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标签： Barbados

巴巴多斯

  • Barbadian Tourism Leader Petra Roach Inducted into Inaugural CTO Hall of Fame at Caribbean Week New York

    Barbadian Tourism Leader Petra Roach Inducted into Inaugural CTO Hall of Fame at Caribbean Week New York

    Amid the annual industry gathering of Caribbean Week New York, held at the InterContinental New York Times Square in June 2026, a landmark moment unfolded for Caribbean tourism: the first-ever induction ceremony for the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Hall of Fame, launched this year to honor trailblazing women who have reshaped the region’s travel sector. Among the small, elite group of inaugural inductees is Petra Roach, a seasoned Barbadian tourism executive with more than two and a half decades of experience shaping regional travel growth.

    The new CTO Hall of Fame was created specifically to spotlight women whose visionary leadership, innovative approaches, and long-standing contributions have advanced Caribbean tourism and driven broader socioeconomic progress across the island nations. Roach shares the inaugural honor with five other industry standouts: Karolin Troubetzkoy, executive director of Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain; Rosa Harris, Director of Tourism for the Cayman Islands; Valérie Damaseau, Commissioner of Tourism & Culture for Saint-Martin; Marsha Henderson, Minister of Tourism for St. Kitts & Nevis; and Beverly Nicholson-Doty, CEO of Figment Design. Each inductee has left an indelible mark on the sector through consistent commitment to industry excellence.

    In her remarks following the induction, Roach emphasized that the recognition is not solely a personal achievement, but a reflection of the community that has supported her throughout her career. “This recognition is deeply meaningful because it reflects the many mentors, colleagues, partners, and teams who have been part of my journey,” Roach said. “Tourism has the power to transform economies and improve lives, and I am grateful to have contributed to the growth and success of our region.”

    Roach’s reputation as one of the Caribbean’s most respected tourism leaders has been built across a series of high-impact leadership roles. As former CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority, she steered the destination to a period of unprecedented, record-breaking growth and elevated its global profile, drawing increased international visitor arrivals and industry acclaim. Before that, she held multiple senior leadership positions across Barbados’ domestic tourism sector, including Vice President for the United Kingdom market, Head of Global Markets, and Interim CEO of the Barbados Tourism Authority.

    This latest honor adds to a growing list of recognitions of Roach’s impact: in 2024, she made history as the first recipient of CTO’s Director of Tourism of the Year award, a milestone that further cemented her reputation as a leader defined by strategic vision, creative problem-solving, and tangible, measurable results for the regions she has served.

    Today, Roach holds the position of Director of Sales and Marketing at Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle Resort & Spa, where she continues to bring her expertise to one of the island’s flagship hospitality properties. Beyond her day-to-day role, she remains a vocal advocate for advancing industry standards, nurturing the next generation of tourism leaders, and strengthening cross-regional collaboration to elevate Caribbean tourism as a whole. The CTO Hall of Fame induction cements her legacy as a foundational figure in the modern development of the region’s most vital economic sector.

  • Zeemoney shuts shop after Central Bank suspension order

    Zeemoney shuts shop after Central Bank suspension order

    A Barbados-based fintech firm that facilitated cross-border money transfers for both local residents and international users has permanently closed its doors on the island, in the wake of regulatory enforcement action from the Central Bank of Barbados.

    Zeemoney (Barbados) Limited, which operated four retail locations across the country, first saw its activities halted in early May, when the central financial regulator suspended its operating license for a 30-day period running from May 5 to June 4. The regulator, which oversees all licensed financial service providers in Barbados, confirmed that its supervisory division had raised significant red flags across four key areas of the fintech’s operations: its overall financial health, corporate governance structures, adherence to local regulatory requirements, and long-term operational continuity.

    The enforcement order issued by the bank banned the company, which is led by Ghanaian fintech entrepreneur Andrew Takyi-Appiah, from offering any form of money or value transmission services. Takyi-Appiah, who previously held roles at global giants including PwC and Nestlé, founded Zeepay in 2015, which has grown into one of Africa’s largest cross-border mobile money and remittance platforms. The Barbadian Zeemoney venture marked part of Zeepay’s broader regional expansion push into the Caribbean market.

