Carib Scope

标签： Barbados

巴巴多斯

  • “Ask up there, not me,” chair says after FSC blunder

    “Ask up there, not me,” chair says after FSC blunder

    In a landmark 77-page written judgment delivered last Friday, High Court Justice Dr. H Patrick Wells has thrown out a bid by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) to force the liquidation of local general insurer Equity Insurance Company Ltd, ruling the regulator failed to meet the legal threshold for its request and that pushing forward with winding-up proceedings now would fatally undermine an ongoing statutory appeal process launched by the company. The ruling leaves the door open for the FSC to re-file its application at a later date, with Justice Wells noting the regulator may renew its request at the earliest once the pending appeal before the FSC’s own Appeals Tribunal reaches a final resolution. He further added that if the tribunal experiences unreasonable delays in concluding the case, the FSC retains the right to approach the High Court for procedural directions.

    The dispute between the regulator and Equity Insurance stretches back to August of last year, when the FSC seized operational control of the company and moved to revoke its general insurance license, citing long-unresolved violations of multiple financial sector regulations and what the commission described as ongoing risks to the interests of the insurer’s policyholders. Equity Insurance contested that decision, arguing the FSC’s action violated fundamental due process requirements, and launched a statutory appeal to the recently established FSC Appeals Tribunal, which is currently reviewing the challenge.

    Outlining the core legal reasoning behind his ruling in a five-point conclusion, Justice Wells clarified that the commission is not legally required to proceed under Section 57 of the Insurance Act, noting the regulator’s choice to pursue winding-up under Section 56 of the legislation was a discretionary decision it was entitled to make, despite knowing the associated legal requirements. He also struck down the FSC’s key legal argument that the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act governs any liquidation of Equity Insurance, pointing out that insurance firms are explicitly excluded from the scope of that act under the statutory definition of “corporation” laid out in Section 2 of the legislation.

    Most critically, the justice found the FSC had failed to establish a prima facie case sufficient to convince the court to grant leave for a winding-up petition. “There are substantial and genuine disputes on the alleged facts that challenge the basic premise of the reasons for seeking leave to present a winding-up petition,” the ruling read, noting that the lawfulness and reasonableness of the FSC’s decision to revoke Equity Insurance’s license remains the central question before the Appeals Tribunal. Justice Wells emphasized the tribunal is a statutory body explicitly created by parliament to hear appeals from regulated entities aggrieved by FSC decisions, and overriding that process would not only deny Equity Insurance access to justice, but also erode the institutional integrity of the tribunal, rendering its statutorily mandated proceedings meaningless.

    The judge further added that nearly all of the core factual claims the FSC relies on to support its winding-up bid are already being challenged in two active legal processes: the appeal before the FSC Appeals Tribunal and separate pending judicial review proceedings in the High Court. On the procedural matter of security for costs, Justice Wells explained that the question only arises if the court first determines the FSC has successfully established its case for leave. Once that threshold is met, the court sets a reasonable amount for security, and leave is only finalized once the security is provided; failure to meet the requirement results in leave being denied. He added that courts retain the discretion to accept a formal undertaking as security in exceptional circumstances, even if the practice is uncommon.

    The ruling also confirms a prior decision from the FSC Appeals Tribunal handed down during a March 12 case management conference, where tribunal chair and retired High Court judge Christopher Blackman rejected the FSC’s request to suspend Equity Insurance’s appeal. Blackman noted the FSC had been aware of the opportunity to request a suspension from the High Court prior to appearing before the tribunal, and had chosen not to do so, meaning the tribunal could not grant the stay at that stage. “If they wanted me to stop, they should have asked the High Court. If the High Court had issued an order, so be it. But don’t pass up the opportunity to go to the higher court, and then come back to me. No, sir. You went up there. Ask up there. Don’t ask me,” Blackman said at the time.

    The FSC Appeals Tribunal is scheduled to hold its next procedural session on April 30 at 10 a.m., where members will review progress of the case to date, set a timeline going forward, and schedule a hearing for the substantive appeal, which is expected to take place between late May and early July. In addition to dismissing the winding-up bid, Justice Wells awarded costs to Equity Insurance, with the final amount to be agreed by both parties or assessed by the court if no agreement is reached. Senior Counsel Larry Smith, Alrick Scott SC and T’Shara Seal are representing Equity Insurance in the proceedings, while Garth Patterson SC appears for the FSC.

