Carib Scope

标签： Barbados

巴巴多斯

  • Landscaper remanded after no surety available

    Landscaper remanded after no surety available

    A 37-year-old landscaper from Waterford has been placed in Dodds Prison, after he informed a local magistrate he had no one able to act as a surety for his bail release.

    Rasheed Obrien Winter, who resides at Longford Place, St Michael, faces two serious criminal allegations: trespassing on a woman’s residential property with the explicit intention to carry out a rape, and carrying scissors – classified as an offensive weapon – during the alleged incident. The event is reported to have taken place on August 30.

    As the charges against Winter are indictable offences that fall under the jurisdiction of the higher court, no formal plea has been entered in the lower court proceedings to date. Notably, prosecutors did not raise any objection to the court granting Winter bail, but the defendant told District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court No. 2 that he had no accessible party willing to sign his bail bond to secure his temporary release.

    Presiding magistrate Manila Renee had no option under the law but to order Winter be remanded into custody ahead of his next hearing. Before being taken into custody, Winter requested that his case be moved forward quickly to the High Court, where the indictable charges will be heard. The next update in the case is scheduled for September 29.

  • Moves to make circle hooks mandatory for longline fishing fleet

    Moves to make circle hooks mandatory for longline fishing fleet

    Barbados is set to become a regional leader in sustainable fisheries management with a groundbreaking new regulation that will require all horizontal longline vessels operating in its territorial waters to swap traditional J-hooks for specially designed circle hooks. The policy, rooted in years of locally conducted scientific trials, marks a step beyond basic international compliance, aiming to both boost target fish catches and drastically improve survival rates for vulnerable non-target species released back into the ocean. The regulation was formally announced alongside the launch of a national public outreach campaign, “Transformative Change: Fish Smart, Hook Right”, hosted by the Barbados Fisheries Division on Friday, which seeks to prepare local fisherfolk, seafood vendors, and the general public for the industry-wide transition.

    Unlike J-hooks, circle hooks feature a distinct circular shape, with their point bent perpendicularly back toward the shank. This simple design alteration drives a major improvement in conservation outcomes: multiple studies, including the local trials completed by Barbados’ fisheries team, confirm that circle hooks are far more likely to hook fish in the mouth rather than the gut or internal organs. This difference dramatically cuts down on injury and mortality for non-target species, including endangered sea turtles, sharks, and other protected marine life that are commonly caught accidentally as bycatch and released by longline vessels.

    The transition to circle hooks is not a new global requirement: as a contracting party to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Barbados has been obligated since 2022 to adopt measures such as circle hook or finfish bait use to reduce sea turtle bycatch. But acting Chief Fisheries Officer Dr. Christopher Parker emphasized that the country’s approach sets a new precedent for the Caribbean region, going far beyond the basic commitments required by ICCAT. No other member state of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) or the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism has combined locally generated, evidence-based trial data, a structured financial support scheme for fisherfolk, and formal binding domestic legislation to implement the change all at once. If successful, Dr. Parker noted, Barbados will establish a replicable model for other small island developing states across the region to follow, outpacing even the relatively basic requirements already implemented in the United States.

    The policy itself defies the common framing of conservation as a trade-off with fishing productivity, Dr. Parker explained. Instead, it delivers on three core goals: better catch rates for target species, higher survival for released non-target species, and a more sustainable future for Barbados’ fishing industry as a whole. The regulatory change followed years of collaborative research between the Fisheries Division and the REBYC-III CLME+ project, a regional initiative focused on reducing bycatch in Caribbean fisheries. Nia Browne, project coordinator for the REBYC-III CLME+ team in Barbados, shared that the team ran two separate field trials on local longline vessels to test two common circle hook models: C16 and C18.

    Both circle hook variants outperformed traditional J-hooks on key metrics, but the C16 configuration stood out for its impact on target species catches. When controlling for fishing time and location, trials found that C16 circle hooks delivered a statistically significant increase in catches of yellowfin tuna, Barbados’ primary target tuna species for longline fishing. Beyond higher yields, the trials confirmed the conservation benefits of the design: 90% of hooked ETP (endangered, threatened, and protected) species were hooked in the corner of the mouth, compared to just 30% for J-hooks, making safe release far more likely and drastically boosting post-release survival rates.