    Prior to its closure, Zeemoney Barbados offered a full suite of digital financial services, covering international remittances, mobile money transfers, digital wallet solutions, general payment processing, and final settlement of transfers into local bank accounts, debit cards, and personal mobile wallets.

    When the regulator first announced the license suspension, it noted that the action came after a comprehensive supervisory review that uncovered ongoing issues that had substantially worsened its concerns around the fintech’s financial standing, governance, ability to continue operating, and regulatory compliance. Under the terms of the suspension, Zeemoney was ordered to fix all confirmed deficiencies within the 30-day timeline, per Section 50 (1)(a) of Barbados’ financial regulatory legislation. The bank warned at the time that failure to address the issues would trigger additional supervisory action.

    Contrary to expectations that the firm would work to resolve its compliance issues, however, the company announced via its official website on Friday that it had formally requested approval from the Central Bank of Barbados to voluntarily wind down all of its operations in the jurisdiction. In its statement, the fintech pledged to collaborate fully with the regulator to ensure an orderly wind-down process, and confirmed that customers would receive formal guidance on accessing their remaining funds in the near future.

    At the time of closure, Zeemoney was headquartered at the Dome Mall in the Warrens business district, with additional branch locations in Speightstown (St Peter), Hastings (Christ Church), and the Sheraton Mall Annex, also located in Christ Church.

  • BFA chief hails competitive season across divisions

    BFA chief hails competitive season across divisions

    As the 2026 domestic football calendar in Barbados nears its final stretch, the head of the island’s governing body has delivered a largely positive assessment of the year’s campaign, pointing to strong competition, growing regional recognition, and expanding participation from international players as key highlights.

    Randy Harris, president of the Barbados Football Association (BFA), told local outlet Barbados TODAY that the season has mostly exceeded or met the organization’s expectations, even as one lopsided result sparked internal review. The top-flight Premier League campaign has already wrapped up, with Weymouth Wales securing an unprecedented fifth consecutive league title. The lower-tier Divisions One and Two and the knockout-style Champions Cup are still ongoing, with key matches scheduled to move to the BFA’s Wildey Technical Center in the coming weeks.

    Harris noted that the Premier League got off to a highly competitive start, with tight fights at both the top and bottom of the table for most of the campaign. The only notable blemish on the season, he said, was a 23-0 blowout that stemmed from one club fielding an incomplete roster. That outcome does nothing to advance the development of the sport in Barbados, Harris explained, adding that the BFA will launch an inquiry into the incident by sending an official letter to the club to clarify what led to the incomplete squad.

    Beyond that single incident, Harris voiced full confidence in the strength of the island’s domestic competitions, particularly calling out Division One, the country’s second-tier league, for its consistently high intensity. “It is a fight every week,” Harris said of the division. “They play on community open grounds, and you get really strong local support for the teams. Right now, it’s still anyone’s guess who will take the title – that’s how competitive it is.”

    The BFA will not pause ongoing domestic matches while the 2026 FIFA World Cup is being held in the region, Harris confirmed. Following the conclusion of the current competitions, the BFA will move straight into its annual calendar of flagship events, starting with the island’s popular Crop Over festival, then the Prime Minister’s Cup – widely considered the top domestic showcase for Barbadian football. “We’re pushing full steam ahead to wrap this season out properly,” Harris said.

    One of the biggest wins for the Premier League this year, Harris added, is its growing positive reputation across the Caribbean. That growing profile has come largely thanks to the league’s broadcast partnership with FIFA+, which makes matches available to stream internationally, bringing Barbadian football to a much wider regional audience. This season, the top flight has already featured a number of players from other Caribbean nations, including St Vincent and the Grenadines attacker Kirtney Franklyn, who claimed the league’s Golden Boot award. Coaches and club executives across the league expect the number of incoming international players to rise next season, and Harris shares that expectation.

