Carib Scope

标签： Barbados

巴巴多斯

  • BOA: CAC, Commonwealth Games campaign to cost $2.5 million

    BOA: CAC, Commonwealth Games campaign to cost $2.5 million

    Barbados’ Olympic governing body is bracing for a massive $2.5 million expenditure to send its national athletic delegations to two back-to-back elite international multi-sport competitions this summer, a senior association official has confirmed. Cameron Burke, vice-president of the Barbados Olympic Association (BOA), made the financial revelation this past Sunday during an official ceremony held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, where the organization publicly introduced the full rosters of athletes set to represent the Caribbean island nation.

    This year’s competition schedule marks a notable milestone for Barbados’ athletic program: the country is fielding one of its largest Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games delegations in over 20 years. A total of 141 athletes are scheduled to compete across 24 different sporting disciplines at the CAC Games, hosted by the Dominican Republic, from July 24 through August 8. Following the conclusion of that event, an additional 21 Barbadian athletes will travel to Scotland to compete in six disciplines at the Commonwealth Games just weeks later.

    Burke emphasized that the unusual timing of the two premier events, falling within a narrow several-week window, has created unprecedented strain on the BOA’s operations. Beyond the steep financial burden of sending two large squads overseas for extended international competition, the organization has also had to navigate complex logistical obstacles to coordinate travel, accommodation, training, and staff support for both groups simultaneously. The BOA is now working to finalize remaining preparations to ensure its athletes can compete at their best despite these challenges.

  • Demand grows for boys’ reading clinic amid literacy concerns

    Demand grows for boys’ reading clinic amid literacy concerns

    Against a backdrop of mounting concern over widespread literacy gaps disproportionately affecting young male students across Barbados, more than 130 boys have started a five-week intensive summer reading initiative hosted by Barbados Community College, with organizers urging participants to leverage the opportunity to build foundational reading and comprehension skills.

    Founded nine years ago to directly address the systemic literacy challenges facing boys in Barbados, the Babb’s Reading Clinic has seen consistent year-over-year growth in demand that now far outstrips the program’s capacity. Originally capped at 100 participants, organizers continued to receive registration requests from anxious parents long after the limit was reached, a trend that Dr. Astra Babb, founder of the clinic, calls a clear warning sign of a growing national crisis.

    Opening the summer programme at the college’s auditorium Monday, Dr. Babb opened up about the acute desperation driving many parents to seek out the clinic’s services. She shared heartbreaking stories of families facing the prospect of their sons repeating first form for a second consecutive year, and of older students preparing to graduate secondary school after 12 years of public education who still cannot read at a functional level. Questioning how Barbados — once held up as a regional education leader across the Caribbean — arrived at this point, Dr. Babb has called for a nationwide, inclusive conversation to examine the root causes of the literacy gap, particularly the overrepresentation of boys among struggling readers. “I believe all taxpayers, all parents and all government educational institutions need to engage in serious introspection. What is it that some of us are not doing correctly?” she asked. “Barbados was placed on a pedestal by all other Caribbean nations, an icon for all to emulate. Why are so many of our children unable to read? And why are most of them boys?”

    Dr. Babb explained that the majority of enrolled boys struggle with two core, addressable issues: basic reading comprehension and connecting the relationship between graphemes (the smallest written units of language) and phonemes (the corresponding sound units). Despite the scale of the challenge, she expressed confidence that most participants would leave the five-week programme with demonstrable improvement in their skills, framing the clinic’s work as unlocking a barrier that has held students back academically. “I know that some children registered here simply need some assistance with comprehending text; they just want that lock unlocked,” she said. “I promise you, parents, that we will change that by the end of the programme.” Dr. Babb also acknowledged ongoing efforts by the Barbados Ministry of Education to improve national literacy outcomes, and noted additional support for the programme: members of the Barbados Defence Force will volunteer to mentor boys without positive male role models at home, and all participants will receive free daily meals for the duration of the initiative.