  • BAM: Safeguard Foreday Morning

    BAM: Safeguard Foreday Morning

    As Barbados’ beloved annual Crop Over festival approaches, a leading cultural organization is sounding the alarm over growing threats to one of the celebration’s most iconic centerpieces, calling for urgent regulatory action to safeguard the island’s cultural and tourism heritage.

    Bryan Worrell, head of the Barbados Association of Masqueraders (BAM), has renewed his organization’s appeal to national cultural authorities to protect the legacy of Foreday Morning and other signature Crop Over events, amid mounting concerns that unregulated private parties are siphoning attendees away from the flagship j’ouvert celebration. These concerns are widely shared among the roughly 40 official Foreday Morning band leaders, who have formally submitted a petition to the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) and the Ministry of Culture to address the issue. Since the petition was filed, Worrell confirmed that ongoing discussions are underway to develop a formal, long-term solution to the mounting pressure on official events.

    At the core of BAM’s proposal is the creation of a national registry for official cultural events on Barbados’ national calendar. Worrell argues that key fixtures including Foreday Morning, Grand Kadooment and Bridgetown Market deserve special protected status to limit direct competition from private events. He warned that the current threat to Foreday Morning is not an isolated issue: without intervention, other major Crop Over attractions could face the same erosion of attendance in coming years.

    “What’s to say that in another year or two that Grand Kadooment doesn’t come under the same threat that Foreday Morning is?” Worrell posed in an interview with reporters. He emphasized that BAM’s objection centers on private events holding their activities on the exact same night as official Foreday Morning, which splits the reveller base and undermines the long-standing traditional celebration.

    While much of the recent public attention has focused on Twisted Entertainment, the organizer of the popular Tipsy Music Festival that launched a competing private jump this year, Worrell stressed that the problem is systemic. Over the past several years, there has been a steady rise in the number of private foreday-style events, with another new private gathering, Stain’d, announced for this year backed by Vida by Esquire (VXE) and other local partners.

    Worrell explained that two potential paths forward exist to resolve the conflict: establishing the protected national event registry, or updating national legislation to formalize protections for official cultural events. In the near term, however, BAM is focused on brokering a voluntary agreement to shift competing private events to different dates, an arrangement that would protect the livelihoods of the dozens of small businesses and band leaders that organize the official Foreday Morning celebration each year.

    Addressing a common talking point from supporters of private events – claims that official Foreday Morning is unsafe for attendees – Worrell pushed back firmly, noting that there is no empirical evidence to back up these assertions. He pointed to more than a decade without any major reported safety incidents at the official event, and outlined the layered security framework that is already in place to protect participants.

    “Each registered band has its own security, along with the police service, along with the BDF on the route, along with excellent lighting… ambulance services are there to respond, so we have everything in place that will make your event safe and sound,” Worrell explained.

    Beyond preserving cultural tradition, Worrell emphasized that Foreday Morning is a critical economic and tourism asset for Barbados, drawing large numbers of international visitors who specifically travel to the island to experience the authentic cultural event. “That’s why we feel so strongly about it…as one of the highlighted events on the calendar that it should [have] that additional protection to ensure that it lives on,” he said.

    When reached for comment on the ongoing negotiations between BAM and cultural authorities, Akil Franklin, corporate communications specialist at the NCF, declined to provide any statement on the status of talks.

  • Barbados-based publishing company to attend international children’s book fair

    Barbados-based publishing company to attend international children’s book fair

    For the first time in the 63-year history of the world’s most prestigious children’s publishing event, the Caribbean region will have an official, dedicated collective presence at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF), running April 13–16 at the Bologna Exhibition Centre in Italy. Barbados-founded Beyond Publishing Caribbean, a 12-year-old independent publishing house focused on elevating Caribbean storytelling, will lead the newly formed Caribbean Collective delegation alongside two other leading regional cultural figures: Latoya West-Blackwood, founder and director of the Jamaica Book Festival, and Jeunanne Alkins, a Trinidad and Tobago-based publisher and founder of Everything Slight Pepper.