    Harris recounted that one visiting player from St Vincent and the Grenadines he spoke with praised the competitive quality of the Barbadian league and said he enjoyed the experience of competing alongside local players. Harris noted that the Barbadian season’s schedule works in the league’s favor when attracting regional talent: it runs outside the traditional window of most other Caribbean leagues, giving out-of-contract or active players from neighboring countries an opportunity to compete while their home seasons are off.

    “Our schedule lets footballers from other countries come play here on this beautiful island, get competitive minutes, and experience a different league,” Harris said. “I expect that word will keep spreading, and more talent will come our way in the coming seasons.”

    Harris, who also serves as a FIFA Council member and Concacaf vice-president, is set to depart Barbados on Tuesday for the 2026 World Cup finals, with plans to return to the island on July 20. He said he is looking forward to the tournament, which is being hosted for the first time across multiple North American countries in the Concacaf region. “I’m excited to watch the best players in the world compete at the best tournament in the world,” he said. “It’s going to be a really special joyous occasion for everyone lucky enough to be there for it in the region.”

  • Alfred beats Jefferson-Wooden in Diamond League opener

    Alfred beats Jefferson-Wooden in Diamond League opener

    In an electrifying showdown at Rome’s iconic Stadio Olimpico on Thursday, June 4, Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia delivered a career-defining performance to secure top honors in the women’s 200m at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea Wanda Diamond League meeting, outpacing the sport’s defending world champion to take the win.

    Just one week shy of her 25th birthday, Alfred crossed the finish line with an impressive time of 21.93 seconds, aided by a 1.3 meter-per-second tailwind that gave her a slight boost throughout the final stretch. Despite a wobbly start that left her trailing early in the race, Alfred found her rhythm in the back half of the course, pulling ahead of competitor Melissa Jefferson-Wooden to claim the victory that marked her first Diamond League outing of the 2025 season.

    Jefferson-Wooden, the American sprinter who swept both 100m and 200m gold medals at last year’s World Athletics Championships held in Tokyo, got off to a blistering start and led through the first 100 meters. But she could not maintain her early pace, finishing 0.24 seconds behind Alfred with a time of 22.17 seconds to take second place. Thursday’s race marked a long-awaited return to competitive action for Jefferson-Wooden, who had stepped away from the track for a nine-month hiatus. In a charming twist of fate, she spent part of her break on her honeymoon in Alfred’s home country of Saint Lucia.

    Alfred enters this season as one of the most dominant sprinters on the Diamond League circuit, boasting back-to-back 100m titles from previous seasons. She already holds the world’s fastest 200m time for the 2025 calendar year, having clocked a blistering 21.86 seconds at a meet back in April. Thursday’s winning result marks the sixth-fastest 200m time of Alfred’s professional career, a remarkable achievement given her unsteady opening to the race.

    Fans will not have to wait long for a rematch between the two top sprinters: the pair are already scheduled to face off again in the women’s 100m at the Prefontaine Classic, set to take place on July 4 in Eugene, Oregon. The upcoming race is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated sprint events of the outdoor track and field season, as both athletes look to gain momentum ahead of future major championships.

  • Women benefit from Egi and JMMB International Masterclass

    Women benefit from Egi and JMMB International Masterclass

    A transformative initiative focused on closing the gender wealth gap in the Caribbean has marked another major milestone, as the third iteration of the Women & Wealth Masterclass, hosted by women’s empowerment network Egi Women in partnership with regional financial services leader JMMB International, wrapped up to enthusiastic acclaim in Barbados.

    The in-person event, which capped its registration at 50 spots to ensure personalized, high-quality engagement, drew a full house of participants from across the island, bringing together women of diverse professional and personal backgrounds for a deep dive into actionable strategies for financial wellness, intentional investing, and long-term intergenerational wealth building. This masterclass is a core component of Egi Women’s ongoing mission to dismantle systemic barriers to financial literacy for women, by equipping them with the accessible knowledge, practical tools, and confidence needed to make autonomous, informed financial choices that benefit both themselves and their households.