    Featured speaker Ryan Straughn, Barbados’ Minister of Finance, praised the clinic’s critical work, framing literacy as both an educational priority and an economic issue that will shape the country’s long-term future. He highlighted recent declining national English assessment scores — which fell from an average of 72.5 percent last year to 64 percent this year — as evidence of how urgent initiatives like this clinic have become. “It is important that we understand how critical it is for all of our citizens, but especially our boys, to not fall further behind with respect to literacy,” Straughn said. “Because a boy who struggles to read today may struggle to seize opportunities tomorrow. The boy who cannot confidently read a job offer, a lease, or a business arrangement is not simply lacking ambition. He might grow into a man lacking access, and access is something that we all can change.”

    Straughn encouraged participating boys to set aside any shame around seeking extra help, emphasizing that reading is a learned skill, not an inborn talent. “Reading is not a talent you’re born with. It is a skill. A skill that you build, one page, one chapter, one book at a time,” he told the group. He also urged parents to continue supporting their children’s reading practice after the programme ends, sharing a personal anecdote: his grandmother required him to read the daily newspaper each morning before school and summarize stories for her, a routine that built his comprehension skills and expanded his understanding of current events. He encouraged parents to adopt similar daily reading habits with their children to sustain long-term progress.

    The finance minister also warned of the far-reaching social and economic consequences of unaddressed low literacy, noting that research has established a clear link between low literacy rates in youth and involvement with the criminal justice system later in life. “Reading is not just a single subject sitting all by itself. It allows you to connect the dots, as we would say in economics. Connecting the dots is important. It is a subject that others are built on. You can’t solve a mathematics problem if you can’t read the problem. You can’t hold up your end of the bargain if you don’t know what you’re agreeing to,” he said. Closing his remarks, Straughn reminded participants that while literacy opens new life doors, consistent discipline is what allows people to hold onto those opportunities: “Reading will open doors, but it is discipline that will keep those doors open.”

  • RF Prime lead BFA Women’ s League

    RF Prime lead BFA Women’ s League

    The opening matchups of the Barbados Football Association’s Kotex Women’s League have already produced a tightly contested battle for the early lead, with RF Prime emerging as the early pace-setters after the first two rounds of fixtures. What makes the early table particularly compelling is the logjam at the top of the standings: all three of the top-performing squads have already collected six points, leaving the rankings separated only by fine margins.

    RF Prime has claimed the number one position thanks to a superior goal difference over the second-ranked Mavericks. The two teams have had different fixture schedules so far, with Mavericks already completing three matches compared to RF Prime’s two outings.

    Holding down third place is Paradise, a side that has also played just two matches to this point. Paradise most recently took the pitch on Sunday at the BFA Technical Centre, where they secured a dominant 3-0 shutout victory against none other than second-placed Mavericks. Acacia Small emerged as the star of that match, finding the back of the net twice to pace her side, while Denea Payne contributed the third goal to lock in the comfortable win.

    Heading into the new week’s slate of fixtures, Empire sits in fourth place with three points. They are followed closely by Technique, which also holds three points but drops to fifth place due to an inferior goal difference that leaves it trailing Empire. In the current mid-table, FVFC Femini sits in sixth place, with Whitehall taking seventh and the Police side slotting into eighth. The three teams at the bottom of the early standings have yet to collect their first points of the new league season, leaving them hungry for their first wins when they return to the pitch.

  • Final farewell to ‘visionary’ fisheries chief Cox

    Final farewell to ‘visionary’ fisheries chief Cox

    On Monday, Barbados gathered to lay to rest one of its most promising public servants, Chief Fisheries Officer Dr Shelly-Ann Cox, who died suddenly at 38 while carrying out work she loved. Family, friends, representatives from uniformed services, and senior government officials joined members of the island’s fishing community to honor the visionary leader whose transformative legacy is expected to shape Barbados’ fisheries sector for generations to come.

    Dr Cox collapsed and died on June 13 while presenting awards at a community fishing event held in Weston, St James. Appointed to the top fisheries role in January 2023, she made history as the youngest person ever to hold the position, and only the second woman to serve as a chief fisheries officer across the entire Caribbean Community bloc. Her groundbreaking appointment marked a milestone for young leaders and women in marine management across the region.

