Carib Scope

标签： Barbados

巴巴多斯

  • Business Baddie offering support for female entrepreneurs

    Business Baddie offering support for female entrepreneurs

    A transformative entrepreneurial movement is gaining momentum in Barbados, offering a structured antidote to the isolation many women face in business. Business Baddie, a pioneering support network founded by attorney and former educator Kerrilyn Walters, provides female entrepreneurs with the practical tools and community accountability needed to transform ideas into successful enterprises.

    Established in 2021 as a modest consulting initiative, the organization has evolved into a structured membership group that deliberately maintains an intimate size—currently approximately 13 members—to ensure meaningful engagement and personalized support. Walters, who serves as Chief Business Baddie Officer, conceived the idea drawing from her previous experience running a baking business before entering the legal profession.

    The program’s core methodology centers on hands-on, practical workshops conducted monthly, covering essential business skills including marketing strategy, content creation, financial planning, budgeting, and operational scheduling. Unlike conventional seminars where participants passively receive information, Business Baddie sessions require active implementation—members literally plan their content calendars or develop marketing strategies during workshops.

    A distinctive feature of the program is its accountability partnership system, where members are paired and rotated quarterly to maintain fresh perspectives and consistent motivation. This structure ensures participants remain committed to their stated business objectives despite life’s inevitable distractions.

    The community extends beyond formal workshops through active WhatsApp communication, creating a continuous support network where members receive prompt responses to queries and challenges. This approach has demonstrated tangible results, with one member successfully transitioning from a home-based operation to establishing a standalone salon.

    While currently maintaining its boutique size, the organization welcomes women across all age groups and business development stages—from those seriously contemplating entrepreneurship to established business owners seeking growth. The group is preparing to launch its third cohort in 2026, with new initiatives to be announced at their upcoming members’ dinner at Radisson Aquatica Resort on December 14.

    Business Baddie primarily operates through its Instagram platform @businessbaddiebb, maintaining an accessible digital presence while fostering genuine, substantive connections that address the critical support gap in female entrepreneurship.

  • PM Cup players get major prizes during Flow visit

    PM Cup players get major prizes during Flow visit

    In a significant celebration of sporting excellence and corporate social responsibility, telecommunications leader Flow hosted the newly crowned 2025 Prime Minister’s Cup champions, Weymouth Wales FC, at their Warrens corporate headquarters. The event highlighted the transformative power of sports in community development across Barbados.

    The championship team, guided by Manager Alphonso Lewis, Coach Asquith Howell, Physiotherapist Chantelle Braithwaite, and Captain Hadan Holligan, engaged in productive discussions with Flow’s senior leadership team led by Vice-President and General Manager Desron Bynoe. The gathering also included key members of the Prime Minister’s Cup Organizing Committee, Chairman Omari Eastmond and Marketing Strategist Danielle Toppin.

    Flow demonstrated its substantial commitment through both financial investment and premium technological rewards. The company contributed approximately $30,000 in direct support for tournament activities and player development. Each member of the victorious Weymouth Wales squad received a share of $5,000 in recognition of their championship performance.

    Individual excellence received special acknowledgment with top-tier technology awards. Andre Applewhaite, honored as both Most Valuable Player and Best Defender, received a cutting-edge iPhone 17. Jamarco Johnson from runners-up Kickstart Rush, celebrated as Best Young Player, was presented with a Samsung S25 tablet. The fan community participated in the celebrations as well, with Tibu Johnson winning an Apple iPad through the Flow Fan Prize initiative.

    During the ceremony, Bynoe emphasized the broader significance of the team’s achievement: ‘At a time when our communities need positive examples, what you have achieved shines a bright light. Your undefeated season after last year’s disappointment demonstrates remarkable discipline and character.’ He encouraged the players to ‘remain humble, lift as you climb, and pass your knowledge to younger generations.’

    Shane Archer, Project Manager for the Prime Minister’s Cup, applauded Flow’s ongoing commitment: ‘Flow’s involvement demonstrates how powerfully Corporate Barbados can stand with young athletes. Their investment rewards hard work, uplifts communities, and helps create brighter futures. I urge other businesses to emulate this exemplary model of community support.’

    The partnership represents Flow’s strategic dedication to youth development and community enrichment through sports sponsorship, establishing a benchmark for corporate citizenship in Barbados.

  • Still making Christmas – even at ‘these prices’

    Still making Christmas – even at ‘these prices’

    Faced with persistently rising supermarket prices, Barbadian families are demonstrating remarkable ingenuity to maintain cherished Christmas traditions while navigating economic pressures. Across the island, households are adopting diverse strategies ranging from home cultivation of ingredients to strategic cross-border shopping, fundamentally redefining their holiday preparations.

