barbadian society, pointing to the frequent streams of bereavement announcements on local social media platforms that have become a grim reminder of the crisis. He expressed particular grief over the early loss of productive members of the community: entrepreneurs, skilled workers, and community leaders who are dying years before reaching their projected life expectancy, leaving gaps in families and the national economy.

    Beyond the devastating human cost, the minister outlined the crippling financial burden NCDs place on Barbados’ taxpayer-funded healthcare system. Annual direct medical costs for treating diabetes, hypertension, cancer, cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions range from $375 million to $825 million, with $325 million allocated specifically to core NCD treatments alone. “That is money that is coming out of our pockets every single month to help us to fund the affairs of our country,” Ishmael explained. “If we have a healthier population, we can therefore, one would argue, see a reduction in the amount of money that we spend to treat NCD-related illness.”

    Compounding direct medical expenses is an additional major hit to the national economy from lost workplace productivity. The latest national health survey data shows Barbados loses more than $147 million each year because workers living with untreated or poorly managed NCDs are unable to perform at full capacity. This strain is only projected to worsen as the country undergoes a major demographic shift: more than 25% of Barbadians are currently over the age of 60, and projections indicate that by 2050, one in three residents will be aged 65 or older.

    As older Barbadians increasingly opt for active encore careers and semi-retirement rather than full exit from the workforce, Ishmael emphasized that a foundation of good health is non-negotiable to sustain this new model of active ageing. Preserving population wellness, he argued, is essential to maintaining quality of life, reducing healthcare costs, and ensuring older residents can continue contributing meaningfully to national development.

    Ishmael stressed that the government cannot bear the full cost and responsibility of addressing the NCD crisis alone, issuing a direct challenge to the TVET Council, private businesses and community organizations to step in as partners in prevention. While the government will continue to allocate substantial funding to treat people already living with NCDs, he noted that the current reactive treatment-focused model is holding back national progress. “I posit to you that this is not sustainable for us as a small island developing state,” he said. “We need to be able to re-allocate the funds that we spend towards treating illness, towards helping our country to be far more productive, building new industries, building new sectors. We need to be able to invest more in ensuring that we create a firm framework and a foundation that allows our country to be able to produce more and thrive. And that cannot happen if we have our people battling with disease.”

    To kickstart cross-sector action, Ishmael called on all conference attendees to act as champions of change, encouraging every organization to implement low-cost or no-cost workplace health and wellness initiatives immediately. He noted that effective programs do not require expensive equipment or specialized staff, pointing to simple ideas such as streaming free fitness classes on office conference room screens for employees at the end of the work week. He also reminded business and education leaders that the Ministry of Health offers free on-site mobile screening services, which can be coordinated through the Chief Nursing Officer to bring care directly to workplaces and schools.

    At the national level, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is currently collaborating with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to develop a unified National Wellness Policy. The new framework will consolidate fragmented existing strategies for NCD prevention and cancer reduction into a coordinated approach that addresses wellness across individual, community and organizational levels.

    Closing his address, Ishmael expressed cautious optimism that collective small actions will add up to large-scale national change. “If all of us do our part, if each of you play our small part in our small area of Barbados, I believe that we will see a cumulative change in our circumstances as a country,” he said. “Let us turn these conversations into actionable habits that transform our daily efforts into sustained social interventions and lasting positive change.”

  • Govt lab named regional superbug watchdog

    Govt lab named regional superbug watchdog

    The Caribbean island nation of Barbados has marked a major milestone in global public health, as its Best dos Santos Public Health Laboratory (BDSPHL) has been officially designated a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre, positioning the country as a regional leader in the urgent battle against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

    Addressing the designation ceremony, Prime Minister Mia Mottley — who also chairs the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance — emphasized that the new status will drastically strengthen Barbados’ capacity to identify drug-resistant infection threats early, before they can spread across communities. This enhanced early warning capability comes at a critical time for the island, where an aging, shrinking population already faces high rates of non-communicable diseases, making residents particularly vulnerable to the risks of drug-resistant superbugs.

