Carib Scope

标签： Barbados

巴巴多斯

  • Light & Power warns customers to isolate renewable systems ahead of storms

    Light & Power warns customers to isolate renewable systems ahead of storms

    As the Caribbean island nation of Barbados accelerates its preparations for the annual Atlantic hurricane season, the country’s main power provider Barbados Light & Power (BL&P) has issued a critical public safety alert, highlighting the life-threatening risks that improperly installed or unregulated solar energy systems and backup generators pose to line crews working to restore power after storm-related outages.

    The warning was delivered by BL&P’s Renewable Energy Business Unit Manager Robert Harewood during a hurricane preparedness exposition and press briefing held Friday at the utility’s Garrison Hill headquarters in St. Michael. The event brought together representatives from the Barbados Meteorological Service and multiple relevant stakeholders to educate utility workers and the public on proactive risk mitigation for the coming storm cycle.

    Currently, around 3,500 BL&P customers have grid-tied private renewable energy systems installed at their properties, a number that reflects the island’s growing transition to clean energy – but also makes this safety reminder all the more urgent, Harewood emphasized. He explained that post-hurricane power restoration efforts are already notoriously dangerous work, as crews navigate chaotic landscapes filled with downed poles, tangled fallen wires, and damaged infrastructure that can obscure system connections. When private renewable energy sources remain connected to the grid, they can keep power flowing through lines that crews assume are fully de-energized, creating unseen shock hazards that put first responders’ lives at severe risk.

    “In the past, especially during restoration, it’s a difficult time because you have poles down, you have wires on the ground as well,” Harewood said. “Sometimes when the guys go to restore, it’s not always easy to understand what is connected where because of the chaos out in the field.” He added that even with careful pre-work checks, unmarked private systems can lead to unexpected danger: “In the effort to get customers back on, sometimes it’s possible that our crew could go and work on a line and be impacted by power from a renewable system that they may not have realised was there.”

    Harewood noted that properly permitted, BL&P-approved renewable energy installations are required to include a dedicated manual isolation switch that allows homeowners to disconnect their private system from the public grid before a storm makes landfall. He urged all customers with grid-tied solar systems to activate this safety switch whenever a severe weather event is forecast, as a straightforward precaution to protect responding crews.

    However, the manager voiced growing concern over unregistered renewable energy systems that have been connected to the grid without BL&P’s knowledge or oversight, many of which lack the mandatory isolation switches and other required safety features. “We’ve realised in recent times there’s some customers that have renewable systems without our knowledge, and they may not have that isolation switch,” he said.

    While most grid-tied solar systems are engineered with an automatic shutdown feature that disconnects them from the grid when public power goes out, Harewood stressed that this automatic safeguard is not infallible. Equipment damage from storm surge, wind, or debris can cause the mechanism to fail, leaving dangerous live power flowing through public lines.

    The safety warning also extends to improperly connected backup generators, which carry many of the same risks for utility crews. Harewood advised homeowners to always verify that all private power equipment is safely disconnected before a storm, and to consult a certified professional to inspect installations after a storm passes if there is any uncertainty about their safety and connection status. “Otherwise, you really should contact your installer, whoever installed the renewable system, to have it checked and make sure that everything is okay,” he added.