    Gina Cummins, founder and CEO of Egi Lifestyle Inc. — the parent organization of Egi Women — emphasized that the initiative could not be timelier. As women increasingly take on leadership roles across every sector of the Barbadian economy, from small business ownership to household management and corporate governance, closing the gap in financial empowerment has become an urgent priority. “Financial empowerment remains one of the most critical conversations we can have with women today,” Cummins explained. “This masterclass aligns directly with our mission to help women build on the assets and resources they already hold, so they can thrive and secure a higher quality of life for their families. Collaborations like our partnership with JMMB International let us deliver meaningful, hands-on experiences that translate knowledge into real action.”

    Michael Jordan, executive director of JMMB International, echoed that sentiment, noting that the masterclass aligned seamlessly with his organization’s longstanding vision of expanding financial literacy and inclusive market access across the Caribbean region. Jordan stressed that expanding investment education is central to JMMB International’s commitment to reducing economic inequality, making the collaboration with Egi Women an obvious priority. “This is just the first of many partnerships we plan to advance investment education across the region,” he said. “Our goal isn’t just to share knowledge — it’s to open doors to both regional and global investment markets for people who have historically been locked out of those spaces.”

    The day’s sessions were led by C. Natasha Small, group chief financial officer of Goddard Enterprises Limited, a respected veteran finance executive with decades of experience in the Caribbean market. Small guided attendees through a transformative curriculum that focused on shifting deep-seated, limiting mindsets around money, aligning personal financial strategies with core life goals, building sustainable and flexible budgeting habits, and reframing investing not as a luxury for the wealthy, but as an essential tool for building long-term wealth. She provided attendees with tangible, actionable tools that could be implemented immediately after the event, rather than leaving participants with abstract theory that is difficult to put into practice.

    Following Small’s session, Leigh-Ann Norville, an investment advisor at JMMB International, walked attendees through JMMB’s client-centered approach to financial partnership, emphasizing that investing is not an exclusive opportunity reserved for high-net-worth individuals. “At JMMB International, our commitment is to walk alongside our clients every step of their journey,” Norville said. “My goal is to make investing approachable, answer questions openly, and help people take that confident first step toward reaching their financial goals. When people have the right knowledge and support, sustainable financial growth becomes possible for anyone.”

    Feedback from attendees reflected the tangible impact of the event, with many describing the session as empowering and life-changing, and reporting that they left feeling prepared and confident to begin their wealth-building journeys. Multiple attendees shared that they left motivated to explore new investment opportunities, and several moved forward immediately to create accounts on JMMB International’s investment platform following the conclusion of the masterclass.

    Looking ahead, the Egi Women team has plans to extend the impact of the event through ongoing follow-up engagement with participants, and to roll out expanded learning opportunities to the wider network of women connected to the Egi community across the Caribbean. Organizers also signaled that future iterations of the Women & Wealth Masterclass are already in planning, as demand for this kind of women-centered financial education continues to grow across the region.

  • Romelia’s goal is to cure Alzheimer’s

    Romelia’s goal is to cure Alzheimer’s

    In a sunlit plant tissue culture facility in St. Philip, Barbados, an unexpected all-women support network has ignited a young scientist’s bold mission to advance Alzheimer’s disease treatment. What began as a post-graduation internship for 24-year-old Romelia Dabreo has evolved into a purpose-driven career rooted in mentorship, empowerment, and a growing passion for plant-based scientific research.

    Dabreo, a recent biochemistry and microbiology graduate from the University of the West Indies, did not set out to work in plant science. Like many young students, she initially held aspirations of becoming a veterinarian, and walked into the St. Philip facility in June 2024 with just one goal: gaining practical lab experience after earning her degree. At the time, she had little knowledge of tissue culture techniques and no particular interest in crop research. What she found inside the lab walls, however, changed the trajectory of her career and her life’s ambition.