    Mottley centered her remarks on the non-negotiable role of cross-sector and international collaboration in advancing public health outcomes. “Collaboration is the sine qua non for progress in public health,” she said. “Without collaboration and without partnership, we are not able to contain the spread of diseases. Without collaboration and without partnership, we are not able to expand the body of science and knowledge that we have. Without collaboration and without partnership, we are literally in a position of being a victim of circumstances.” Beyond laboratory diagnostics, Mottley noted that sustained progress requires targeted workforce training, investment in cutting-edge equipment, and coordinated action that integrates on-the-ground contact tracing and detection into a cohesive regional and global response.

    As a designated collaborating centre, BDSPHL will not only lead regional surveillance efforts but also advance critical research into AMR, a public health crisis already ranked as the third leading cause of death globally. Mottley warned that AMR, often described as a “silent slow-motion pandemic,” is on track to become the world’s top cause of human mortality by 2050 if current trends go unaddressed. For decades, she explained, societies have taken the life-saving power of antibiotics for granted, even as overuse and misuse have eroded their effectiveness. Even with the development of new antimicrobial medications, the window of effectiveness these drugs offer is far shorter than that of earlier generations of antibiotics, creating an urgent need for proactive action.

    Last year, world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly adopted a landmark commitment to cut deaths from drug-resistant bacterial infections by 10% — a step Mottley called a meaningful turning point in reversing the AMR trend. Echoing a traditional Barbadian proverb, “one blow does not kill an old cow,” Mottley framed the lab’s new designation as part of incremental, sustained action that will deliver global progress over time. She added that Barbados will continue expanding its scientific public health capacity through initiatives including the Barbados Living Lab, noting that investments in diagnostic infrastructure are ultimately investments in protecting lives. The core mission of the new collaborating centre, she explained, is to deliver fast, accurate diagnostic data to clinicians, enabling them to prescribe targeted, effective treatments when every moment counts in fighting resistant infections.

    BDSPHL director Songee Beckles called the PAHO/WHO designation a formal recognition of the facility’s years of hard work and growing impact, opening doors for the lab to contribute meaningfully to global AMR action. Since 2016, Beckles explained, the facility has evolved dramatically from a basic national diagnostic lab to a respected regional hub for AMR surveillance. Through intentional investment in strategic partnerships, workforce upskilling, technological upgrades, molecular diagnostics, and genomic sequencing, the lab has become a foundational pillar of AMR detection and response for both Barbados and the broader Caribbean region.

    The 2026 designation as a PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance represents the culmination of years of consistent investment and incremental progress. As AMR continues to grow into one of the most pressing global health threats of the 21st century, BDSPHL is now fully positioned to support national, regional, and international efforts to preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobial medications and safeguard public health for generations to come.

  • Primary Schools Chess Championship set for Wildey Gym

    Primary Schools Chess Championship set for Wildey Gym

    The island nation of Barbados is preparing to host one of its most anticipated youth academic sporting events of the year: the 2024 Primary Interschool Team Chess Championship, scheduled to run across two consecutive days, June 18 and 19, at the well-equipped Wildey Gymnasium. This year’s tournament will bring together school squads from every corner of the country, competing under the widely respected Swiss-system tournament format designed to reward consistent performance without eliminating participants early.

    Organized around a five-round Swiss team structure, this year’s championship sets clear roster rules: each competing team fields five active players per matchup, with up to two alternate reserves allowed to cover absences or rotation. The competition is open to all primary education institutions across Barbados, both public and private, with a cap of three entries per school to ensure broad participation across different campuses.

    Following standard international chess scoring rules, each individual player earns one full point for a win, half a point for a drawn game, and no points for a loss. Final cumulative points from all individual games across rounds will be tallied to determine the overall tournament champion.

    Heading into the competition, all eyes are on defending champions Charles F. Broome Primary School, who are gearing up to defend their crown and chase an unprecedented third consecutive title. The school has dominated primary school chess competitions across Barbados in recent years under the guidance of dedicated head coach Corie Elcock. In last year’s tournament, Charles F. Broome’s A-team secured a nail-biting victory, edging out second-place finishers St Winifreds by just half a cumulative point to claim the top spot.