  • Young people seek a bigger role in climate decisions

    Young people seek a bigger role in climate decisions

    On the occasion of World Environment Day, new findings from a UNICEF-commissioned survey have laid bare a critical disconnect across the Eastern Caribbean: while a large share of the region’s young people are passionate about building careers in the fast-growing green and circular economy, deep gaps in accessible information, skills training, and open opportunities are keeping them from turning that ambition into action. The survey, carried out in 2023 across four island nations – Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Saint Lucia – was formally presented at the UN House in Bridgetown, with its full report titled *Young People’s Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Climate Change and Green and Circular Economies in the Eastern Caribbean*. Research organizers confirmed that while the overwhelming majority of respondents demonstrated clear awareness of climate change and a strong desire to contribute to regional climate solutions, multiple structural barriers continue to block their entry into green career paths. “The most encouraging takeaway from this work is that young people are already ready to be part of the solution,” explained Maryam Abdu, UNICEF’s acting representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, during the presentation of findings. “So many are actively seeking green jobs and specialized training, but systemic hurdles stand in their way. The largest gap by far is accessible information – and information is power, especially in today’s fast-moving digital era. Beyond that, many young people report that training programs and open job roles are out of reach, with opportunities feeling unevenly distributed and nearly inaccessible for most.” The study’s results also underscored a widespread demand among youth for greater inclusion in climate policy decision-making, as well as targeted support to smooth their transition into green and circular economy roles. Abdu called on regional stakeholders to ramp up investment in youth development and meaningful inclusion, arguing that meaningful climate action cannot succeed without centering young people. “When we expand access to information, training, and new opportunities, that also means young people deserve a seat at the table, not just a chance to be consulted,” she said. “You are not just the future – you are the leaders of today. This work is not just about sharing data; it is about taking collective action.” Abdu added that the study’s findings should serve as a roadmap for policy updates and program rollout across every Eastern Caribbean nation. “Let us use these insights to first improve our policy frameworks, then strengthen programs that directly support young people and address climate impacts,” she noted. “We need to tear down the barriers holding them back and build tangible, accessible opportunities for Caribbean youth. If we want young people to succeed – and we absolutely do – we have to make sure the skills they learn align with the jobs of the future.” Brian Bogart, country leader for the World Food Programme (WFP) in the region, echoed Abdu’s remarks, noting that young people across the Caribbean are already informed, engaged, and prepared to contribute to climate action – but regional institutions have not kept pace with their ambitions. “Across the region, the United Nations is growing a portfolio of youth-focused initiatives tied to climate action and the transition to circular, blue, and green economies,” Bogart explained. “In Barbados alone, young leaders are already actively involved in national climate policy processes, contributing directly to national climate plans and national climate financing frameworks. Climate action summits have also created critical spaces for meaningful youth participation. Through programs like the Green Rising initiative, our goal is to equip more than 5,000 young people with the core skills needed for green and blue economy careers, while supporting youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship.” Even with this expanding support, Bogart emphasized that long-standing structural barriers continue to limit full youth participation in the green economy. He stressed that stronger, more intentional connections between education systems, skills training, and employment outlets are urgently needed to close gaps. “This means expanding access to hands-on opportunities: apprenticeships, internships, and certification programs that deliver real-world experience and open doors to long-term careers,” he said. “It also requires making information about these opportunities clear, accessible, and co-designed with young people themselves. Young people are not just asking to be told what opportunities exist – they are asking to be included, to be equipped with the skills they need, and to play a meaningful role in shaping their own futures.” Michele Small-Bartley, CARICOM’s Programme Manager for Youth Development, noted that the regional bloc’s updated CARICOM Youth Development Action Plan already provides a strong foundational framework for advancing youth participation and climate resilience across all member states. “This plan calls for greater coordination, more inclusive processes, and an evidence-based approach to youth development across the region,” she explained. “It prioritizes youth participation, employability, leadership, resilience, well-being, and institutional strengthening – all priorities that align directly with the findings from this UNICEF study. We continue to work closely with member states and partner organizations to build a stronger enabling environment for youth development across the Caribbean.” Small-Bartley added that the study’s findings reinforce the urgent need for more robust systems and accountability mechanisms to support youth entering the green economy. “We are advancing the CARICOM youth development governance structure and a regional youth development index, because we know that good intentions are not enough,” she said. “We need formal systems, we need solid data, we need cross-stakeholder coordination, clear accountability, and structured mechanisms that lift youth voices from just being consulted to being full participants in decision-making and action.” She closed by emphasizing that the goal of regional efforts should not just be to prepare young people to participate in green and circular economies – but to empower them to lead those sectors in the decades ahead.

  • St George Sec student tops national letter writing contest

    St George Sec student tops national letter writing contest

    On a celebratory Friday held at Bridgetown’s Cheapside General Post Office, 16-year-old Athena Browne, a second-form student from St George Secondary School, walked away with the top prize at the annual Barbados Postal Service National Letter Writing Competition. Her thoughtful entry, which explored the enduring value of in-person human connection amid an increasingly digitized communication landscape, captured the full attention of judging panel and secured her first place. Following Browne in the rankings were Knela Walcott of Harrison College, who took second place, and Olivia Dean of The Alleyne School, who claimed third. A special honor was also extended to 9-year-old Xachary Haywood of St Mark’s Primary School, recognized as the competition’s youngest participating competitor. In post-award remarks, Browne shared that joining the contest was a deliberate step to hone her written communication skills, marking not her first attempt at competitive writing. When describing the creative spark behind her winning work, she explained that she framed her letter as a casual conversation with a close friend who had relocated abroad, centering the narrative on how digital tools can complement, rather than replace, genuine human connection. Browne went on to encourage other young Barbadians to lean into writing-based activities, noting that strong writing proficiency opens doors to a wide range of creative and professional career paths from poetry to narrative storytelling. Addressing the gathered attendees, Minister of Home Affairs and Information Gregory Nicholls emphasized that the annual competition extends far beyond simply distributing awards to top performers. “Today we are not just handing out trophies—we are lifting up the voices, celebrating the intellect, imagination, ambition, vision and untapped potential of Barbados’ next generation,” Nicholls told the crowd. He stressed that this year’s theme, “Why Human Connection Matters in a Digital Age,” struck a particularly resonant chord at a moment when technology has become the default mode for most daily communication. Unlike quick digital messages, Nicholls noted, traditional letter writing demands intentional thought, genuine empathy, sincere expression and quiet self-reflection, making it one of the most meaningful forms of communication ever created. “Your words matter, your ideas matter, and your contribution to building the future of Barbados matters most of all,” he said, urging all participants to continue nurturing their writing talents. Barbados Postmaster General Joann Busby added context to the long-running competition, revealing that the Barbados Postal Service has partnered with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) to bring the international contest’s national round to the island’s youth for nearly 20 consecutive years. “This year’s call for young writers to explore the importance of human connection in a digital world could not have been timelier,” Busby said. While she acknowledged that modern technology has revolutionized communication by allowing instant contact across long distances, she stressed that digital platforms are unable to fully replicate the empathy, understanding, warmth and depth of in-person interaction built around shared experience. “A handwritten or carefully crafted letter demands intentionality, effort and unique personal expression that cannot be replicated by a 280-character tweet or a quick text message,” she added. For the competition’s youngest honoree, 9-year-old Haywood, the draw of the event was simple: writing is fun, and participation brings its own rewards. When asked what inspired his entry, he shared that his work also centered on the value of human connection, and he joined simply because he was excited to test his skills. His advice to other young prospective writers is straightforward: “Writing is fun and you will win a prize for writing.” Haywood’s mother Natasha shared that her son had been thrilled from the day his school told him about the competition. He poured hours of work into his letter, with extra support from his teachers, and could hardly contain his excitement, jumping for joy, when he learned he would receive special recognition at the ceremony. Natasha Haywood urged fellow parents to prioritize their children’s creative growth, saying “The best thing we can do is encourage our kids to keep reading, keep writing, and stand by them every step of the way.” Organized annually by the Barbados Postal Service in partnership with the Universal Postal Union, the competition was created to foster core skills among the nation’s youth: literacy, creative thinking, independent research and intentional communication that connects people across divides. Now in its 20th year, the event continues to draw hundreds of young participants from across the country’s primary and secondary schools.