    Speaking at the official funeral service hosted at Wildey Gymnasium, Prime Minister Mia Mottley told gathered mourners that Dr Cox died while actively serving the fishing community she had dedicated her entire professional career to. “She did not observe from a distance. She was serving. She was giving. Right there,” Mottley emphasized, noting that while Dr Cox’s life was cut tragically short, her impact on the nation would never be forgotten.

    “We will always wish that she had more time. But let us also remember that a life cut short is not a life of no consequence. Her life was short, but her contribution was not small. It was great. Her example will not only endure. It will inspire,” the prime minister said. She reassured Dr Cox’s family that the entire nation had benefited immeasurably from their loved one’s service and commitment to public good.

    Mottley first encountered Dr Cox through the government’s Future Barbados leadership development program, where the young professional immediately stood out for her clear sense of purpose and innate leadership ability. “We wanted to create something that would give our young people opportunity to express themselves, to learn, to share and to drag us into the future with them. Shelly was part of that first cohort. Her purpose that very first day at Ilaro Court became absolutely clear to me,” the prime minister recalled. When the role of chief fisheries officer opened, Mottley said she had no doubt Dr Cox was the right candidate to lead the sector, and the young leader never disappointed.

    “Shelly did not disappoint. She excelled. She had the mind of a scholar, the instincts of a practitioner, but above all else, the heart of someone who cared,” Mottley said. She praised Dr Cox’s rare ability to bridge academic expertise and on-the-ground understanding of the challenges facing ordinary fisherfolk, a skill that set her apart as a leader. “The scholarship never separated her from people. She understood the policy, but she understood the reality of the work in the market,” the prime minister added.

    This unique combination of vision and attention to detail was on full display in Dr Cox’s work shaping the national Barbados Fisheries Policy and steering the passage and implementation of the landmark Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development Act. “It was probably her management of the complex Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development Act of 2025 that we saw her amazing skills and her capacity to bring vision into life, dotting every ‘i’ and crossing every ‘t’. Very often you do not find that capacity for vision married with that capacity for detail,” Mottley noted.

    The prime minister also highlighted Dr Cox’s steady leadership in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, which destroyed the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex in July 2024. Mottley recalled that Dr Cox made repeated visits to the damaged site, focusing entirely on restoring the critical industry that supports hundreds of Barbadian households. “Shelley’s unflappable stance ensured that even when fishermen, those depending on the industry, panicked, hers was a steady voice. That’s remarkable for someone so young, but with a clear, clear mission,” she said. “We know what we have lost,” Mottley added, acknowledging the enormous gap left by Dr Cox’s passing.

    Nikola Simpson-Kellman, a close friend and colleague of Dr Cox, echoed that reflection in an earlier tribute, noting that Hurricane Beryl was one of the only times she ever saw Dr Cox overcome by emotion. “Almost always had a smile on her face; even when she was facing challenges, she was inspired and gifted and guided. The only time that I ever saw Shelley crying was just after Hurricane Beryl, when the complex was a scene of utter devastation and heartbreak,” Simpson-Kellman said.

    Addressing Dr Cox’s young son, Shay Ocean Cox, Mottley said no words could ease the loss of his mother, but he must always carry with him the knowledge of how deeply she was respected and loved by the entire nation. “You must know that your mother served this country greatly. You must know her work has been spoken of with pride,” she said. The prime minister issued a call to members of the Fisheries Division and the broader fishing community to carry forward the work Dr Cox started, noting that the greatest tribute to her legacy would be to bring her transformative vision to completion.

    Damien Prescod, another friend and colleague, described Dr Cox as an exceptional public servant whose deep passion for the ocean drove her mission to reform and revitalize Barbados’ fisheries sector. “Within the span of three years, Shelly and her A-Team revitalised the local fisheries sector. One only had to enter the halls of the Fisheries Division since she assumed the role of Chief Fisheries Officer to feel the renewed sense of purpose and contagious energy that emanated from personnel within the various departments,” Prescod said.

    He added that Dr Cox prioritized investing in the people around her, believing every worker deserved the chance to grow professionally. “She met them where they were at and provided them with the tools to evolve and elevate professionally. No one was left behind,” Prescod said, recalling Dr Cox’s relentless work ethic, which often saw her sending work messages to colleagues before dawn. When he once asked where she found the energy for such a demanding schedule, her answer was always the same: “If we don’t do it, who will?”