    To address widespread concerns among local fisherfolk about the higher upfront cost of circle hooks, the Fisheries Division has rolled out a targeted support scheme. A box of circle hooks currently retails for roughly US$200, compared to US$120 for an equivalent box of J-hooks, a price difference that creates a barrier for many small-scale fishing operations. To offset this, the division has partnered with REBYC-III CLME+ to launch a gear-exchange program that allows fisherfolk to trade in their old J-hooks for discounted circle hooks. The team has also negotiated discounted bulk rates with local fishing gear suppliers to bring down costs further for participants.

    “I am asking you to be part of this change not because the government demands it, but because the evidence of the gear trials shows it is good for your catch, good for the ocean, and good for the next generation of Barbadians,” Dr. Parker told attendees at the campaign launch.

    The launch event also included contributions from legal and conservation stakeholders: Makayla Williams, legal consultant for the Fisheries Division, walked attendees through the binding legislative framework under the Sustainable Fisheries Development and Management Act that formalizes the mandate, while Nikola Simpson of regional conservation group Sustainable Caribbean outlined the broader implications of the policy for regional ocean health. The event closed with cultural tributes and campaign materials: a custom campaign jingle performed by singer Reniece Bonnett, an educational skit outlining the hook transition, and a saxophone tribute by Darren Watson to the late former Chief Fisheries Officer Dr. Shelly-Ann Cox, who championed sustainable fisheries reform in Barbados before her passing.

  • Carriers cautious over CAL route gap

    Carriers cautious over CAL route gap

    State-owned Trinidadian carrier Caribbean Airlines is set to terminate its direct passenger and cargo service between Tobago and Barbados this Wednesday, a network adjustment that has left a critical gap in regional air connectivity. But in exclusive comments to Barbados TODAY, the two major regional airlines best positioned to absorb the abandoned route have confirmed they have no immediate plans to step in.

    The route cancellation forms part of Caribbean Airlines’ broader strategy to optimize its regional network and align flight schedules with shifting customer demand. The carrier emphasized that travelers will still retain access to connections across Trinidad, Tobago and Barbados via its existing operating structure. Its long-running direct Piarco (Trinidad) to Barbados service, which traces its origins back to the launch of regular commercial passenger flights in Barbados in 1938, will remain unchanged, with two daily flights (BW216 and BW448) continuing to operate. Only the Trinidad-Tobago-Barbados triangular route, operated under flight numbers BW212 and BW213, will be scrapped.

    Caribbean Airlines has noted that “multiple travel options” will remain available for passengers transiting between the three destinations. Travelers holding pre-booked tickets on the canceled services will be re-accommodated on same-day alternative Caribbean Airlines flights, and the carrier says it will reach out directly to all affected customers to share details of revised itineraries. It has urged passengers to verify that contact information linked to their bookings is up to date to ensure they receive timely notifications of any changes to their travel plans. The airline stressed that the schedule adjustment is designed to preserve reliable, convenient regional connectivity while matching capacity to current passenger demand, and has advised passengers traveling after Wednesday to confirm their booking status ahead of departure. It added that customers with affected reservations do not need to make alternate arrangements independently at this stage, as the airline will coordinate rebooking directly.

    While the carrier has left an opening for other regional airlines to capture the new demand gap, industry players have signaled that any move to add the route will be slow and contingent on rigorous market assessment. Lyndon Gardiner, chairman and founder of interCaribbean Airways, told Barbados TODAY in an interview from his base in the Turks and Caicos Islands that his company is constantly evaluating opportunities to expand regional connectivity, but has no immediate plans to launch a Tobago-Barbados service.

    “It is fair to say we look around and see if we can provide better connectivity for our passengers. So, I wouldn’t say that we are looking at this specifically or we are not looking at it specifically. I would be more general to say we always have our scope up to see what else we can do to add value to the network we have already built,” Gardiner explained. He added that launching any new route requires extensive planning, and the announcement of Caribbean Airlines’ exit came too recently for a rapid response: “No, there are no immediate plans. That news was only recently shared. So, for us, it takes time to obviously plan and then launch it. So, it’s not something we can do on the fly.”