  • Heritage minister: Writing surge would close cultural, educational gaps

    Heritage minister: Writing surge would close cultural, educational gaps

    At the launch of a new writing competition tied to Barbados’ annual Season of Emancipation, the country’s Minister of Pan-African Affairs and Heritage Trevor Prescod has issued a pressing call to action, warning that the nation faces a critical shortage of homegrown writers whose work is essential to protecting Barbados’ unique cultural identity and driving inclusive national development. Prescod framed the literary sector as a dangerously underrepresented pillar in the ongoing regional movement to preserve indigenous Caribbean heritage, noting that the current gap in locally produced content threatens to erode connection to national history among younger generations.

    Highlighting that the dearth of Barbadian literature stretches across educational and popular spaces, Prescod appealed to both aspiring and established writers to reimagine their craft not just as a creative passion, but as a legitimate cultural responsibility and scalable economic enterprise. “What this country needs is writers,” he emphasized during the event. “Not just occasional articles or hobbyist work — we need original, Barbadian-centered content built as a sustainable business. That requires the same entrepreneurial drive and strategic skill that any other industry demands.”

    The writing contest, organized to address this gap, offers a top prize of $20,000, with submissions open to interested creators through the end of July. This year’s competition centers on the legacy of iconic pan-Africanist leader Marcus Garvey, a trailblazer in Black self-determination who established his own newspapers in the 1920s despite never completing formal secondary or university education. Prescod pointed to Garvey’s legacy of self-publishing and independent media ownership as a critical historical example for contemporary Barbadian creators, arguing that modern writers must channel Garvey’s same initiative to package, publish, and distribute their work to global audiences.

    Prescod made clear that the demand for local content extends far beyond general literature: educational spaces across the nation’s primary and secondary schools currently rely heavily on imported texts, which leave many young learners disconnected from their own heritage. He shared startling observations from conversations with library officials, noting that too many Barbadian children cannot name the country’s national heroes, nor do they have familiar, accessible cultural references that reflect their own lived experiences. “Even some children do not even know who our national heroes are. They don’t have a mental construct of what they look like,” Prescod said. “Our primary and secondary education systems need books created for our students, by people who share our context.”

    He challenged local authors to develop and commercialize accessible educational and historical works rooted in Caribbean and Barbadian realities. Such content, he argued, would do more than fill a gap in curricula: it would foster strong cultural identity and inspire ambition among young readers, who would see themselves and their potential reflected in local stories. “I don’t see why some of us cannot prepare small books so that our children can see examples of our own talent, mirror the content they read every day, and be able to say, ‘I want to be like A, B, or C’ — a Caribbean, Barbadian figure,” he explained. “Society is starving for that kind of representation.”

    Prescod confirmed that the Barbadian government, through the Office of Pan-African Affairs and Heritage, is prepared to support writers and cultural creators as they work to turn their intellectual property into long-term, sustainable businesses, framing investment in local literature as an investment in the nation’s future.

  • Early intervention key to tackling gang crime, Lashley says

    Early intervention key to tackling gang crime, Lashley says

    Barbados is pushing forward with sweeping new anti-crime legislation aimed at curbing a recent surge in gang-related violence, youth offending, and firearm-related crime, with the country’s top legal affairs official emphasizing that early, broad-based social support must be at the heart of long-term crime prevention efforts.

    Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice Michael Lashley presented the Criminal Gangs (Prevention and Control) Bill to the Senate on Friday, marking a historic first under recently revised constitutional rules: Lashley, a member of the lower House of Parliament, became the first minister to appear before the upper legislative chamber to steer major legislation through the cross-chamber process. In his opening address, Lashley framed the bill as a long-overdue landmark that addresses a critical gap in the Caribbean nation’s criminal justice system.

    “There is nothing on our current statute books that specifically addresses gang activity,” Lashley told lawmakers. “No existing criminal legislation in Barbados directly targets criminal gang operations, which is why this bill is so necessary.” The proposed legislation, he explained, will equip law enforcement agencies and public prosecutors with a targeted new legal framework to tackle the growing wave of gang-linked violence, illegal weapons possession, and violent offending that has impacted communities across the country.

    Development of the bill was rooted in extensive public engagement, Lashley noted, with input gathered from a broad range of stakeholders including legal professionals, labor union leaders, and ordinary Barbadian citizens to ensure the legislation balances public safety needs with civil liberties.

    Even as he defended the urgent need for stronger enforcement tools, Lashley – a veteran criminal barrister with decades of experience in the justice system – stressed that new laws alone cannot reverse Barbados’ rising crime trends. Drawing on pre-sentencing reports prepared under the country’s existing Penal System Reform Act, he highlighted a consistent pattern of unaddressed behavioral and social issues that emerge long before young people enter the criminal justice system.

    “Time and again, these reports lay out a clear trail of warning signs dating back to adolescence: 13-year-olds getting into repeated trouble at school, 14-year-olds assaulting educators, 15-year-olds struggling with marijuana dependency, 16-year-olds expelled from the education system entirely,” Lashley said. “What these reports almost never show is any targeted social intervention to step in and help that young person turn their life around.” He added that most files also document deep-seated family instability and other overlapping social disadvantages, making the case for systemic early intervention to divert at-risk youth away from criminal activity before they offend.

    “We have to redesign our crime prevention strategy to center early social intervention as a core pillar,” Lashley argued. “That is the only way we can save young people from becoming entangled in the criminal justice system permanently.”

    Beyond early intervention and new anti-gang legislation, Lashley reiterated his longstanding support for reintroducing a dedicated drug court to Barbados’ justice system, noting that substance abuse is a leading contributing factor to a large share of the country’s offending. “I am a strong advocate for bringing back the drug court, because so many crimes are directly tied to drug dependency,” he said. “Specialized, treatment-focused programs like this deliver meaningful positive outcomes for both offenders and communities.”

    The minister also called for a more holistic approach to social intervention that extends beyond offenders to include crime victims and their families. Unaddressed trauma and unresolved anger from victimization, he warned, can create cycles of retaliation and push more people toward criminal activity. “Social intervention has to be all-encompassing – it must support not just people convicted of crimes, but the families and individuals impacted by harm,” he said.

    Lashley additionally pushed for improved monitoring of offenders who have been released on bail, noting that a small share of individuals reoffend while awaiting trial. He confirmed that the government is moving forward with plans to roll out upgraded monitoring systems in the near future to reduce recidivism risk and protect public safety.

    Friday’s first cross-chamber ministerial appearance follows constitutional amendments approved last December, which eliminated the longstanding rule that restricted ministers to participating in debates only in their home legislative chamber. The change is designed to streamline the legislative process and improve government accountability across both houses of parliament.

  • $30K up for grabs as Marcus Garvey entrepreneurship competition opens

    $30K up for grabs as Marcus Garvey entrepreneurship competition opens

    Barbados’ creative and entrepreneurial communities have been called to step forward as the fourth annual Marcus Garvey Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition officially opened its application window on Friday, offering a total of $30 000 in cash prizes to emerging innovators looking to turn cultural talent into scalable commercial ventures. Jointly organized by the island’s Division of Culture and the Office of Pan-African Affairs and Heritage, the competition aims to boost business development across Barbados’ cultural industries while growing its participant base for the fourth consecutive year. Applications from eligible creators will remain open until midnight on July 31.

    Organizers have set an ambitious target to double entry numbers this year, building on the rapid growth the competition has seen since its launch. Entries jumped from just 15 in 2023 to more than 60 in 2024, a trajectory event leaders hope to continue as they raise awareness of the opportunity across the island’s creative community. The core mission of the event remains bridging the long-standing gap between raw creative talent and sustainable, revenue-generating commercial enterprise, a gap that has limited growth for many cultural workers across the Caribbean.

    Program advisor Rodney Grant from the Division of Culture framed the current moment of global economic uncertainty as a unique catalyst for innovation, drawing on decades of observation of creative activity across the Caribbean region. “When societies face particular challenges is when you see innovation at its best,” Grant explained. “I spent a lot of time in Trinidad in the 1980s, and I saw firsthand that when Trinidad and other Caribbean societies went through their most difficult economic periods, that was exactly when we saw the most creativity from ordinary people. This contemporary global economic climate creates the right opportunity for innovation and creativity to flourish.”