    At Popular Discounts in Kendal Hill, a steady flow of shoppers carried essential provisions including meats, fruits, and baking materials, indicating advanced stages of seasonal preparation. This scene reflects a broader trend of resourcefulness becoming essential for holiday celebrations.

    Elsa Marshall, mother of five, exemplifies this adaptive approach through heightened self-sufficiency. “I maintain focus on fundamental necessities,” she explained, noting her commitment to providing homemade cakes and treats despite financial constraints. Her calculus extends beyond immediate savings: “A $50 purchased cake represents three homemade equivalents, plus saved supermarket time and avoided queues – time is money.” Marshall supplements her kitchen with backyard-grown seasonings, though she acknowledges persistent financial strain despite three working adults in her household.

    Budget-conscious strategies vary across households. Ericson Thomas emphasizes comparative shopping across different supermarkets to optimize expenditures, while maintaining traditional menus including ham, chicken, and turkey for expected guests. Heather Bostic adopts a minimalist philosophy, concentrating on essentials while acknowledging ongoing financial obligations. “The extravagance would be a ham,” she remarked with laughter, emphasizing modest vegetable additions and children’s treats without excess.

    Some residents undertake extraordinary measures, with Mrs. Blackett from St John reporting international procurement trips to Canada for more affordable breakfast items and meats. “Overseas shopping reduces costs significantly,” she noted, adding that manageable Customs charges helped mitigate living expenses.

    The tangible impact of inflation emerges through stark comparisons. One elderly shopper documented a $10 increase for identical fruit purchases within a single week, prompting early July preparations to avoid December price surges.

    Despite these challenges, the cultural commitment to Christmas tradition remains unwavering. Michael Beckles, while loading groceries, articulated this resilience: “Certain necessities reflect our inherent traditions. We must procure ingredients for jug jug and traditional dishes. Christmas remains what you make it.” His balanced approach – “a little bit of everything without excess” – captures the prevailing sentiment of determined celebration amid economic adaptation.

    For wheelchair user Yvette Sealy, the season’s essence has shifted toward spiritual significance rather than material display, focusing on church attendance and simple meals while utilizing previous years’ frozen ham.

    This collective response illustrates both the pressures of economic reality and the enduring strength of cultural traditions, as Barbadians creatively preserve Christmas spirit through community resilience and adaptive celebration.

  • BLP nominee Munro-Knight opens constituency office, emphasises access and service

    BLP nominee Munro-Knight opens constituency office, emphasises access and service

    In a significant move signaling electoral preparedness, Senator Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight has inaugurated her Christ Church South constituency office just over a year after securing the Barbados Labour Party’s nomination. The Friday evening ceremony at the Maxwell Main Road location drew party dignitaries, supporters, and local residents, marking a strategic organizational advancement ahead of potential general elections.

    The establishment addresses persistent concerns about accessible representation that emerged during Dr. Munro-Knight’s extensive community walkabouts. ‘Throughout my engagements across this constituency, the recurring question has consistently been: Where is your office?’ the senator revealed. She succeeds former BLP representative Ralph Thorne, who currently leads the Opposition, and emphasized that the facility will serve dual purposes as both campaign headquarters and constituent service center, openly accessible to all residents regardless of political affiliation.

    Dr. Munro-Knight framed her political journey as fundamentally rooted in service rather than personal ambition, noting she hadn’t previously envisioned herself in such a role. ‘My motivation stems from a singular desire—to serve authentically,’ she stated, explicitly inviting constituents to hold her accountable for her representation. The senator highlighted ongoing initiatives including a commemorative wall honoring Oistins fisherfolk’s sacrifices, the Silver Spoon Programme providing meals for elderly residents inspired by a dignified utility-deprived senior, and a self-empowerment initiative creating internship opportunities for young women.

    Despite electoral uncertainties, Dr. Munro-Knight committed to maintaining door-to-door engagement and daily resident interactions, asserting that ‘effective leadership emerges from directly seeing, feeling, and hearing the people.’ The event garnered substantial party support with attendance from MPs Wilfred Abrahams, William Duguid, Chad Blackman, Kerrie Symmonds, Ryan Straughn, and Acting Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw.

    Bradshaw testified to Dr. Munro-Knight’s de facto representative status, humorously acknowledging her persistent advocacy: ‘She has made my life miserable, detailing every road requiring repair, every drain needing cleaning, and every light requiring installation—despite not yet being officially elected.’ The acting PM confirmed allocated funding through the Ministry of Transport and Works to address identified infrastructure issues, with an aggressive rollout planned from January 2026. MP Abrahams offered unequivocal endorsement, urging constituents: ‘With the clearest conscience, vote for us. This is a good woman coming to represent you all.’