    Led by facility head Dr. Sophia Marshall, the lab’s tight-knit team of women—including senior laboratory assistants Althea Grace and Deslyn Newton, and laboratory worker Sandra Alleyne-Belgrave—embraced Dabreo, openly sharing their expertise and creating a welcoming environment that let her curiosity bloom. “They make me feel comfortable and at home,” Dabreo said of her colleagues. That supportive culture transformed a temporary internship into a full-time role as senior agricultural assistant just two months after her arrival, a welcome outcome that caught Dabreo by surprise at a time when many young graduates struggle to secure stable employment.

    “It was very exhilarating,” she recalled. “I didn’t really expect to get a position here. I just came into work focused on getting experience to build a science career down the line.”

    As she immersed herself in the work of plant tissue culture, Dabreo’s interest grew far beyond the lab. Back at home, she has joined her naturally curious and creative mother in small-scale agricultural experiments, testing growing methods for staple crops. Her mother has even found success growing sweet potatoes and cassava in grass cuttings instead of traditional soil, a project Dabreo says has deepened her connection to plant science outside of her formal work.

    Today, Dabreo is leveraging the tissue culture and phytochemical extraction skills she has mastered to pursue a groundbreaking goal: developing a potential Alzheimer’s treatment using compounds extracted from local staple crops including sweet potatoes and yams. She hopes her work will one day slow the progression of the neurodegenerative disease or even contribute to a long-sought cure.

    Beyond her own research, Dabreo is working to shift negative perceptions of agriculture among young people. Too often, she says, the younger generation writes off agriculture as nothing more than backbreaking field work under the hot sun, failing to recognize the wide range of innovative career paths the sector offers—from apiculture to high-tech tissue culture, and even opportunities to integrate cutting-edge tools like artificial intelligence.

    For Barbados, Dabreo notes, a career in agriculture also offers young people the chance to contribute to national progress beyond personal gain. “It’s contributing to something much greater than yourself,” she explained. “You’re helping Barbados become more food secure, as well as getting our local innovations out onto the international stage.”

    Her journey stands as a testament to the power of female mentorship in STEM, proving that supportive work environments can turn unexpected opportunities into life-changing scientific ambition.

  • Arthur Smith remain unbeaten in NSC Primary School Football

    Arthur Smith remain unbeaten in NSC Primary School Football

    The annual National Sports Council BICO Primary School Football Competition is well underway this year, and last year’s tournament runners-up, Arthur Smith Primary, have emerged as one of the early frontrunners to claim the 2024 title. The squad has maintained a flawless unbeaten streak through their early matches, extending their winning run with a tight 1-0 victory over Wills Primary this Wednesday. The match took place on the Briar Hall pitch, part of the competition’s Ricardo Mickey Gibson Zone.

    Results across other matches in the same zone mirrored the close margins seen in Arthur Smith’s win. St. Gabriel’s secured a narrow one-goal win against St Christopher, while Shirley Chisholm Primary also claimed a 1-0 victory over Milton Lynch Primary. The zone’s most lopsided result came from St Winifred’s Primary, which dominated St Lawrence Primary to secure a convincing 4-0 clean sheet win. Two teams, St Bartholomew’s Primary and People’s Cathedral School, ended their match locked in a goalless draw, with neither side able to find the back of the net.

    Across the tournament’s other zones, early round play continued to deliver exciting results for young football fans across the country. In the Edward Smith/Frank Holder Zone hosted at Speightstown, only one match was held this week, with Selah Primary edging out St Lucy Primary by a 1-0 scoreline to claim three points.

    The highest-scoring action of the week took place in the Kenville Kab Layne Zone at Greens, St. George, where goals were scored in every match and fans got to see dynamic attacking play from all participating squads. Bay Primary pulled off a thrilling 3-2 win over hosts St George Primary, while Cuthbert Moore Primary kept a clean sheet in their 2-0 defeat of St Luke’s Brighton. Ellerton Primary also earned a 2-0 shutout victory against St Jude’s Primary, and Eagles Academy pulled off a narrow 2-1 win in their rematch against St Luke’s Brighton. To close out the week’s matches in the Keith Grell Griffith Zone, Eagle Hall Primary claimed a high-scoring 4-2 win over Al Falah School.