    Grant made a specific appeal to young Barbadians to take ownership of the future of the island’s cultural sector, noting that young creators are already leading shifting trends in global cultural industries. “We’re specifically encouraging young people to take part. This is your time. This is the moment for the cultural and creative sectors to thrive, and young people are the ones who have their fingers on the pulse of what audiences want right now,” he said.

    The competition’s prize structure rewards top performers with substantial seed funding to grow their ideas: first place takes home $20 000, second place receives $7 000, and third place is awarded $3 000, making the total available cash pool $30 000. In a change to the 2025 format, the event will move away from its previous public final round. Instead, applicants will go through a private preliminary elimination round, after which five shortlisted finalists will deliver closed pitch sessions to a panel of industry specialists.

    A key theme emphasized at the competition’s launch was the need for Barbadian creative founders to scale their concepts beyond the island’s small domestic market to reach global audiences. Minister of Pan-African Affairs and Heritage Trevor Prescod highlighted the untapped global demand for Barbadian cultural products, ranging from fine art to traditional culinary goods. He pointed to the example of a Barbadian expatriate who was able to pay for property in New York entirely through revenue from sales of her traditional Barbadian sweet bread, proving the global market potential of even the most traditional cultural offerings.

    To ease anxiety among prospective applicants who may worry their business ideas are not fully developed, Grant sought to reassure potential participants that incomplete business plans are no barrier to entering. “We don’t expect that you’re gonna have every T crossed, every I dotted,” he said. “If you wait for perfection, we will never start or we will never do anything. Nothing in this world requires perfection, but it requires you to start and to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve. Our panel meets every entrant where they are, and we will work to understand what you are trying to pitch and accomplish.”

    Prescod positioned the competition within the wider framework of Barbados’ annual Season of Emancipation, challenging long-held harmful stereotypes about entrepreneurship in Caribbean society. “We have internalized the myth that an entrepreneur is someone born with special, almost divine endowments, that only a tiny handful of us have what it takes to build a business,” Prescod said. “If you look back at our history before slavery, you would know that is not true. We successfully built many empires, many businesses, and there is endless creativity within our people.”

    Drawing on the legacy of the competition’s namesake, Marcus Garvey, Prescod recalled that the iconic Jamaican Pan-African leader built international shipping lines, printing houses, and global publications in the 1920s without any formal advanced academic training. “He didn’t say you had to be an economist, he didn’t say you had to study law,” Prescod noted. “What Garvey taught us is that the most important things are discipline and a commitment to seeking knowledge. A person with those qualities can achieve anything they set out to do by exploring the world of knowledge.”

    The minister also tied the competition to a broader national goal of economic transformation and Black economic enfranchisement, arguing that widespread business ownership is a core tool for addressing systemic inequality. “I don’t want to hide the core of what this is about: Black economic empowerment,” he said. “We live in a country where over 96 percent of the population is of African descent, and yet we are still struggling just to gain control of our own Black businesses — and worst of all, we only have small Black businesses. I want to see all of our creators excel to the greatest heights, competing on the global stage.”

    To support potential applicants in understanding what kinds of projects qualify, the Division of Culture is publishing a detailed outline of the cultural and creative sectors, encouraging entrants to think beyond traditional definitions of creative work and submit a wide range of concepts. Applications can be submitted either individually or as a team via the official Google Sheet link posted to the social media channels of the Division of Culture and the Barbados Government Information Service. Applicants facing digital access barriers can request alternative submission arrangements by emailing culture.coe@barbados.gov.bb before the July 31 deadline.