  • Nearly 12 000 receive reverse tax credits worth $16.2m – Straughn

    Nearly 12 000 receive reverse tax credits worth $16.2m – Straughn

    The Barbados government has successfully delivered $18.8 million in reverse tax credits to nearly 14,000 low-income citizens this week, providing crucial financial support ahead of Christmas celebrations. Finance Minister Ryan Straughn announced to Parliament on Friday that the Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) distributed $16.2 million through banking institutions to 11,941 recipients, while an additional $2.6 million was issued via physical checks to 1,994 individuals whose banking information remained unregistered.

    The initiative represents a cornerstone of the government’s cost-of-living relief measures, offering a $1,300 cash rebate specifically targeted at employed Barbadians earning $25,000 or less annually. Eligibility requirements include minimum employment thresholds, National Insurance contributions, and having paid less than $500 in income tax for the current fiscal year.

    Minister Straughn connected the disbursement to broader economic modernization efforts, highlighting how the current mixed payment system—combining electronic transfers and physical checks—demonstrates the necessity of implementing digital financial infrastructure. The government is actively developing a national real-time payment system that would future credits, refunds, and benefits through digital wallets via the BIMpay platform.

    ‘Especially the person with cheques, because you got to wait for the postman to deliver, and then you got to find your way to a physical location in order to be able to access that money,’ Straughn noted, emphasizing the practical challenges of traditional payment methods.

    The finance minister confirmed that key government agencies including the Treasury Department, BRA, and National Insurance and Social Security Service are being equipped to process electronic payments more efficiently. This transition aims to accelerate various disbursements including welfare payments and court-ordered maintenance allocations.

    Straughn directly linked faster payment processing to enhanced economic vitality, stating that increased velocity of money circulation would stimulate consumption patterns and support broader economic growth. The timing of this financial injection coincides with peak holiday spending periods, potentially amplifying its positive impact on both household finances and national economic indicators.

  • Thorne: Govt ignoring ‘murderously high’ cost of living

    Thorne: Govt ignoring ‘murderously high’ cost of living

    In a scathing address to Barbados’ House of Assembly, Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne launched a fierce critique against the government’s economic management, accusing officials of ignoring what he described as economically devastating price levels and systematic price gouging practices. Thorne asserted that escalating living expenses are driving countless Barbadian families into severe financial hardship.

    During parliamentary debates on the Economic Diversification and Growth Fund Bill, Thorne challenged the administration’s narrative of economic progress, stating that ordinary citizens remain excluded from purported growth benefits. He emphasized that persistent inflation and continuously rising retail prices consistently outpace wage increases for working-class Barbadians.

    Thorne characterized routine grocery shopping as a ‘nervous exercise’ for households struggling with budgetary pressures. He insisted the government bears direct responsibility for addressing both the tangible economic suffering and widespread consumer anxiety gripping the nation.

    The opposition leader further warned that many Barbadians perceive themselves as victims of unjustified retail mark-ups, demanding the administration ‘educate itself’ about the reality of price gouging experiences throughout the country. Thorne’s comments highlight growing tensions over economic policy as legislators consider new fiscal measures.

  • Minimum wage hike lags behind cost of living – CTUSAB

    Minimum wage hike lags behind cost of living – CTUSAB

    Barbados’s leading labor organization has issued a strong critique of the government’s proposed minimum wage adjustment, declaring the planned 2% increase insufficient to address the nation’s escalating cost of living. The Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) contends that the January adjustment fails to reflect both economic realities and previous government assurances.

    CTUSAB General Secretary Dennis De Peiza emphasized that wage determinations must directly correlate with documented increases in essential expenses including food prices, healthcare, utilities, transportation, and general business operations. The union leader pointed to the government’s own reports of robust fiscal performance—including seventeen consecutive quarters of economic growth and substantial surpluses—as justification for expecting a more meaningful wage enhancement for vulnerable workers.

    The scheduled adjustment would elevate the national minimum wage from $10.50 to $10.71 per hour, while security guards would see their industry-specific rate increase from $11.43 to $11.66. This follows a significant June 2025 increase that raised rates from $8.50 and $9.25 respectively.

    In defense of the policy, Labour Minister Colin Jordan characterized the increase as a carefully calibrated compromise designed to balance worker support with business sustainability. Minister Jordan outlined the government’s commitment to methodical, evidence-based wage reform, noting that the Minimum Wage Board has commenced analysis of the previous increase’s economic impact and is developing a structured indexation framework informed by international models.

    While acknowledging the government’s fulfillment of its promise to implement an increase, CTUSAB maintains that the modest adjustment contradicts the administration’s proclaimed economic achievements. The union body continues to advocate for wage rates that enable vulnerable workers to achieve a decent standard of living, reinforcing its position that both national and sectoral minimum wages require more substantial elevation to match Barbados’s economic trajectory.