  • Nine trophies for Adrenaline Rush at BCIC RB26

    Nine trophies for Adrenaline Rush at BCIC RB26

    For over three decades, Adrenaline Rush Racing has built its legacy as a family-owned motor sport institution, starting when founder Peter “DuctTape” Thompson launched the team back in 1993. Now, the squad is marking a historic milestone after turning in a series of standout displays at the recently wrapped BCIC Rally Barbados, bringing home an impressive haul of silverware from the event’s prize-giving ceremony held June 1 at Bridgetown’s iconic The Boatyard venue.

    Eight drivers and co-drivers representing the team walked away with class honors from the competition, headlined by a breakthrough win for rookie recruit Chloe Mustor, who claimed the title of highest-placed female co-driver across the entire event. Currently fielding six competing cars under the team banner, general manager Kurt Thompson — son of founder Peter — called the 2024 running of Rally Barbados one of the squad’s most successful outings in recent memory.

    “This year required months of grueling preparation, and the rally itself threw no shortage of challenges our way, but every single member of this team stepped up and pulled together to get across the finish line,” Thompson shared in comments following the award ceremony. “None of this would be possible without the constant, unwavering support of my entire family behind the scenes, and we will always be grateful to our sponsors for partnering with us for another year of racing.”

    The highest-finishing member of the Adrenaline Rush squad was Mark Thompson, Kurt’s younger brother, who notched a 10th-place overall finish in just his third start competing in the FIA R5 category. Mark made his debut behind the wheel of his new Citroen C3 Rally2 at this year’s Rally Barbados, making the jump up from the Modified 4 (M4) class where he competed in previous seasons. “Getting to push this new car to its limits, learn what it can do, and build confidence behind the wheel was an incredible experience,” Mark said. “I’m already hungry for the next event and can’t wait to keep competing at this level.”

    Kurt Thompson himself turned in a resilient performance despite early setbacks, finishing second in the RB26 class and 22nd overall. A spin during Saturday’s opening stages and persistent differential issues cost him valuable time early on, and even a strong comeback push on Sunday couldn’t close the gap to secure the class win. However, his recovery drive was enough to not only climb the overall rankings but also help co-driver Chloe Mustor secure her top female honors, passing the Scottish pairing of Peter Stewart and Rachel Matheson in the final day of racing in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX — a car with which he won the M4 class in each of the past two seasons.

    The only Adrenaline Rush entry that failed to finish the event was that of eldest brother Neil Thompson and co-driver Neil Gilkes, who were forced to retire after a gearbox failure sidelined their Evo IX early in the competition. Their DNF was far from an isolated incident: drivetrain issues plagued a number of local and international entries across the event, and the 10-car M4 class ultimately saw only five drivers cross the finish line.

    Two more Adrenaline Rush drivers added to the team’s trophy haul in the M2 class, with Jermin Pope and Pierre Clarke taking home second-place class honors. Pope, a former circuit racing champion and three-time Rally Barbados class winner, turned in an impressive 31st-place overall finish this year after upgrading to a newer Honda Civic following a string of disappointing results in previous events.

    The team’s rising junior talent also turned in notable performances in the Clubman 2 category, where cousins Sebastian Thompson and Jayden Thompson — sons of Neil and Kurt Thompson, respectively — compete in BimmaCup machinery. Sebastian, who earned the Barbados Rally Club’s 2025 Rookie of the Year title, claimed third place in class alongside co-driver Noah White. For Jayden, who shared a car with co-driver Jacob Mustor, a fourth-place finish marked a welcome redemption after he was forced to retire on the very first stage of last year’s rally following a collision with the Bushy Park Rallycross bridge.