    For LIAT (2020) Airline Limited, the restructured successor to the former regional carrier once co-owned by the Barbados government, the decision to avoid immediate entry stems from a desire to avoid cutthroat overcapacity on already crowded routes. LIAT currently is assessing its existing Antigua-Barbados service, and has ruled out rushing to fill the Tobago-Barbados gap to avoid going head-to-head with interCaribbean, which already operates a major hub in Barbados.

    “It [plans to fill the gap] is not a consideration that we are actively thinking of; surely because we know that interCaribbean obviously has a hub in Barbados and is poised to fill the gap,” LIAT Chief Executive Officer Hafsah Abdulsalam told Barbados TODAY from the airline’s Antigua headquarters. “We will be operating from Antigua into Barbados. So, what we are looking to do, is to assess and determine if indeed we are able to fill that gap; because there is no point being a head-to-head on a route that is already covered in terms of capacity, because it would just be who is leading on either side, and it’s a race to the bottom.”

    Abdulsalam noted that interCaribbean already operates 10 to 11 weekly flights between Antigua and Barbados, and LIAT, which is still in the process of re-establishing its route network after restructuring, has no interest in adding oversupply to an already saturated route. “You could appreciate, interCaribbean would execute…a carrier that is based in that home hub, where its aircraft are over-nighting; it is easier to dispatch a flight out of your hub to all of your destinations, as opposed to another carrier coming in, and there have to be enough traffic coming into that destination,” she said. Abdulsalam added that LIAT does not expect to make a decision on adding the Tobago-Barbados route for at least two more months: “For the month of September, it is not in our plans. That I can say. But what will come up in the next month or two, based on how we assess the market and the capacity requirements of the route, then we can make a determination if we will deploy additional capacity to provide coverage that may be suitable or enough for the demand.”

    Smaller regional carrier SVG Air, which operates daily 19-seater Twin Otter services connecting its St Vincent base to destinations including the Grenadines, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat and Carriacou, says it currently lacks the aircraft capacity to take on the additional demand, though founder Paul Gravel says the airline is open to assisting if approached. “We don’t have the equipment; we don’t have the spare equipment at the moment. Nobody has reached out to us, but we are willing to help; but we don’t want to step on anybody’s toes,” Gravel told Barbados TODAY.

    Reaction from Barbados’ business community has so far been muted, with importers reporting no immediate major concerns over the lost cargo capacity. The Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has been surveying its membership to gather feedback on the service cut, and so far has received no reports of material negative impacts. “No, [no adverse impact]. I met with council last week, and there were no reports in the negative regarding the impacts, given that change in the schedule,” BCCI President Paul Inniss told Barbados TODAY. “To date, we don’t have any information to suggest that it would materially impact chamber members.”

  • Seniors at Odle’s Glen to pay part of pensions for housing

    Seniors at Odle’s Glen to pay part of pensions for housing

    Barbados is moving forward with a landmark $175 million Health Services Resilience Programme, an initiative designed to expand and upgrade the nation’s senior care and healthcare infrastructure by 2029. At the heart of this four-part project is the proposed Odle’s Glen Senior Citizens Village in St George, where officials have confirmed that residents will be required to contribute up to 35 percent of their pension income toward accommodation costs under a state-subsidized cost-recovery framework already in use at another existing senior facility.

    Coleen Walcott, interim director of Barbados’ Social Empowerment Agency (SEA), outlined the details of the model during a recent public consultation held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. She explained that the cost-recovery structure, already implemented at both Soroptimist Village and Vauxhall Senior Citizens Village, keeps housing heavily subsidized by the government, with the 35 percent contribution covering all accommodation costs and utility bills. After covering this fee, residents only need to budget for personal expenses and food. Walcott emphasized that the policy includes flexible adjustments for changing health and financial circumstances, thanks to streamlined service coordination under the SEA, which now integrates the former Welfare Department and National Disabilities Unit.