  • Senator Rogers: Nation under siege

    Senator Rogers: Nation under siege

    As the Barbadian Senate took up debate on the groundbreaking Criminal Gangs (Prevention and Control) Bill Friday aimed at curbing the island nation’s surging violent crime and gang activity, independent senator and Anglican cleric Canon Dr. John Rogers delivered a somber, impassioned address that framed the current crisis as a defining failure of the country’s social and moral fabric. Opening his remarks with a heavy heart, Rogers drew parallels between the proposed new legislation and oppressive control laws enacted during the colonial slavery era, noting that centuries ago, Barbadian parliament passed harsh laws to dehumanize and control enslaved Africans, classified then as dehumanizing terms like “bucks” and “wenches” as chattel property. Today, he lamented, the country once again finds itself forced to pass sweeping control laws to rein in widespread criminal violence — a marker of how far Barbados has drifted from its foundational values, ahead of a series of landmark national milestones. “Barbados has become a foreign place,” Rogers stated, explaining the shift extends beyond changing demographics to alien, harmful ideologies that have taken root across society, coinciding with upcoming milestones including the 400th anniversary of the island’s settlement, the 60th anniversary of national independence, and the fifth anniversary of Barbados’ transition to a republic. Next year will also mark 400 years since the Anglican Church was established on the island, a history Rogers acknowledged is tied to the transatlantic slave trade, but he emphasized that faith institutions across denominations have been a cornerstone of Barbados’ moral and social development. From Anglicans and Methodists to Roman Catholics, Moravians, Adventists and Pentecostal congregations, religious groups have shaped generations of young Barbadians through youth programmes like the Church Lads’ Brigade, Church Girls’ Brigade, Pathfinders and Cub Scouts, building the social fabric that holds communities together, he argued. Turning to the substance of the anti-gang legislation, Rogers warned the bill cannot be considered separately from the interception of communications law passed last year, noting that modern Barbadian gang activity is no longer limited to local neighborhood factions. Today’s gangs are deeply connected to regional and international transnational criminal syndicates, creating a systemic challenge that extends far beyond the island’s borders, he explained. While Rogers expressed clear support for the proposed bill and its provisions to close legal loopholes and strengthen penalties for gang affiliation and activity, he stressed that legislation alone cannot reverse the tide of rising violent crime. To meaningfully address the crisis, the country must confront the root causes embedded in the core of society, working to transform the harmful mindsets that fuel criminal behavior, he argued. Echoing earlier calls in the debate to reclaim local communities from gang influence, Rogers said lasting societal change will require open, difficult conversations about core values, personal accountability and social discipline. He welcomed the Ministry of Education Transformation’s ongoing review of school grooming policies, arguing that educational institutions have a responsibility to prepare young people for entry into the workforce. Allowing young male students to attend school with unkempt, unkempt hair and little regard for personal presentation sets them up for long-term failure, he argued, as employers will be far less likely to give these young people opportunities to build stable careers. Rogers also doubled down on long-held concerns about drug decriminalization, first raised during the 2019 debate on cannabis legislation, warning that the widespread proliferation of cannabis on Barbadian streets has directly contributed to the current crime surge, with visible fallout across communities. Beyond drugs, Rogers linked rising crime to broader shifts in cultural norms, calling out what he described as increasingly vulgar and degrading messaging in popular music and entertainment showcased during the annual Crop Over festival. The content of modern cultural output shapes how Barbadians value one another, particularly how women are viewed and valued by society and themselves, he said, urging cultural creators and practitioners to prioritize uplifting, values-driven content that strengthens rather than erodes community standards. A pervasive reluctance to hold young people accountable for their actions has also weakened social guardrails, Rogers argued, noting that decades of shifting attitudes toward discipline have left many children without clear boundaries. Today, society fears even constructive discipline to the point that children are raised without expectations of accountability, he argued, likening the overprotective approach to raising fragile eggs rather than resilient, responsible young people. Compounding this issue is a growing culture of entitlement, Rogers said, where too many young people expect wealth and success without investing the effort of attending school, building skills or working their way up. “Only the grave digger starts from the top,” he noted, urging young people to take entry-level and available work while pursuing better long-term opportunities, even when formal employment options are limited. Early intervention is critical to steer at-risk children away from a path toward violent crime, Rogers stressed, explaining that young children who do not learn impulse control and basic accountability grow into adults who are willing to use lethal violence without considering the harm to innocent bystanders. He also called for a renewed emphasis on civics education to help all citizens understand how criminal behavior damages families, destroys communities and tarnishes Barbados’ international reputation, which is critical to the island’s economic and social standing. Becoming visibly emotional during his speech, Rogers mourned the recent fatal shooting of a former student and cricketer he had coached, offering condolences to the young man’s family and holding the killing up as a painful example of the human cost of the current crime crisis. He also recalled the killing of a local small business vendor, who was killed by a stray bullet while working to build a better life for his family — an incident that has continued to weigh on him in the months since the shooting. Closing his address, Rogers made a direct appeal to parents, particularly single mothers raising children alone, to take greater responsibility for guiding and monitoring their children. He reiterated his earlier historical parallel: when a community allows behavior that violates basic social standards to become normalized, society is ultimately forced to enact restrictive laws to control that behavior. “If we’re going to behave like bucks and wenches, laws will have to be passed to control us,” Rogers said. “Tie your children.”

  • Scientist warns of possible climate link to hantavirus outbreaks

    Scientist warns of possible climate link to hantavirus outbreaks

    As a growing body of scientific research investigates whether shifting climate patterns are accelerating the geographic spread of hantavirus – a life-threatening pathogen transmitted primarily through rodents – a leading Caribbean-based biosecurity expert is urging regional communities to boost surveillance, preparedness, and diagnostic capacity to mitigate emerging risks.

    Dr. Kirk Douglas, director of the Centre for Biosecurity Studies at The University of the West Indies’ Cave Hill campus in Barbados, says that while the approaching El Niño event, a climate pattern linked to elevated global temperatures, does not guarantee an imminent hantavirus outbreak in the region, it serves as a critical early warning signal. This signal, he argues, should prompt governments and public health authorities to roll out proactive measures including expanded rodent population monitoring and functional early warning systems where resources allow.