    Widely recognized as the globe’s largest professional gathering focused exclusively on children’s publishing, illustration, intellectual property rights, licensing, and multimedia children’s content, BCBF draws thousands of industry leaders, creators, and publishers from every corner of the world, offering an unmatched platform for global collaboration and exposure. Beyond Publishing Caribbean co-founder Delvin Howell emphasized that the Caribbean Collective’s invitation marks a historic milestone for the region’s creative industry, framing the participation as a transformative step forward for putting Caribbean publishing on the global map.

    “This is a historic event, where for the first time the Caribbean will have such presence in this space,” Howell shared. “It is a large step towards presenting Barbadian and Caribbean publishing to the world.”

    Founded in 2012, Beyond Publishing Caribbean has built its reputation on producing high-quality comics and illustrated novels rooted in authentic Caribbean experiences, while holding its work to the same production and storytelling standards as major international publishing houses. At BCBF, the company will showcase its full catalogue of titles, highlighting three standout works that demonstrate the breadth of Caribbean storytelling:
    – *Loose Change*, an action-packed battle comic series set in a Caribbean business school, designed to teach financial literacy and encourage young people to pursue entrepreneurship;
    – *Crossroads*, a gritty, socially conscious title that explores urgent community challenges including gun violence, bullying, and domestic abuse, a project previously supported by the United States Embassy to drive public awareness;
    – *Offset*, a genre-bending comic inspired by traditional Caribbean folklore, set in an alternate-universe version of Barbados.

    The Caribbean Collective will exhibit in BCBF’s popular Comics Corner, a dedicated space for graphic storytelling that will place the regional creators alongside some of the biggest names in the global comics industry, including major players Image Comics, Boom Studios, Kodansha, Viz Media, and Scholastic. Howell said the opportunity to exhibit alongside these industry giants is a major validation of Caribbean creative talent, and the team plans to leverage the platform to build lasting professional connections with international publishers, agents, and creators.

    Beyond Publishing Caribbean has previously showcased its work at regional cultural events, including participating in the Creative Caribbean delegation at CARIFESTA 2025, but Howell noted that BCBF marks the company’s first official exhibiting slot at an international publishing event of this scale. From its earliest days, the press has centered a simple but powerful mission: to compete with top international titles while remaining unapologetically rooted in Caribbean culture, unique characters, and local ways of life.

    “From the beginning, Beyond Publishing Caribbean has made the global standard of storytelling, production and artwork our bare minimum,” Howell said. “We aimed to compete with any major title from overseas while also being true to our culture, characters and way of life.”

    First launched in 1963, the annual Bologna Children’s Book Fair has grown into the cornerstone event of the global children’s publishing industry. The 2026 edition of the fair has already announced its visual theme, “Faces, Features and Portraits”, as the event continues to evolve to reflect shifting trends in children’s media and storytelling.

  • Pinelands, Bulls, Lakers, Celtics in winners’ row

    Pinelands, Bulls, Lakers, Celtics in winners’ row

    The latest matchweek of the Barbados Amateur Basketball Association’s Premier League delivered four distinct outcomes across the Sunday fixture slate, with dominant performances and standout individual scoring taking center stage at the Barbados Community College host venue.

    Opening the day’s competition, KFC Pinelands secured a lopsided 18-point win over NSC Tridents, finalizing the score at 78-60. Adriel Brathwaite anchored Pinelands’ offensive output, leading all teammates with 19 total points, while the squad boasted four players hitting double-digit scoring totals. Forward Carl Thorpe chipped in 18 points, and both Rachad Hall and Khenti Morris added 14 points each to round out the balanced offensive attack. For the defeated Tridents, Zane Gaskin put up a team-high 18 points, with Bronson Gibson-D’ermo contributing 12 points in the losing effort.

    In the afternoon’s second matchup, Burger King Clapham Bulls pulled away for a comfortable 107-85 victory against Warrens All Stars. Brothers Rasheed Maynard and Simeon Maynard turned in matching 16-point performances to pace the Bulls’ winning effort. Even though Warrens All Stars guard Delan Willie recorded the highest individual scoring total of the entire game with 21 points, his side could not overcome the Bulls’ coordinated team play and fell short by 22 points.