    Walcott acknowledged that the model will not meet every senior’s needs perfectly, given the diversity of the older adult population. The overarching goal of the program is to reduce the burden of elder care on families while preserving critical connections between seniors and their loved ones, with ongoing social work support to facilitate these relationships.

    In addition to outlining the Odle’s Glen cost structure, Walcott provided updated timelines for another major senior care project: the $7 million Sterling specialized housing development in St Philip, which is currently under construction for seniors requiring customized home care. The three-phase project’s first component, an on-site day care facility, is already in an advanced stage of completion and is on track to open by the end of the current fiscal year.

    Following completion of the first phase, construction will move forward on site infrastructure including roads, accessible pathways, and a therapeutic pool, before the final phase of building 27 standalone cottages. Walcott noted that the decision to build individual, rather than communal, housing was rooted in local cultural research showing that Barbadian seniors prefer private living spaces, with accommodations still available for couples to share a unit.

    Unlike the existing Vauxhall Senior Citizens Village, the Sterling development will not offer 24/7 on-site staff. The facility is designed primarily for seniors capable of independent living, who will be able to access on-demand home care, daily living support, and a companion program that provides longer-term in-home assistance when needed. Walcott added that project planners have accounted for the fact that many residents’ health will decline over time, requiring additional support. To address this, the facility will adapt services to changing needs, leveraging proximity to local healthcare services and a dedicated rehabilitative unit within the SEA, which already contracts nursing staff to provide ongoing care support. Adaptive management strategies will be built into facility operations to meet evolving resident needs.

    The Odle’s Glen Senior Citizens Village is one of four major healthcare infrastructure projects included in the national Health Services Resilience Programme, which also features a new Geriatric Hospital in Waterford, the Roseville Halfway House in St Peter, and expansion works at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. All projects are scheduled to be fully operational by 2029.

  • HATI grads promised farmland

    HATI grads promised farmland

    Barbados is making a bold push to revitalize its agricultural sector, with two landmark initiatives at the forefront: free farmland for qualifying graduates of the newly launched Hope Agricultural Training Institute (HATI) and the construction of what will be the Caribbean region’s largest tissue culture laboratory. Minister of Agriculture Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight made the announcements Monday as the institute welcomed its very first cohort of students, framing the moves as part of a deliberate national strategy to turn agriculture into a core economic engine and draw more young people into the industry.

    Under the new graduate incentive program, HATI students who earn their diplomas or certificates and express a commitment to pursuing professional farming will receive between one and two acres of farmland at no cost. Munro-Knight emphasized that the policy was intentionally designed to remove one of the biggest barriers to entry for new young farmers, addressing longstanding underrepresentation of youth in Barbados’ agricultural workforce. “We are designing a programme within the ministry that will allow us to be able to give those graduates of HATI that are interested in actually becoming farmers,” she explained, adding “That was something that was deliberate and intentional.”

    Beyond supporting new entrants, the ministry is investing heavily in upgrading agricultural production infrastructure. A state-of-the-art tissue culture laboratory is scheduled to open its doors in October, a facility Munro-Knight says will be the largest of its kind in the entire region. The lab will produce disease-free, clean planting material to significantly boost the quality of Barbados’ local agricultural output, a major upgrade that addresses longstanding gaps in the country’s supply chain for high-quality planting stock.

    The government is also overhauling its existing agricultural support framework to better meet current industry needs. The Farmers’ Empowerment and Enfranchisement Drive (FEED) program is being reframed to ensure it is “fit for purpose”, while new initiatives focused on expanding agro-processing are being rolled out to add more value to local produce and create new market opportunities for farmers. This November, the ministry will launch a national challenge, inviting Barbadians across the country to develop innovative solutions to five of the most pressing challenges currently facing the island’s agricultural sector.

    Munro-Knight pushed back against the common narrative that agriculture is merely an underdeveloped potential sector for Barbados, and rejected the widespread myth that young Barbadians have no interest in working in farming. The very presence of the first cohort of HATI students, she argued, disproves that claim. “The fact that you have placed that commitment and passion in agriculture demonstrates to all of us, in fact, it repudiates that myth, that young people are not interested in agriculture,” she told the incoming students.