    Global public health data already reflects worrying shifts in hantavirus transmission. Globally, the virus has caused three confirmed fatalities among 13 documented cases to date, and in Argentina – where a high-profile outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship drew international attention in recent weeks – annual confirmed cases have more than doubled over the last 12 months. Scientists are currently working to unpack the specific climate and ecological drivers that are allowing the pathogen to take hold in regions where it was previously rare or undetected.

    Douglas emphasized that the spread of hantavirus and other emerging pathogens into new geographic ranges is not an act of nature, but a consequence of unregulated human activity that disrupts natural ecosystems. “Outbreaks like this remind us that human health is not separate from ecological or environmental health,” he explained. When humans clear forests for resource extraction, reduce biodiversity by oversimplifying natural ecosystems, mismanage solid waste, expand urban development into untouched animal habitats, intensify agricultural production without proper environmental safeguards, and ignore clear climate warning signs, they create far more opportunities for dangerous pathogens to jump across species barriers to humans, he argued.

    Crucially, Douglas stressed that this does not mean nature itself is the enemy. “The problem is unmanaged contact, ecological disruption, and weak preparedness, which all boils down to human behaviour. We need a more respectful, intelligent relationship with the natural world, one that recognises public health, climate resilience, biodiversity, agriculture, tourism, waste management and urban planning, as all part of the same interconnected system.”

    Hantavirus itself is an ancient pathogen, Douglas noted, but the risk it poses to communities today is a distinctly modern challenge tied to human disruption of natural systems. “The health of people, animals and ecosystems…we can no longer govern them separately,” he said. “We have to have transdisciplinary approaches to the way we tackle diseases; and I believe that human behaviour is by far the most critical factor that we need to target.”

    Beyond ecosystem disruption and climate-driven spread, Douglas also warned that widespread misdiagnosis poses a major underaddressed risk to Barbados and the broader Caribbean. Many common regional viral diseases present nearly identical early symptoms: hantavirus, dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and Oropouche virus all cause acute febrile illness that can be hard to distinguish without targeted testing. In many cases, he explained, clinicians default to a diagnosis of dengue – the most common of these pathogens – without conducting confirmatory laboratory testing, simply because it is faster and more convenient. This practice not only hides the true scope of circulating pathogens in the region, but can also delay life-saving treatment for less common diseases like hantavirus.

    To address this gap, Douglas called on clinicians to systematically ask patients about potential exposure risks, including recent travel, contact with rodent populations, activities like cleaning enclosed rarely used spaces, farming, or camping that can increase the chance of encountering the virus. For clinical laboratories, he recommended updating testing protocols to account for exposure history, geographic location, seasonal patterns, and clinical severity, rather than automatically testing only for the most common endemic disease. Drawing on his own doctoral research, which documented cases of co-infection between dengue and hantavirus, Douglas noted that the landscape of circulating pathogens in the Caribbean is shifting rapidly. New pathogens are emerging or being detected every few years, he explained, and many of these may have been present in the region for decades without detection due to lack of targeted testing.

    “Having multiple diagnostics and referral pathways will be very, very important” to address the changing threat landscape, Douglas concluded.

  • Bajan youth trail regional peers in green economy awareness

    Bajan youth trail regional peers in green economy awareness

    Barbados has emerged as a regional leader in prioritizing climate resilience and advancing climate-friendly investments across government and community levels, but a new UNICEF-commissioned study has uncovered a critical gap: the island’s young people trail their peers across the Eastern Caribbean in awareness of green and circular economy opportunities. The research, which examined youth engagement across four island nations — Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, and St. Lucia — was officially released on World Environment Day during a public presentation focused on youth perspectives on climate action. Titled “Young People’s Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Climate Change and Green and Circular Economies in the Eastern Caribbean”, the project was designed to create an evidence base for building more inclusive climate programs that center young people’s needs and input.

    Lead researcher Professor Dwayne Devonish explained that while Barbados’ significant investments in climate resilience have gained international recognition, there is a clear disconnect between these top-level efforts and youth understanding of how young people can participate in related sectors. Contrary to common assumptions, this gap is not rooted in a lack of interest among Barbadian youth, but rather in how information about green and circular economy opportunities is communicated. “Many young people we spoke to acknowledged that the government is moving forward with climate-ready investments, but they consistently reported that the information provided is not framed in accessible language for their age group,” Devonish noted in remarks to reporters following the findings’ presentation at UN House in Bridgetown.

    Focus group discussions conducted as part of the study revealed clear demands from Barbadian youth: they want more accessible information about green career pathways, paid internships, and skills training programs in sustainable sectors. Within the national education system, many respondents called for updated curricula that explicitly break down what green and circular economy activities entail, and map out clear routes for young people to enter these fields through education, work experience, and professional development. “What young people are asking for is for these investments to be made tangible for them,” Devonish said. “They want opportunities they can actually access, explained in terms they can actually understand.”