    The third contest of the day saw Island Care Ambulance Service hold off a late push from PremiumFit Bears to claim a 71-61 win. The winning squad got a double-digit scoring boost from guard Tyreke Harewood, who dropped 18 points, and forward Keefe Birkett, who added 13 points to secure the 10-point victory. Despite a career-best outing from PremiumFit’s Antoine Winter, who scored a game-high 32 points, the Bears could not overcome a lack of consistent supporting scoring and dropped the fixture.

    Closing out the Sunday game schedule, C.A.M Smart Assurance City United Celtics defeated Fusionz Boutique Station Hill Cavaliers by a 16-point margin, closing the game out at 94-78. Swingman Theo Greenidge led all Celtics scorers with 28 points, while guard Kiserian Adams contributed 20 points and forward Deroni Hurly added 18 points to the winning total. Deveron Knight topped the scoring chart for the Cavaliers with 19 points in the loss.

  • Barbados to make licence applications digital

    Barbados to make licence applications digital

    Barbados’ Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw has unveiled an ambitious government-wide initiative to modernize public services, headlined by the upcoming full digitization of license applications and payment processing as a core component of the island nation’s broader digital transformation strategy.

    Bradshaw made the announcement Sunday during the National Security Division’s 50th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service, hosted at the People’s Cathedral. She outlined that the administration is pursuing three interconnected tracks to update public operations: upgrading core digital systems, integrating cutting-edge new technologies, and revising existing legislative frameworks to ensure regulations align with 21st-century operational needs.

    The shift to fully online license-related services is designed to unlock tangible improvements for citizens and industry stakeholders alike, boosting procedural efficiency, increasing government transparency, and expanding access to public services for people across the country. This transition is just one element of a far-reaching public sector modernization agenda that also includes the digitization of archival public records, the expansion of existing e-government platforms, and the rollout of unified cross-agency data systems designed to streamline coordination between disparate government ministries and departments.

    “In the near future, routine processes including license applications, annual industry registrations, and secure online payments for public services will all be completed entirely electronically,” Bradshaw confirmed, adding that foundational investments in information and communications technology infrastructure and specialized staff training are already progressing to support a smooth transition to the new digital systems.

    Bradshaw noted that the modernization push also extends to national security operations, where long-used manual processes are being replaced with technology-powered solutions designed to strengthen accountability and improve overall service delivery to the public.

    Speaking to the enduring legacy of the National Security Division, which was founded on April 1, 1976, and now employs more than 200 personnel, Bradshaw praised the agency’s 50-year track record of upholding safety and stability across all government institutions. She emphasized that continuous adaptation is non-negotiable for security agencies operating in an increasingly complex, digitally connected global landscape.

    Even as the government embraces technological innovation to strengthen operations, Bradshaw stressed that human expertise and professional judgment remain irreplaceable pillars of effective national security. “A nation is not made safe by systems alone; it is made safe by its people choosing every single day to be their brother’s keeper,” she told attendees of the milestone service.

  • Govt partners with UNFPA to strengthen GBV protections ahead of disasters

    Govt partners with UNFPA to strengthen GBV protections ahead of disasters

    When natural disasters and humanitarian crises strike, the heightened danger of gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls is often pushed to the margins of emergency response — a gap that the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is working to close through a new pre-crisis preparedness initiative in partnership with the Barbados government.

    Kicking off Monday at UN House in Hastings, a two-day multi-stakeholder workshop brought together representatives from government agencies, UN bodies, and community organizations to strengthen cross-sector coordination and build robust protection frameworks for vulnerable groups ahead of future disasters. The event is led by UNFPA in collaboration with Barbados’ Bureau of Gender Affairs, centered on a core premise: emergency protection systems cannot be built from scratch when a crisis is already unfolding.

    Jenny Karlsen, Deputy Director of UNFPA’s Subregional Office for the Caribbean, told local outlet Barbados TODAY that pre-disaster coordination is critical to preventing GBV response from being deprioritized amid competing emergency needs. “When a disaster hits, immediate priorities like securing clean water and food understandably take the spotlight, but the reality is that risks of gender-based violence spike dramatically in these chaotic, disrupted settings,” Karlsen explained. “Without pre-existing systems in place, protection needs for women and girls are too often overlooked when they are most at risk.”