    Declaring that agriculture is already in the early stages of a national resurgence, the minister stressed that the government’s renewed focus on the sector is no accident. For too long, agriculture has been sidelined in conversations about Barbados’ economic growth, talked about only as a future opportunity rather than an immediate core driver of development. “I say that without apology, agriculture is resurging. We will take up space,” she stated. “Agriculture is perhaps one of the most underlooked elements in this society. When we think about economic growth and when we think about the future of this country, agriculture is one of the things that we speak of softly, that we speak of only as having potential, but never as a thing that will take up space and become a major driver.”

    Munro-Knight told the new HATI students that they are the critical driving force needed to turn this vision of a revitalized agricultural sector into reality, urging them to embrace their role in shaping the future of Barbados’ food system and economy. “The students that are here today, you are that energy that we need. It is a big mantle that we place on your shoulders, but it is a fundamental and a necessary one,” she said, adding “Agriculture people, we are resurging, but we must do it together.”

  • Grand Market vendors call for December return

    Grand Market vendors call for December return

    The just-concluded 10-day Caribbean Grand Market has outperformed all initial projections, leaving participating artisans and vendors so satisfied that they are already calling for a follow-up edition as early as December this year, according to Carol Roberts, chief executive of the National Cultural Foundation (NCF).

    Roberts shared that informal conversations with vendors have revealed widespread demand for another run of the popular market before the end of the year. “I can tell you anecdotally that quite a number of vendors are already asking for a similar rollout and experience in December, which says a lot about how positively this event landed for them,” she noted.

    Rooted in post-CARIFESTA legacy planning, the 2024 Caribbean Grand Market was created in direct response to a government mandate issued after last year’s Caribbean Festival of Arts. The core goal of the initiative was to carve out a dedicated, high-profile space for regional creative talent to showcase their work to the public, aligning with a directive from the country’s prime minister to turn CARIFESTA’s momentum into long-term opportunities for creatives.

    Roberts expressed full confidence that the NCF delivered on that promise. “I think it’s been a very good ten days in terms of the execution of the event and being true to the prime minister’s mandate,” she said. “This is one of the key legacy initiatives coming out of CARIFESTA last year. We were directed to remount the Grand Market to make sure that it captured all of the flavours, the sights, the sounds, and the creativity of the Caribbean — and that is exactly what we are confident we have delivered.”

    Nearly 150 primary vendors set up stalls across the event’s venue at CARIFESTA House in Waterford, offering a diverse array of goods that spanned far beyond traditional handicrafts. Attendees could browse original visual art pieces, handcrafted home decor, artisanal fashion, natural spa and wellness products, and specialty gourmet foods from across the region. A dedicated food court also drew large crowds of food enthusiasts, serving up authentic signature dishes from eight different Caribbean nations.

    Roberts explained that the event’s daily attendance followed a predictable seasonal pattern, shaped by the warm Caribbean climate. “It is a hot time of year, and therefore we very quickly realised that we would have a good crowd in the morning, a lull when the sun is at its hottest, and then the crowds will build back up in the evening,” she said. “And so said, so done, that’s exactly what has happened.” She added that the recent timing of government and national paydays also gave a boost to consumer spending, with most vendors reporting strong, satisfying sales figures.

    Beyond the retail experience, NCF organizers built out a diverse, multi-genre entertainment lineup to complement the market, moving beyond the familiar soca acts that dominate seasonal events. The programming included spoken word performances, cabaret shows, traditional spouge music, vintage calypso, and jazz sets, while also providing a professional stage for emerging creative talent developed through existing NCF outreach programs.

    The successful model of the Caribbean Grand Market aligns with broader national goals to build a sustainable, year-round event calendar for the region’s creative industries. In the wake of overwhelmingly positive feedback from both vendors and attendees, the NCF is already actively planning future editions to keep consistent commercial opportunities open for regional creators.