    The study also offered a useful point of comparison: Dominica, which outperformed Barbados on metrics of youth awareness and engagement, owes its stronger results to two key factors. Beyond the fact that Dominica has faced more frequent and severe climate-fueled natural disasters that put climate issues at the forefront of public life, the Dominica government has also pursued more consistent, aggressive outreach and programming to embed climate action across all levels of society. “Frequent exposure to disasters naturally makes climate issues more personal for young people, but it is also the government’s consistent response that has driven higher engagement,” Devonish explained. Too often in Barbados, he noted, large-scale climate investments and technical projects are led exclusively by senior experts and specialists, with no structured plan to pass knowledge and opportunities down to younger generations. That missing link between national investment and youth participation has resulted in lower buy-in, even among young people who care deeply about climate action.

    UNICEF’s social and behaviour change specialist Dr. Lisa McClean-Trotman said the organization will now support Eastern Caribbean governments to develop new social and behaviour change strategies in response to the study’s findings. These strategies will need to go beyond simple awareness-raising, she emphasized, to address the structural barriers that prevent young people from participating in climate action and green economy sectors. “The findings for Barbados were somewhat unexpected, but they do not mean that Barbadian youth are disengaged or uninterested in climate issues,” McClean-Trotman stressed. She pointed out that much of the gap may stem from terminology: young people may understand concepts like recycling or sustainable job creation, but do not recognize the academic jargon of “green economy” or “circular economy” that officials and experts often use.

    “Barbados has done strong work to build public awareness of climate change overall, but we need to adjust how we frame these messages for younger audiences,” she said. “We have to pivot to use language that resonates with young people, terms and examples that they can relate to and connect with their own lives.”

  • West Indies must improve approach against Sri Lanka spin

    West Indies must improve approach against Sri Lanka spin

    As cricket fans prepare for a make-or-break second One-Day International between West Indies and Sri Lanka at Kingston’s iconic Sabina Park this Saturday, head coach Daren Sammy has pinpointed a critical area of improvement his side must deliver: a more assured, aggressive approach against Sri Lanka’s spin attack.

    The series currently hangs in Sri Lanka’s favor, with the visitors holding a 1-0 advantage after a commanding 41-run win in the opening fixture on Wednesday. That result marked a historic milestone for Sri Lanka, as it was their first ever ODI victory over West Indies on the Sabina Park ground.

    For the home side, the run-up to this weekend’s match carries added pressure. While West Indies have posted strong ODI results on home soil over the past 18 months, the team has now dropped five consecutive matches in the 50-over format. With the qualification cutoff for the 2025 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup rapidly approaching, this prolonged slump has emerged as a key point of concern for Sammy and the team’s coaching staff.

    In pre-match comments to reporters, Sammy emphasized that adapting to Sri Lanka’s spin bowlers is non-negotiable for a win on Saturday. “I think we definitely have to play their spin much better; you know, their spinners went probably for 68 runs off 20 overs. It’s something that we have to be better at in the next game. We’ve spoken about it and it’s about getting the confidence to have all the skills they’ve been working on to implement it in the game,” Sammy explained.

    Despite the recent string of losses and the series deficit, Sammy remains optimistic that his side can turn the tide over the remaining two fixtures. He urged his players to lean on past home series comebacks to find momentum, pointing to positive takeaways from the opening match despite the final result.

    “I think we’ve been in positions like this before over some of the series we’ve won at home and come back stronger,” he said. “We had two new openers in John [Campbell] and Justin [Greaves] and the way they approached the game, that controlled aggression, was good. Captain Shai Hope continues to lead the batting. I thought the new ball spell was really good, Matthew [Forde] and Jayden [Seales] continue to ask questions. But like I said earlier, tomorrow is a new day.”

    With the pitch conditions set to play a key role in the match outcome, Sammy confirmed the coaching staff is considering potential squad changes to optimize the team’s balance for the surface. He noted that the second match pitch appears to be in better condition than the opening game’s wicket, which featured several bare patches that increased spin variation.

    “The first game there were some bare patches where the ball spun, but looking at the surface today, it looks much better and harder and I expect it to be firmer, so then I don’t expect it to spin that much. We have our 12 and will make a final call when we see the pitch tomorrow,” Sammy added.

    Saturday’s match will also carry personal significance for West Indies captain Shai Hope, who is set to cap off a stellar ODI career by playing his 150th match in the format. Sammy heaped praise on Hope’s leadership and consistent performance over the past four years, calling him one of the greatest ODI batsmen in West Indies history.

    “You know, I see him as one of our greatest ODI batsmen with his record and his consistency, but for me just having been here working with him and seeing him work, there’s no surprise to me the numbers he puts out there,” Sammy said. “He pays a lot of attention to details with his preparation and he works really hard to be consistent and averages 50 plus in ODI cricket. So congrats to you Shai on this milestone and hopefully you and the rest of the team could make it a victorious one.”