    Prescod credited Dr Cox with advancing science-based fisheries management across the island, leading innovative work on the productive use of sargassum seaweed, expanding opportunities for women and young people in the fisheries sector, and steering the industry’s recovery after Hurricane Beryl. While her passing has left a void that can never be filled, he said the community must ensure her vision endures. “There will never be another you, and this space will never be the same. However, the mission continues. We will honour your legacy and do our best so that the shared vision of world-class transformation continues, rooted in deep collaboration,” Prescod said.

    Simpson-Kellman echoed that call, urging colleagues to carry forward Dr Cox’s work while honoring the friend she was to so many across the island. “We are forever grateful and privileged to have been in your physical presence. As you would often say to me on our birthdays, friends like you are the greatest gift. Shelly, you were and are the greatest gift to so many,” she said.

  • Mikey Mercer sweeps both soca monarch titles at revived finals

    Mikey Mercer sweeps both soca monarch titles at revived finals

    After six long years absent from Barbados’ iconic Crop Over festival calendar, the Banks Party Monarch Finals powered by HITZ 106.7 FM made its triumphant return to the National Botanical Gardens on Sunday evening. Despite overcast skies and constant threats of heavy rain, thousands of die-hard soca music fans poured through the venue gates starting at 2 p.m. — two hours ahead of the official performance start — armed with umbrellas, folding chairs, and unwavering enthusiasm to witness the island’s top talent compete for the sport’s most coveted monarch titles.

    The evening’s festivities opened with the Sweet Soca Monarch segment, which featured eight competing artistes pulling out all the stops to win over the crowd and judges. Mr Blood kicked off the competition with his track *Crop Over Forever*, setting a lively tone for the night, followed by Saddis with *Skyfall*, Aza with *Soca Heaven*, Khiomal with *Back To When*, Ross with *Come And Go*, and the duo SugahRhe and Freshie with *Show Me Uh Motion*. When the seventh performer, veteran soca artist Mikey Mercer, took the stage with his entry *Real Feters*, he instantly turned the venue into one massive street party. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in the industry, Mercer’s raw passion and innate ability to connect with the audience had the entire crowd singing along word for word, cementing his status as the segment’s frontrunner from the first note. Skung Yung closed out the Sweet Soca round with *Chemistry* around 5:30 p.m., with the threatened rain never materializing to interrupt the celebrations.

    The second half of the night brought the high-energy Power Soca competition, which also featured eight performers vying for the title and its $100,000 grand prize. Shanta Price opened the segment with *Festival Calling*, leaning into traditional Crop Over pageantry with stilt walkers and iconic Mother Sally characters to set the festive mood. Mercer followed as the second performer with his entry *Like Ah Bajan*, and immediately locked in the crowd’s support. Clad in Barbados’ national colors, he sparked a wave of patriotic pride, with attendees chanting the country’s area code “246!” in unison throughout his opening. The veteran performer commanded the stage with a presence that few could match, once again positioning him as the clear favorite for the title.

    Other standout performances from the Power Soca round included soca icon Lil Rick’s polished delivery of *Best Ting*, which demonstrated exactly why he has remained a beloved fixture of Barbadian soca for more than 30 decades, earning sing-alongs from end to end of the grounds. Nikita brought theatrical flair to the stage with *Extraordinary*, opening with a gaming-inspired introduction before arriving on an all-terrain vehicle and transforming mid-performance from a sleek silver pantsuit into a vibrant, shaggy costume. Mr Blood took the stage with *Include Me*, while Walkes brought high-octane energy to *Roadway* alongside motorcycle props, a live drum segment, and widespread crowd participation. Shaquille GFG delivered an emotional set with *After All*, dedicating his performance to late supporters including two prominent deejays and his own father, before being joined on stage by Vincentian star Skinny Fabulous for a surprise guest appearance. Roof Deck Symphony closed out the competitive segment with a lively performance of *Pass De Glass*, arriving in matching bartender costumes to cap off the night’s performances.