    Roberts emphasized the long-term economic and cultural value of expanding the market. “The Caribbean Grand Market is ripe for further expansion, exploitation, and execution,” she said. “The more that we as a country and as a region can create opportunities not only for cultural producers to manufacture and display their work, but for us to buy from our own, using for the vast majority our raw materials from the region, it augurs well for everyone.”

    While a full formal post-event evaluation is still scheduled to be completed in the coming weeks, Roberts confirmed that early feedback points to overwhelming vendor interest in holding another edition much earlier than the planned next summer cycle, with December emerging as the clear preferred timeline from participating creators.

  • Daniel, Scott advance to BRTO round of 16

    Daniel, Scott advance to BRTO round of 16

    The Barbados Road Tennis Open (BRTO) continued its early round action Sunday at the Checker Hall venue in St Lucy, with top-ranked competitors delivering standout performances to punch their tickets to the tournament’s round of 16. Fourth-seeded men’s competitor Antoine “Lil Man” Daniel turned in a masterclass of controlled aggression, securing a straight-sets victory to move one step closer to the title.

    Daniel’s opening match against Lloyd Burke left no doubt about his tournament readiness. From the first serve, he unleashed a sequence of precision shots that left his opponent scrambling, building an insurmountable 18-6 lead early in the opening set. Though Burke tried to rally late, Daniel closed out the game comfortably at 21-10. The second set proved a tighter contest, with Burke forcing multiple deadlocks at 2-2, 5-5, 6-6 and 7-7. But Daniel seized momentum after pulling ahead 8-7, stretching his lead to five points at 13-8 and holding on to claim the set 21-15, wrapping up an unambiguous straight-set win.

    Tenth seed Adrian Scott also secured his spot in the next round, but he had to fight through a grueling three-set battle against Ahijah Blunt to get there. Blunt took the first set in a thrilling finish, edging Scott 23-21 to put the higher-ranked player on the brink of elimination. Scott dug deep to reset in the second set, controlling play from the baseline and closing out a 21-16 win to level the match. The deciding third set mirrored the first two’s intensity, with the pair trading leads and tying the score on multiple occasions – including four consecutive deadlocks at 7-7, 8-8, 9-9, and 12-12. Scott broke the tie to move ahead 13-12, never giving up his advantage and closing out the match 21-13 to advance.

    In other men’s draw matches, Mosai Williams cemented his place in the round of 16 for the second consecutive edition of the BRTO with a dominant showing against Christopher Renee. Williams outplayed his opponent from start to finish, dropping just 14 total points across two sets to win 21-8, 21-6. Dwayne Hope also earned his spot in the next round after a hard-fought three-set clash with Jayden Mayers. Hope claimed a narrow 22-20 win in the opening set, before Mayers responded with a 21-12 victory to force a deciding third game. Hope held his nerve under pressure, closing out the decider 21-18 to seal the match.

    In women’s draw action, Sharon Small also advanced to the round of 16 after a straightforward straight-sets win over Camille Ashby. Small claimed the opening set 21-18 before cruising to a 21-9 win in the second to lock in her spot. Two other women’s competitors moved on without playing, as Samantha Rogers advanced via walkover after opponent Cherene Ward withdrew, and Margo Lorde also moved into the next round by default when Krystal Harewood pulled out.

  • NOW, AI firm launch free business programme for women

    NOW, AI firm launch free business programme for women

    Barbados’ National Organisation of Women (NOW) has partnered with local AI capability firm Amplifi AI to launch a groundbreaking free training initiative that will equip up to 35 women with the skills to build sustainable, AI-integrated businesses. The programme, officially named *Build a Business with AI*, was unveiled during a press conference held Monday at the Ministry of People Empowerment in Warrens, with organizers framing it as a tangible step toward closing the gender gap in digital economic empowerment.

    NOW president Melissa Savoury-Gittens emphasized that encouragement alone is not enough to lift women into economic independence. For too long, she noted, women have been urged to dream bigger, launch ventures, and build financial security – but have been denied access to the practical tools and cutting-edge skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital economy. “Economic empowerment today means access, it means skills, it means knowledge, and it means opportunity,” Savoury-Gittens explained. “Increasingly, that also means ensuring women understand and can access the technology that is reshaping how we work, communicate, and do business.”