    Over the course of the workshop, participants are mapping coordinated service delivery across government ministries and non-governmental sectors, exploring strategies to center youth input in solution-building, and addressing often-overlooked specific needs of women and girls. One key topic of discussion is integrating menstrual hygiene management into disaster preparedness: the group is working to establish protocols for pre-positioning and distributing sanitary hygiene products to vulnerable communities, a basic need that regularly goes unmet in emergency response.

    A major systemic barrier the workshop aims to address is the global and local gap in disaggregated data on disaster-related GBV. Currently, underreporting and weak reporting mechanisms mean experts lack an accurate picture of how many women and girls are affected during crises. Many survivors avoid coming forward to report abuse due to stigma, unsafe conditions, and lack of accessible reporting pathways — challenges that are amplified in the aftermath of disasters. UNFPA’s initiative prioritizes expanding data collection and reforming existing reporting frameworks to make it safer and easier for survivors to seek support.

    The gathering also turned attention to an emerging, rapidly growing threat: virtual and online gender-based violence. Karlsen noted that global data shows a steady rise in online abuse against women and girls, and the impacts of this form of violence during disasters are still not fully understood. As part of its global work to address this gap, UNFPA has already rolled out capacity-building workshops to analyze emerging evidence on online GBV, but much remains to be learned about its specific dynamics during crises.

    Last year, UNFPA’s Caribbean subregion released research examining online violence against women in public life, which confirmed the trend of rising digital abuse across the region. “Online GBV affects every woman and girl, from young people growing up in a digital world to women in public leadership,” Karlsen said. “Addressing this evolving challenge requires coordinated action across legislation, policy, and public awareness. It is an emerging threat that we can no longer afford to ignore as we build more inclusive, effective disaster preparedness systems.”

  • Paradise edge Bagatelle to extend lead

    Paradise edge Bagatelle to extend lead

    Matchweek action in the Barbados Football Association Premier League unfolded at the BFA Technical Centre in Wildey this Sunday, delivering three tense, tightly contested fixtures that shook up the top of the table and left title race dynamics far from settled.

    Opening the triple-header, league leaders Paradise notched a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Bagatelle to stretch their advantage at the summit. The dominant opening 20 minutes of play spelled disaster for Bagatelle: Tyrel Rayside-Demondonca broke the deadlock for Paradise in the 18th minute, and just three minutes later, Kamoil Griffith doubled the lead to put Paradise firmly in control. Bagatelle mounted a comeback effort in the second half, pulling one goal back in the 61st minute, but Paradise held firm to fend off the late pressure and secure all three points.

    Speaking to reporters from Barbados TODAY after the final whistle, Paradise head coach Mario Harte expressed satisfaction with the result while highlighting areas his squad must improve ahead of upcoming fixtures. “The first half was relatively straightforward, we were in complete control,” Harte said. “But football shifts momentum quickly, and in the second half, most of the positive play went Bagatelle’s way – they deserve credit for that. I also have to praise my guys for staying resilient and fighting for these points, especially when we didn’t have many substitutions to turn to. We’re missing suspended striker Sheran Hoyte and a handful of other key players, so getting three points was always our top priority.”

    With this win, Paradise now sits atop the table with 27 points, pulling two points clear of closest title rivals and defending champions Weymouth Wales. Ellerton occupy third place on 23 points, while Kickstart Rush sit just behind in fourth with the same point total, separated only by goal difference – and Kickstart Rush holds a game in hand over all the top sides. No club has held a lead larger than four points at any point this season, and Paradise has spent more weeks in first place than any other competitor. When asked how his squad is handling the pressure of leading a tight title race, Harte noted his team has adjusted well to the challenge. “Honestly, I’m glad we’ve gotten back-to-back early 4 p.m. kicks,” he explained. “Getting our result out of the way first puts immediate pressure on the teams chasing us, and that works to our advantage.”