    When the judges tallied their scores, the night belonged unequivocally to Mikey Mercer: the soca veteran earned a perfect 100 points in both the Sweet Soca and Power Soca segments, claiming a rare double victory that solidified his dominance of the 2024 Crop Over season. In an emotional address to the crowd immediately after the announcement, Mercer thanked fans for their unwavering support, telling the audience “I love wunna bad, bad, bad, bad.” Speaking to reporters later, he described the historic win as an overwhelming moment, and dedicated the achievement to his mother.

    Mercer explained that his 2024 campaign required months of intense preparation, including rigorous training, endless rehearsals, and full commitment from his entire team. While he entered the competition with the goal of winning, he emphasized that he never took a victory for granted. “My aim is that when they come off stage, they can say, ‘I did my best,’ and I did my best at each performance,” he noted. The veteran also praised the competition’s mix of seasoned stars and emerging young talent, saying that healthy competition pushes all artistes to grow and continues to strengthen Barbados’ thriving soca ecosystem. With a combined $200,000 in prize money from his two wins, Mercer shared that his first priorities are supporting his mother, expanding his ongoing charitable work, and growing his personal Reunion brand.

    Full competition results confirmed Mercer’s historic sweep: in Sweet Soca, Mr Blood took second place with 68 points for *Crop Over Forever*, Khiomal earned third place with 61 points for *Back To When*, and Ross placed fourth with 52 points for *Come And Go*. In the Power Soca category, Shaquille GFG took second place with 75 points for *After All*, Lil Rick earned third with 62 points for *Best Ting*, and Nikita placed fourth with 55 points for *Extraordinary*.

  • Matthews: Important points still at stake in final ODI

    Matthews: Important points still at stake in final ODI

    West Indies Women’s national cricket team will enter the decisive third One Day International (ODI) against Ireland at Bready on Wednesday with a clear goal: lock in a full series sweep. Leading the charge is captain Hayley Matthews, who recently etched her name into West Indies women’s cricket history over the weekend at the same ground.

    In the second ODI on Sunday, Matthews put on a masterclass with the bat, smashing a 94-ball century to secure back-to-back hundreds — a first for any West Indies Women’s player in ODI history. She was joined at the crease by star all-rounder Stafanie Taylor, who notched an unbeaten century of her own. The pair’s historic batting partnership guided the Caribbean side to a six-wicket series-clinching win, putting the visitors 2-0 up in the three-match series ahead of Wednesday’s decider.

    Speaking after the victory, Matthews expressed that while the series win was a critical early milestone, the team remains focused on collecting full points to climb the ICC ODI rankings. “Series win, obviously super important, so I’m glad we could get that out of the way. At the same time, I think we came here and the points were definitely a priority,” she said. “It’s really good that we were able to get four so far with the first two wins, but there are still really important points to play for in our last match. Hopefully we can get two more on the board, and get ourselves climbing up that ladder.”

    Despite her red-hot form with both bat and ball, Matthews emphasized that team success takes priority over personal milestones ahead of the third match. When asked about the prospect of chasing a third consecutive century, the captain said she is focused on process rather than individual results. “Hopefully, look I try not to focus on the result too much, but just go through the process once again. I’m doing what I need to do and hopefully the result at the end of the day is something good,” she stated.

    Taylor, who delivered the match-winning knock in the second ODI, echoed her captain’s team-first mindset and opened up about the camaraderie that has powered the side’s early success. “I always enjoy batting with Hayley. We both understand each other when we’re out there and we support each other, because we know how each other plays. It’s always easy to bat with her,” Taylor said.

    During her unbeaten century, Taylor quietly passed a personal milestone: she became the first player to surpass 500 ODI runs against Ireland, a milestone she did not even realize she had hit until after the match. She also recalled the lighthearted moment that led to her pushing for a century in the final overs of the run chase, when West Indies needed just 11 runs to win and Taylor was stuck on 90.

    “Well for me with 11 runs (for victory) and I needed ten, I just, I said to Minnie, I don’t care about 100, I just don’t want to train tomorrow. I need a break from training, so as long as we get over the line, it means that we’re not gonna train,” Taylor explained. “But she said to me, no, you have to get your 100… I said, all right, I’m gonna try and then I, I heard the players in the dugout, they were cheering and backing me to have a go. I said, all right, I’m just gonna have a go and if it comes off, it comes off. And yeah, it did.”