  • PMs agree new push on Barbados–Canada partnership in Toronto talks

    PMs agree new push on Barbados–Canada partnership in Toronto talks

    Leaders from Barbados and Canada have concluded a high-stakes round of bilateral negotiations in Toronto, cementing a shared pledge to strengthen decades-long diplomatic and economic connections through targeted collaboration across a diverse range of emerging and critical sectors. The talks, led by Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, were structured to revitalize a partnership rooted in historical ties, aligning it with 21st-century global challenges from climate change to technological innovation.

    Discussions spanned policy areas from creative industries and workforce skills development to climate resilience, maritime scientific research, quantum technology, cross-border professional movement, and global energy security. Carney opened remarks by emphasizing the enduring value of the bilateral relationship, and offered high praise for Mottley’s growing influence on the global stage, calling her a transformative “leader for tomorrow”. He centered much of his input on the urgent need for coordinated global action to tackle the climate crisis, covering priorities including climate adaptation, infrastructure resilience, accessible climate finance, and emissions mitigation. Carney also highlighted Barbados’ ambitious national goal to reach a 100 percent clean energy energy system, commending the island nation for its progressive climate commitments.

    A release from the Office of the Barbadian Prime Minister clarified that Mottley’s official visit was designed to reframe the bilateral relationship, identifying actionable, practical adjustments to streamline and strengthen collaboration between individuals, businesses, and institutions across both countries. A central priority of the visit was deepening engagement with Canadian firms already operating in Barbados, with the logistics sector and international film production identified as high-potential emerging areas for new joint initiatives.

    On the topic of cross-border professional mobility, the two leaders reached a consensus to develop mutually agreeable regulatory frameworks that will allow skilled workers to move more freely between the two jurisdictions, while upholding the strict professional standards each nation requires. Mottley highlighted a recently signed memorandum of understanding with Canada’s University of Waterloo focused on quantum computing research, as well as Barbados’ use of a regulatory sandbox mechanism that allows new technologies to undergo rigorous testing before they are approved for commercial launch. She reaffirmed that Barbados will maintain strict ethical and safety guardrails as it opens its economy to new technological innovation.

    Maritime research emerged as another key focus of the negotiations, with the Barbadian delegation noting that the two nations are uniquely positioned to combine their complementary geographic strengths: Canada’s vast, research-rich Arctic and Atlantic coastlines, and Barbados’ status as a large island nation with extensive exclusive ocean territory. Mottley put forward a proposal to launch a joint maritime research hub that will bring together academic institutions from both countries to address shared ocean challenges, from rising sea levels to overfishing and marine ecosystem degradation.

    As small coastal nations, both Canada and Barbados face growing climate-driven risks, prompting leaders to devote significant discussion to the growing crisis of affordable climate insurance. Mottley stressed that reliable access to affordable insurance and climate finance is a non-negotiable prerequisite for long-term economic stability, especially for Barbados’ critical tourism sector, which requires large-scale investment to upgrade infrastructure, protect local jobs, and build resilience against extreme weather events.

    The talks came just days after Mottley’s government opened Barbados’ offshore territory to new oil and gas exploration, and during the summit the prime minister reaffirmed the nation’s unwavering commitment to its long-term target of full transition to 100 percent clean energy. Acknowledging the urgent timeline for global decarbonization, Mottley argued that all nations must be afforded a “safe and practical pathway” to transition, particularly as countries grapple with soaring energy costs and the deeply unequal global distribution of climate finance.

    The official engagements concluded with a shared commitment to turn the two nations’ historical diplomatic bonds into forward-looking cooperation that delivers tangible benefits for citizens on both sides. Mottley closed by expressing confidence that ongoing collaboration between public sector leaders and private industry stakeholders across both countries will generate new, meaningful economic opportunities for decades to come.

  • Basketball gathering turns deadly

    Basketball gathering turns deadly

    A quiet evening of community gathering turned into a deadly tragedy on Wednesday night in Barbados’ Chapman Lane neighborhood, when an unidentified gunman opened fire on a group of men watching a basketball final, leaving one dead and three others wounded. The deadly incident has shaken a community that had only recently made significant progress in reducing violent crime, leaving local residents and community leaders calling for urgent collective action to curb rising gun violence across the country.