  • Thorne warns digital payment reforms risk excluding vulnerable Barbadians

    Thorne warns digital payment reforms risk excluding vulnerable Barbadians

    In a critical parliamentary session addressing the National Payment System (Amendment) Bill, Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne voiced substantial concerns regarding Barbados’ transition to the BimPay digital payment infrastructure. Thorne emphasized that while modernization through digitization represents inevitable progress, the government’s approach must carefully balance technological advancement with socioeconomic inclusivity.

    Thorne articulated a fundamental distinction between mere modernization and genuine development, noting that while digital systems facilitate speed and novelty, true development necessitates consideration of human elements. He highlighted how the abrupt shift to cashless transactions could disproportionately affect street vendors, small-scale merchants, and economically marginalized citizens who rely on traditional cash-based commerce for survival.

    Evidence of public discontent has already emerged, Thorne revealed, with protests organized not to reverse technological progress but to preserve essential economic spaces for vulnerable populations. He challenged the government to provide transparent projections detailing anticipated cash usage percentages post-implementation, warning that current uncertainty is generating widespread anxiety.

    Despite these concerns, Thorne acknowledged the necessity of digital payment systems for Barbados’ global competitiveness, particularly for international transactions that inherently require digital processing. He called for clear timelines and comprehensive support systems to ensure no segment of the population is excluded during this economic transformation.

  • St Michael man fined for cannabis trafficking and importation

    St Michael man fined for cannabis trafficking and importation

    In a significant ruling at the District ‘A’ Criminal Court No. 1, a 53-year-old resident of St Michael, Barbados, has been convicted on drug-related charges. Denson Emroy Bailey, residing at #24 Tamarind Avenue on Culloden Road, entered a guilty plea before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes during a court session held on Friday. The charges stem from his involvement in the trafficking and importation of a substantial quantity of cannabis.

    The case, investigated by the Narcotics Unit of the Barbados Police Service, centered on activities dated December 11. Law enforcement officials apprehended Bailey after uncovering approximately 3.1 kilograms of suspected cannabis in his possession. The illicit substance, with an estimated street value of $24,800, represents a significant seizure in ongoing efforts to combat narcotics distribution on the island.

    The judicial outcome resulted in a financial penalty of $6,000 imposed on Bailey. This ruling underscores the continued vigilance of Barbadian authorities against drug offenses, particularly those involving substantial quantities with considerable market value. The case highlights the operational effectiveness of specialized police units in intercepting illegal substances and bringing perpetrators to justice through the criminal court system.

  • New Zealand wrap up three-day victory over Windies

    New Zealand wrap up three-day victory over Windies

    New Zealand secured a commanding nine-wicket triumph against the West Indies on Friday’s third day of the second Test at Basin Reserve, propelled by fast bowler Jacob Duffy’s spectacular second-innings performance. The visitors collapsed to a meager 128 runs in their second innings—marking their sixth-lowest Test total against New Zealand—after trailing by 73 runs from the first innings.

    Duffy achieved his second consecutive five-wicket haul in the series, finishing with impressive figures of 5-38, while Michael Rae contributed significantly with 3-45. The West Indies, resuming at 32-2, initially showed resilience through overnight batsmen Brandon King and Kavem Hodge. However, a disastrous run-out of King triggered a catastrophic batting collapse. King was caught short of his crease following a miscommunication with Hodge and an accurate throw from Michael Bracewell.

    The dismissal sparked a rapid unraveling of the West Indies’ lineup. Shai Hope fell five balls later, offering a simple return catch to Rae. Captain Roston Chase continued his poor form, gloving a sharp delivery from Duffy to the wicketkeeper after scoring just two runs. Hodge’s departure for a team-high 35—caught brilliantly by substitute fielder Will Young—effectively ended the contest at 88-6.

    Though Justin Greaves (25) and Tevin Imlach provided brief resistance, Duffy’s post-lunch breakthrough, dismissing Greaves lbw via review, swiftly curtailed their efforts. Imlach fell soon after, caught at second slip off Duffy’s bowling. The tailenders offered little resistance, with Rae clean bowling Jayden Seales and Duffy claiming the final wicket of Ojay Shields.

    Chasing a modest target of 56 runs, New Zealand suffered an early setback with captain Tom Latham falling for nine to Anderson Phillip. However, Devon Conway’s explosive unbeaten 28 off 22 balls (including six boundaries) and Kane Williamson’s composed 16 not out guided the hosts to victory in just ten overs, securing a 1-0 series lead after the first Test ended in a draw.