    With momentum firmly on their side, the West Indies side will look to cap off their successful tour with a third straight win on Wednesday.

  • Trident ID for BIMpay payments ‘eventually’

    Trident ID for BIMpay payments ‘eventually’

    Barbados’ push toward a more integrated, inclusive digital financial system hit a new milestone this week, as Central Bank Governor Dr. Kevin Greenidge outlined the next stage of development for the country’s month-old BiMPay instant payment platform. In a press briefing Monday, Greenidge confirmed that once the platform’s first rollout phase wraps up successfully, the central bank will move to connect the BiMPay digital e-wallet directly to the national Trident ID card, a secure chip-and-PIN identification document launched nationwide in 2023.

    The first phase of the BiMPay rollout is currently focused on integrating all of Barbados’ licensed financial institutions and three major credit unions into the platform’s network, a foundational step that must be completed before work on the second phase can accelerate. Beyond Trident ID integration, the second phase will also see the central bank partner with the national government to fully onboard all public sector agencies, while opening the platform up to additional private financial firms and fintech companies to expand the scope of available services for Barbadian consumers and businesses.

    Greenidge emphasized that the central bank’s immediate priority is refining the platform’s core functionality and supporting its steady, sustainable growth, with two overarching strategic goals: expanding financial inclusion to bring unbanked and underbanked Barbadians into the formal financial system, and deepening the country’s financial product ecosystem to match the diversity of options available in more established global markets.

    “When that integration is complete, a wider range of advanced financial services will be accessible to Trident ID holders, leveraging the card’s built-in security features that already cut counterfeit risk and grant access to government services from anywhere in the world,” the governor added.

    This multi-phase rollout marks a key step in Barbados’ broader digital transformation of its financial sector, with officials expecting the integrated BiMPay-Trident system to streamline everyday transactions, reduce administrative friction, and attract new fintech investment to the island nation.

  • Party Monarch comeback a hit, but changes coming, says Archer

    Party Monarch comeback a hit, but changes coming, says Archer

    After a six-year hiatus, the iconic Party Monarch competition has made its triumphant return to Barbados’ annual Crop Over festival – but government officials have signaled that major changes are still ahead to secure the cultural staple’s place for future generations.

    Senator Shane Archer, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office with oversight over Youth and Culture, who is leading the government’s management of this year’s festival, announced that a full sector-wide review is already planned to modernize the competition and reinforce its long-term relevance and financial sustainability.

    Sunday’s sold-out Party Monarch Finals drew massive public support, marking the first iteration of the contest since it was put on hold in 2019. Thousands of festival-goers packed the National Botanical Gardens to watch the live performances, while hundreds more tuned into digital streams to follow the event from home.

    Archer emphasized that the decision by the current Mottley administration to revive the competition has already been vindicated by the overwhelming public response. “I’m very satisfied with both the turnout and the quality of performances across the board, especially after such a long break,” he said. “Bringing back Party Monarch was absolutely the right call for our government and our culture.”

    The turnout, Archer noted, confirms that the competition remains a deeply beloved part of Barbados’ cultural identity and a core highlight of the Crop Over calendar. “Thousands of people showed up in person to support the event, and hundreds more joined online, proving that there is still huge public demand for this key part of our festival, and our broader cultural landscape,” he explained. “Beyond the numbers, we’ve brought the conversation about Party Monarch back to the forefront, and restored a platform that many creatives and fans thought was lost for good. The quality of this year’s performances makes it clear how much extraordinary talent we have in our local creative sector, and the public’s reaction was far more encouraging than even we expected.”

    Despite the overwhelmingly successful comeback, Archer stressed that the revived competition is still a work in progress, noting that systemic changes are needed to bring the event in line with modern expectations. “This is just the first step in the journey to rebuild Party Monarch,” he said. “We know that we have to restructure key elements of the competition to modernize it, and to make sure it can thrive for decades to come.”

    Following the February 11 general election that returned the Mottley administration to power, Archer took on day-to-day responsibility for the Crop Over festival. He confirmed that the government will conduct a full audit of every aspect of the competition, hold wide-ranging consultations with creative stakeholders, industry partners and community members, and implement targeted improvements to keep the contest financially viable and aligned with the evolving direction of Barbadian cultural expression.