    This year, however, the tournament field will see two notable absences. A scheduling conflict with end-of-term academic exams has forced St Winifreds to withdraw from the 2024 championship, ending their shot at redemption for last year’s narrow loss. 2023’s third-place team, St Giles, has also confirmed they will not participate in this year’s event. Despite these departures, last year’s fourth-place finishers St Gabriels have formally confirmed their entry, with the squad already targeting an improved ranking after their solid performance in 2023.

    Organizers report healthy growth in youth participation across the board: last year’s championship drew 20 competing teams from 14 different primary schools, and insiders expect that total number of entries to rise this year, reflecting growing interest in chess among young Bajans.

    The event is overseen by the Barbados Chess Federation, which has long prioritized expanding access to and participation in chess within the country’s national school system. Moving forward, the federation announced it is gearing up for deeper collaboration with the Ministry of Education’s upcoming Chess in Education programme, which is scheduled for full implementation in the near future to embed chess into regular school curricula.

  • Girls’ Futsal event sees rising interest

    Girls’ Futsal event sees rising interest

    The Garfield Sobers Gymnasium played host to the second day of the National Sports Council Girls’ Primary School Futsal Championship on Wednesday, drawing robust enthusiasm and participation from eight competing primary school teams across the region.

    As event coordinator Soraya Toppin-Herbert, a former senior national women’s football player and ex-Director of Women’s Football for the Bahamas Football Association, shared, early assessments of the tournament paint an overwhelmingly positive picture of community and institutional buy-in. “So far it’s been going really good. The girls have been enjoying the game, there’s been a lot of excitement and most of the schools have had a full squad,” Toppin-Herbert told reporters.

    The championship did not emerge out of nowhere: it grew organically from a seven-a-side youth football rally hosted at the close of the first school term last year, when organizers first noticed the unmet demand for girls’ competitive futsal opportunities. That early grassroots interest aligned with a core strategic goal of the National Sports Council (NSC): expanding female access to organized sports and keeping young girls engaged in athletic activity year-round, rather than limiting participation to one-off annual events.

    Toppin-Herbert noted that for years, boys have had a steady, high-profile outlet for competitive football through the NSC/BICO Football Competition, commonly known as BICO. While a small number of female players have joined that tournament, the vast majority of girl athletes have been locked out of consistent organized play, a gap this new championship is designed to fill. Already, the response has been strong enough that organizers have received multiple requests to expand roster sizes to accommodate more girls who want to compete.

    Despite the widespread enthusiasm, Toppin-Herbert acknowledged that the tournament has revealed a wide gap in experience and performance across teams, a reality that signals room for growth in the nascent program. Some girls already play regularly in mixed leagues alongside boys, bringing tighter ball control and more physical toughness to the court. For many other participants, this marks the first organized competitive football event they have ever joined, leading to a broad range of skill levels across matches.

    Even with that disparity, Toppin-Herbert framed the mixed skill levels as a win for organizers. The high level of interest from participants and schools alike proves that there is a solid foundation to build on as the NSC works to grow girls’ futsal in the years ahead. The tournament remains on track to complete its schedule in the coming days, with organizers already planning adjustments to meet the unanticipated demand for participation.

  • ‘No room for complacency,” says coach ahead of Scotland clash

    ‘No room for complacency,” says coach ahead of Scotland clash

    As anticipation builds for Thursday’s high-stakes Group B clash at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Headingley, West Indies head coach Shane Deitz has delivered a firm wake-up call to his squad, emphasizing that overconfidence will have no place in their game plan.

    Both sides enter the match riding a wave of momentum from unforgettable opening-round wins, turning the under lights encounter into one of the most compelling matches of the tournament so far. The Windies pulled off a dramatic final-over upset to knock defending champions New Zealand off their throne, while Scotland notched a historic milestone, securing their first-ever victory at a Women’s T20 World Cup with a clinical performance against Ireland.

    Despite a comfortable six-wicket win over Scotland at the 2024 tournament, where Deandra Dottin’s aggressive late innings sealed the result and boosted the side’s net run rate, Deitz is quick to stress that today’s Scottish side is a vastly different and far more dangerous opponent.