    In the day’s second fixture, Ellerton overcame a slew of squandered chances to grind out a 1-0 win over UWI Blackbirds. Anson Barrow scored the match’s only goal in the 31st minute: after controlling a cross neatly inside the 18-yard box, he fired a powerful shot past UWI goalkeeper K’den Hee Chung. Barrow had missed a far clearer scoring opportunity earlier in the half, but his one successful finish was enough to carry Ellerton to victory. UWI Blackbirds remain in seventh place in the standings with 12 points after the loss.

    Ellerton head coach Corey Barrow shared his mixed feelings after the match, coming off a disappointing defeat to Kickstart the previous week. “It was an ugly performance, but it got the job done,” he said. “An ugly win is always better than a pretty loss, but we made this game far more difficult than it needed to be. At the end of the day, though, three points is all that matters right now. This league is just like the English Premier League – the table is so tight, every point counts, and every match feels like a cup final. I’m not happy with how we played, but I’m grateful for the result. That said, our lack of cutting edge in attack does concern me. With the attacking talent we have on this squad, we should be creating more chances and putting more goals away.”

    The final match of the evening saw defending champions Weymouth Wales navigate a stubborn defensive block from St Andrew Lions to claim a crucial 2-1 win. Rashad Jules put Weymouth Wales ahead in the 36th minute, and Ranaldo Trim extended the lead to 2-0 with a stunning long-range strike in the 85th minute that looked to have put the result to bed. St Andrew Lions grabbed a late lifeline when Shamar Edwards converted a penalty in stoppage time, but Weymouth Wales held on to protect their lead and take all three points.

    Like the other top winning sides on the day, Weymouth Wales’ coaching staff voiced mixed feelings about the performance. The defending champions have looked out of sync for much of the season, a trend that continued on Sunday. “Getting three points is always a good outcome, but as a coaching staff, we’re not happy with how we finished our chances tonight,” assistant coach Andrew Jean said. “We missed so many clear opportunities that would have put this game to bed much earlier. We’re working on that in training, and we hope to clean up that mistake moving forward. We’ve been focusing on attacking drills for the last two weeks, because wastefulness in front of goal has been one of our biggest weaknesses all season. The guys just need to apply themselves better in front of goal. Our goal right now is to win every remaining match in this round. We’re still the defending champions, and we fully believe we can retain our title.”

    Premier League action is set to resume tomorrow evening at the BFA Technical Centre with another double header kicking off at 7 p.m. Kickstart Rush can climb back into second place with a win against bottom-of-the-table Wotton, who remain winless and point-less this season after forfeiting their most recent fixture. In the night’s second match, Brittons Hill United will look to jump back into third place when they face off against Eyre’s Meatshop Pride of Gall Hill. Brittons Hill currently sit fifth in the table with 22 points, while Gall Hill occupy eighth place on 11 points. Gall Hill will be eager to extend the gap between themselves and ninth-placed St Andrew Lions, who sit in the relegation zone with just six points from 12 matches played so far this campaign.

  • Football administrators benefit from Concacaf workshop

    Football administrators benefit from Concacaf workshop

    Barbadian football administrators have stepped away from a one-day professional development workshop with new skills, resources and actionable strategies to strengthen their day-to-day operations, after the regional football governing body Concacaf hosted the specialized training session at the Barbados Football Association Technical Centre on April 11.

    The workshop drew a diverse cross-section of football leadership from across the island, bringing together senior leaders from top-flight local clubs alongside national team managers and coaches to collaborate and share insights. In an interview with local outlet Barbados TODAY, Horace Reid, Director of the CONCACAF Caribbean Office, laid out the core mission of the training: to disseminate industry-leading best practices and build capacity among the administrators who drive both national football programs and elite club competition in Barbados.

    Reid explained that the workshop curriculum covered a broad spectrum of critical administrative topics designed to address the most common pain points for regional football leaders. Attendees walked through modules on core operational functions including long-term financial planning, annual budgeting, pre-tournament logistics coordination, match day management and post-tournament evaluation and wrap-up. The agenda also prioritized foundational governance topics that are increasingly central to ethical sports management: institutional ethics, competitive integrity and athlete safeguarding, all of which were framed as non-negotiable elements of sustainable football development.