    Archer added that this year’s successful return has already laid a strong foundation for future improvements. “Overall, bringing Party Monarch back has been a clear success, and that gives us a solid base to keep building on moving forward,” he said.

    Sunday’s finals closed on a high note when local performer Mikey Mercer made history by claiming both the Sweet Soca Monarch and Power Soca Monarch titles with perfect scores from the judges, capping off the comeback event with a high-energy finish that delighted the crowd.

  • Central bank orders alignment of spending caps amid user complaints

    Central bank orders alignment of spending caps amid user complaints

    Barbados’ new instant payment platform BimPay has seen impressive early adoption, processing 750,000 transactions worth a total of $1.3 billion in its first full month since launching on June 12. But behind the strong uptake, the platform has been plagued by persistent operational problems that the governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, Dr. Kevin Greenidge, says stem largely from partner financial institutions. Now the regulator is stepping in with strict new requirements to resolve customer-facing delays and errors, while pushing institutions to align their BimPay practices with existing customer standards.

    Dr. Greenidge confirmed that the platform has recorded a 0.2% failure rate since going live. While this figure may seem small, it has tangible impacts on everyday Barbadians: delayed salary deposits for workers, missed pension payments for retirees, and widespread customer frustration. Other commonly reported issues include inaccessible authentication tokens for account linking, arbitrary low spending limits, and general transaction processing delays. To address these harms proactively, the Central Bank has imposed a new mandate requiring financial institutions to issue provisional credits to customers affected by payment failures. Under the rule, if a salary or pension fails to process on time due to an institutional error, the bank must immediately credit the customer’s account before reconciling the error later. “You, as a person, should not have to wait on their systems, and that is the standard that we have set, and that is something that we continue to push,” Greenidge told reporters.

    The governor added that this provisional credit requirement is already delivering improved outcomes for customers, and has explicitly banned institutions from charging late fees to customers for errors that originate from BimPay system delays. Greenidge also noted that some failures stem from preventable human error, such as incorrect account numbers entered during payroll submission, but the majority of ongoing issues trace back to financial institutions’ own systems and policies.

    One particularly troubling practice the Central Bank is cracking down on is the imposition of artificially low spending limits on BimPay compared to banks’ own proprietary digital platforms. Greenidge explained that this inconsistent policy is unjustified: a customer with the same risk profile, same bank account, and same existing $2,000 daily spending limit on their bank’s native app may be capped at just $500 when using BimPay, the national instant payment platform. “Nothing about the customer has changed. The only thing that has changed is the app they’re using. It makes no sense. It is not correct,” he said. “Our position is this: a lower limit cannot simply be imposed because the customer is using the national payments app.” Going forward, any deviation from a customer’s existing spending limit for BimPay transactions must be formally justified and submitted to the Central Bank for official approval.

    Two common transaction confirmation issues have also been traced to institutional processing gaps: in one scenario, funds arrive at the recipient’s bank but are not immediately posted to their account. In the other, the sending customer receives a confirmation that their transaction was successful, even though their bank never completed the transfer or debited their account. Greenidge emphasized that BimPay was designed from the start as an instant payment system, with all participating institutions having signed an agreement committing to complete transfers within a maximum of 10 seconds, with a target of five seconds. “Money should not be held in a suspended account or credited to a recipient as a pending credit letter. It must be instant,” he said, confirming that the Central Bank is conducting a full review of all institutions to eliminate any unnecessary queuing or processing delays.

    A major onboarding friction point has also emerged: out of 24,000 users who downloaded and registered for the BimPay app, only 14,000 successfully completed the process of linking their bank account to the platform’s e-wallet. Greenidge said this 10,000-user gap is almost entirely due to poor design choices by financial institutions, many of which buried the BimPay token generation link deep within their digital banking channels, mislabeled the tool, or required customers to navigate multiple unnecessary layers of menus to access it. “If a customer can’t find the door, they can’t come in. It’s simple as that,” he noted. “Persons have therefore registered and downloaded [the app], interested in using it, they are trying to link, could not find their way, and just give up.”