    Since that 2024 meeting, Scotland has added several talented new players to their roster, and a growing number of their core squad now compete regularly in England’s competitive domestic cricket circuit, raising their overall level of play dramatically. The coach also noted that Scotland’s landmark opening win over Ireland has injected the side with massive confidence, a factor that makes them even more of a threat.

    “They had a great win, so they’ll be flying high and full of confidence,” Deitz said. “They’ve got some good players all around, a good mix, they hit different areas. We’re going to have to be at our absolute best to beat them. We definitely can’t be complacent, and we won’t be.”

    The Windies’ opening match against New Zealand was a true rollercoaster of emotions, with veteran Shemaine Campbelle delivering a career-defining performance: her first T20I half-century across 155 appearances, which guided the side across the line in the final over. Even so, Deitz warns his team cannot count on repeated mistakes from their opponents, nor can they rely on their higher world ranking – West Indies sits 6th, five places above Scotland – to carry them to victory.

    Reflecting on the transformation of women’s cricket since he first joined the sport in 2014, Deitz noted that the gap between top-tier sides and emerging nations has shrunk dramatically. “Back then, it was clear those three or four sides were miles ahead of everyone else. But now, you have to bring your best every single day, and it’s just a great spectacle. The girls work hard and have got as much passion and energy for the game as anyone you’ll ever see.”

    Deitz did not hold back when praising Scotland’s standout players, calling dynamic sibling duo Kathryn and Sarah Bryce true world-class talents, while adding that his own side boasts elite match-winners ready to rise to the challenge.

    For Scotland, however, the team is approaching the match with calm confidence rather than intimidation, despite facing a side that has claimed multiple World Cup titles in the past. Opening batter Darcey Carter, who set a solid foundation for Scotland’s win over Ireland before being dismissed for 14, spent the eve of the match studying West Indies’ win over New Zealand and says her side is unfazed by their opponent’s reputation.

    “They’re a really good side. They’ve got some great players in their team as well, but I think we just have to play the team on the day,” Carter explained. “Personally, I don’t try to look at the names too much because then you just get caught up in that. If we can just take the game as it comes and adapt to how the opposition plays, then I think we will be in good stead.”

    Scotland also has a recent upset over the Windies to draw confidence from: the side claimed an 11-run win over West Indies in the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, a result that ultimately eliminated the Caribbean side from contention for the tournament. That history only adds another layer of intrigue to Thursday’s must-win clash, leaving cricket fans around the world waiting to see which side will carry their opening momentum forward.

  • Small Craft Advisory remains in effect amid strong winds

    Small Craft Advisory remains in effect amid strong winds

    Barbados Meteorological Services (BMS) has confirmed that a Small Craft Advisory will remain active across the island nation over the coming two days, as forecasted strong winds are set to create dangerous sea conditions that pose significant risks to small vessels and marine users. According to official weather projections, sustained wind speeds between 15 and 25 knots — equivalent to 30 to 45 kilometers per hour — will push open-water swells to heights ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 meters, creating a challenging and unpredictable environment for anyone operating on the water.

    The combination of rough surf, unexpected wave patterns and heavy sea spray will make navigation far more difficult than usual, BMS warned, with small crafts facing an elevated risk of capsizing in these unstable conditions. Beyond the initial hazardous period on Thursday and Friday, the island’s weather forecast includes additional shifts scheduled for the weekend and the start of next week. A tropical wave is on track to reach Barbados on Saturday, which is expected to bring outbreaks of showers and sudden gusty winds that could further disrupt coastal and marine activity.

    Forecasters note that sea conditions are projected to moderate slightly across the latter half of the weekend, providing a brief window of calmer conditions before winds and rough seas are set to strengthen once again early next week. In response to the ongoing and forecasted hazards, Barbados Meteorological Services has issued a urgent public appeal to all mariners, fishermen, recreational boaters and other marine users to stay updated on official weather announcements from the service, and to prioritize safety by exercising extreme caution when planning any activity on the water through the coming days.