    Unlike larger, better-resourced national federations in other parts of the world, smaller Caribbean football associations face a unique set of structural challenges that can hinder consistent growth and organizational capacity. Reid acknowledged these gaps, but emphasized that the region has already made significant strides in recent years. “We have seen tremendous improvement across the football family within the region. The member associations are becoming more organised, they are more football focused, which is good news,” he said. Even with this progress, Reid noted that ongoing investment in administrative capacity remains critical. “However, we have to continue to provide them with the tools, as they go about their day to day administration of the sport,” he added.

    Reid pointed out that strong administrative fundamentals have long been an underprioritized area across Caribbean football for decades. “One of the things that for too long, for many decades we have not paid sufficient attention to is how important it is to be well organised. The plan to have strategic objectives and to just follow through on some basic fundamentals in terms of administration, to make sure that we are ticking all the right boxes as we continue to develop the players and grow the sport within the region,” he outlined.

    While the region has already recorded measurable growth at both the youth and senior competitive levels, Reid said Concacaf remains committed to supporting further expansion of the sport across the Caribbean. The workshop, he added, is part of a broader ongoing push to ensure every member association has access to the knowledge and tools needed to succeed. “The objective really is to make sure that all of the information that we can bring to bear on the member associations within the region, that we share those best practices with them,” Reid said.

  • Educator on $3 000 bail over malicious communication charge

    Educator on $3 000 bail over malicious communication charge

    A 40-year-old education professional has secured her release on $3,000 bail following an appearance in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court, where she formally entered a not guilty plea to a single count of malicious communication.

    Sheriann Norris, a resident of Austin’s Drive in St Michael, stood before Acting Chief Magistrate Douglas Frederick to answer the charge brought against her. Court documents allege that between the first of March and the seventh of April this year, Norris utilized a computer system to transmit an electronic message described as obscene. Prosecutors contend the communication was either intentionally created to trigger annoyance, inconvenience, significant distress or acute anxiety in the complainant, Akhnaten Burrowes, or that Norris acted with reckless disregard for the harm the message could cause.

    Norris has repeatedly denied all allegations connected to the charge. Following the preliminary hearing, the court scheduled the next procedural step in the case for July 14, when all involved parties will reconvene to move the legal process forward.

  • Barbados to make licence applications digital

    Barbados to make licence applications digital

    Barbados’ Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw has announced an ambitious government-wide initiative to modernize public services through digital transformation, with license applications and secure payments set to move entirely online in the coming months. The announcement was made during the 50th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service for the National Security Division, held Sunday at the People’s Cathedral.

    Bradshaw outlined that the digital push extends far beyond just online licensing, framing it as a comprehensive overhaul of public sector operations. The administration is currently upgrading core technological systems, integrating cutting-edge digital tools, and revising outdated pieces of legislation to ensure all regulatory frameworks align with modern operational needs. The ultimate goals of this transition are to boost service efficiency, strengthen government transparency, and make critical public services more accessible to all citizens and industry stakeholders.

    Beyond licensing and payment processing, the broader modernization agenda includes full digitization of public records, expansion of existing e-government platforms, and the rollout of integrated cross-agency data systems designed to improve coordination between separate ministries and government departments. Bradshaw confirmed that preparatory work, including investments in national information and communications technology infrastructure and specialized training for public sector staff, is already underway to support a smooth transition to the new digital systems.

    The modernization drive also reaches into national security operations, where long-used manual processes are being replaced by technology-driven solutions to strengthen accountability and speed up service delivery. Speaking to the gathered congregation about the National Security Division’s five decades of work, Bradshaw celebrated the agency’s 50-year legacy of upholding safety and stability across all government institutions. She noted that the division, founded on April 1, 1976, now employs more than 200 dedicated personnel, and praised both retired and current members for their unwavering commitment to national service.

    While emphasizing the transformative power of new technology to improve public and security operations, Bradshaw stressed that human expertise and judgment remain irreplaceable for effective governance and national safety. “A nation is not made safe by systems alone; it is made safe by its people choosing every single day to be their brother’s keeper,” she said.

    Closing her remarks, Bradshaw called on all Barbadians, especially young people, to uphold the core values of peace, collective responsibility, and community engagement. She reminded attendees that a nation’s strength stems not only from robust, modern systems, but also from the small, consistent choices its people make every day to support one another.