    Local resident Natasha Hewitt, who has lived her entire life in Chapman Lane, summed up the senseless attack with a simple, somber observation: “Wrong place, wrong time.” According to police records, authorities received an anonymous emergency call at 8:46 p.m. reporting a shooting and a man suffering from gunshot bleeding in the St. Michael neighborhood. Witness accounts confirm a group of men had assembled near a local shop on Third Avenue to watch the widely anticipated basketball championship game when the attacker walked up and fired multiple rounds into the crowd.

    The victim, 45-year-old Delon Covell Asgill from West Terrace, St. James, was pronounced dead at the scene. Three other men suffered non-fatal gunshot wounds: two were rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance, while the third was transported to the facility by private vehicle. Hewitt, who was inside her home talking to her son about gun violence when the attack unfolded, recalled the sudden burst of gunfire that shattered the calm of the evening. “I just hear pak-pak. I said, they cleaning, they testing and then I hear a string of shots, I tell my child no, that ain’t testing. That is death,” she described, adding that the shooting was the closest violent incident she has ever experienced, leaving her deeply shaken. She lives just a short distance from the attack site.

    Hewitt noted that one of the injured men is like an older brother to her, while a second victim rarely socializes in the area and only came out to enjoy the championship game. The tragedy drove home a terrifying reality for the long-time resident: innocent bystanders can become victims of gun violence at any moment. “My son does work, he could have been coming home and get what they get. I gotta watch myself and my children,” she said. While the area has a nearby police outpost, Hewitt acknowledged the attack unfolded so quickly that officers could not have intervened in time. “What much so them could do, the police is only human, they got them family too,” she added. By Thursday morning, the blood from the scene had been washed away, but the emotional impact of the killing remained palpable for residents. “Too much innocent people getting killed,” Hewitt said.

    Long before the shooting, Chapman Lane had a well-earned reputation as a crime hotspot in Barbados, but Hewitt emphasized that public safety in the area had improved dramatically in recent years. “Down here cool down a lot, you know, one time we had a reputation,” she explained. That progress makes this deadly shooting all the more devastating for community leaders like Apostle Dr. Lucille Baird, founder and CEO of Mount Zion’s Missions, who arrived in the neighborhood on Thursday morning to check on local youth involved in her organization’s outreach programs and offer condolences to the community.
    Baird launched her organization’s work in Chapman Lane back in 2019, when the area was grappling with a wave of deadly gang violence. “I work with these young men, we came down here in 2019 when they had all the killings, we came down here and started to work. Since then we haven’t had that sort of crime,” she said. Her ministry runs targeted programs to keep local young people engaged in positive activity: participants attend Sunday church services, and work on a community farm during the summer months, earning wages for their labor while staying connected to the community. Many of the young men involved in these programs still live in Chapman Lane, and Baird came to Thursday to confirm none of them were harmed in the attack.

    The fatal shooting has reinforced Baird’s growing concern that rising gun violence is pushing ordinary Barbados into a state of widespread fear. “It’s really getting to the point where Barbadians are becoming afraid now and when you living in fear, that’s not a healthy society,” she said. She also lamented what she sees as the steady erosion of the close-knit community spirit that once made Barbados a safe place for all residents. “We were a society that used to care and share and walk the streets and felt safe and so on but all of us have to work together, if you see something say something,” Baird urged.
    While faith and prayer remain core parts of her ministry’s work, Baird stressed that prayer alone is not enough to turn the tide of gun violence. “As a pastor, we keep praying, prayer is not enough, we gotta have action so we want to up and increase the programmes in this areas so we can try to avoid what’s happening in these communities,” she explained. Baird said her organization plans to expand existing community programs and make them more responsive to the needs of local young people, including asking the youth themselves for input on what programming would best serve their goals. “Whatever we can do to assist them,” she said.

    As of Thursday, law enforcement officials have not made any arrests in connection with the shooting, and detectives continue to pursue leads and interview witnesses to identify the attacker and motive.