    To resolve this onboarding barrier, the Central Bank has released a unified customer access standard requiring all financial institutions to place the BimPay token generation button prominently on the homepage of their mobile banking apps and online banking portals, with clear labeling. As of the latest update, some institutions have already adjusted their platforms to meet the new rule, while others have been ordered to revise their access flow to comply with the regulator’s requirements.

  • Athletes return from NACAC Championships with impressive medal haul

    Athletes return from NACAC Championships with impressive medal haul

    Barbados’s standout showing at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Championships has emerged as a defining marker of the small island nation’s rising athletic prowess across the regional competitive landscape. The Caribbean country’s delegation secured a total of 16 medals – three gold, six silver and seven bronze – during the tournament held in Mexico, a result head coach Jamal Grosvenor attributes to months of strategic preparation, unyielding athlete resilience and clutch performance when competition pressure peaked.

    Returning to their home soil on Monday, the Under-18 and Under-23 NACAC squads were all smiles as they cleared customs at Grantley Adams International Airport, with photographers capturing the celebratory mood of the group. In comments to reporters following the team’s arrival, Grosvenor outlined the cohesive strategy that drove the squad’s success, noting that the team set a high competitive standard from the opening day of competition, carried that winning momentum through subsequent rounds, and closed out the championship with strong final-day performances.

    “We also came away with a lot of personal bests and the focus was really on just keeping prepared, staying sharp and executing to the best of your ability. That really came through from the first day,” Grosvenor said. Four of the team’s medals came in relay events, a outcome Grosvenor says directly reflects the Athletics Association of Barbados’ renewed commitment to investing in relay training and development across all age-group programs. He emphasized that prioritizing relays not only accelerates the overall growth of the sport in Barbados but also gives emerging athletes critical experience competing at high-stakes regional meets.

    The coach also extended praise to athletes who narrowly missed out on podium positions but still hit new personal best marks, noting that these breakthrough performances hold equal weight to medal wins for the long-term development of the country’s athletic program. While Grosvenor expressed widespread satisfaction with the overall result, he acknowledged that the team entered the championship with even higher medal ambitions. “We really wanted more medals, to be honest. In the Under-18 4x100m relay we were expecting to even get a national junior record. Unfortunately, there were some mishaps collectively as a team, but sometimes this is the nature of the sport,” he said, adding that the squad maintained excellent team spirit and strong camaraderie throughout the entire tournament despite minor setbacks.

    One of the team’s standout gold medalists, US-based college middle-distance runner Layla Haynes, claimed top honors in the Under-23 Women’s 800 meters with a winning time of 2:07.86. “I’m just so happy to be able to represent Barbados at this level and to be able to come home with some hardware; that’s always the goal, so I’m just really happy I was able to execute that,” Haynes said. The runner shared that she plans to wrap up her 2024 competitive season after the NACAC win, marking her first full collegiate racing season that kicked off back in January. “I have pretty big goals over the next couple of years. This might be a really good time to take a little break before getting right back at it, to keep working on those bigger goals,” she explained.

    Sprinter Jayden Green, who clocked a wind-assisted 20.17 seconds to take gold in the Under-23 Men’s 200 meters, called the win another key milestone in what has already been an extraordinary season for the young athlete. Green noted that his university training in windy conditions prepared him well for the NACAC meet, saying “It was quite comfortable with the conditions because of where I trained at university, and yeah, my body was good from the time I got there. Even though it was a little windy, I was still grateful that my body could get to that point.” Unlike Haynes, Green’s competitive season is far from over: he is already preparing to compete at the upcoming World Under-20 Championships, where he aims to clock an even faster personal best time.

    The team’s breakout star was CARIFTA champion Jayden Walcott, who delivered a record-breaking performance in the Under-18 Boys’ Shot Put, shattering the previous championship record to set a new mark of 21.82 meters. The throw pushed Walcott’s personal best up by nearly a full meter and capped another dominant season for the young athlete, who now ranks as one of the top shot put throwers in his age group globally. “We had a really good competition and to throw almost an entire meter over my PR was really impressive. It’s a huge honor to be a world leader, especially from this side of the region where throws are not that big,” Walcott said.