    Open to women of all ages, the three-session programme will run across three consecutive Saturdays – September 12, 19, and 26 – at Barbados’ Solidarity House. Unlike many superficial AI training courses that only introduce a list of tools, the initiative is structured to guide participants from initial business ideation all the way to a fully executable launch plan, with completion leading to an official certificate of participation.

    Janelle Germain, chief executive of Amplifi AI, clarified that the programme’s curriculum prioritizes foundational business knowledge first, before integrating AI as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for critical judgment. “Knowing 10 AI tools does not make a business,” Germain noted. “This programme follows one structured workflow: from idea to execution, with AI woven into every step of the process.” On the first day of training, participants will start by defining their target customer base, verifying market size, and calculating pricing for profitability – all before touching any AI platform. Germain stressed that core business expertise remains non-negotiable even in the age of generative AI: “You cannot direct artificial intelligence well if you do not understand the subject itself. You cannot judge whether the output AI gives you is correct or safe to attach your brand to it.”

    The curriculum is designed to support all participants, regardless of their starting point. For women who already have a business concept, the programme will help them test the idea’s actual revenue potential, addressing a common pitfall that leads new entrepreneurs to misjudge market opportunity. For participants who have not yet settled on an idea, trainers will work with them to identify viable ventures aligned with their available capital – whether they have $0, $500, or $5,000 to invest – tailored to the Barbados market.

    The initiative grew out of public demand following a successful earlier digital skills programme that NOW ran for young people earlier this year. After that programme wrapped, many women across age groups reached out to request a similar opportunity open to all adults, prompting NOW to partner with Amplifi AI to develop the new AI entrepreneurship training. The full $20,000+ value of the programme is covered through partnerships with NOW, Amplifi AI, and additional supporting stakeholders, meaning no participant pays any fees to attend.

    Germain noted that the programme fills a critical gap currently facing micro-entrepreneurs, small business owners, and workers in the informal economy, who rarely have access to specialized training to integrate AI into their operations. The programme will conclude with a live pitching event on October 10, where the three strongest business concepts will be presented to a panel of judges and a public audience. Germain’s ultimate goal is for every participant to leave with a business they can launch immediately, and for local stakeholders to step up to support these new ventures long-term. She is calling on local partners to contribute advertising and media exposure to help new businesses reach customers, small-scale financing for initial inventory and equipment, ongoing mentorship during the challenging early launch phase, and access to distribution channels such as retail shelf space and first client contracts.

    This first group of participants will serve as a pilot cohort, and Germain confirmed that additional rounds of the programme will be considered if public demand is strong. Applications for the programme are open now on Amplifi AI’s official website, and will close one week from the announcement date this Wednesday. Germain encouraged all women and young people with an interest in entrepreneurship to apply, noting that the programme is designed to give aspiring founders the structured framework they need to turn abstract ideas into viable, income-generating businesses.

  • Grievance system planned for health projects

    Grievance system planned for health projects

    Barbados is moving forward with a landmark $175 million national health services resilience initiative, and a dedicated Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) specifically designed to address complaints including sexual exploitation against vulnerable senior citizens and disabled care recipients will soon be operational, a leading project stakeholder has confirmed.

    The GRM forms a core compliance component of the broader Health Services Resilience Programme, a multi-site infrastructure upgrade scheduled for full completion by 2029. The initiative encompasses four major public health and care facilities across the island: a purpose-built new Geriatric Hospital in Waterford, the Roseville Halfway House in St. Peter, a major expansion of the existing Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and the new Odle’s Glenn Senior Village in St. George. The entire project is backed by international development support, with independent environmental and social impact assessments managed through the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

    Leisa Perch, founder and managing director of Barbados-based SAEDI Consulting Inc., which led the Environmental and Social Assessment Programme (ESAP) for the initiative, outlined the GRM’s key features during a recent public consultation held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre over the weekend. Perch explained that the framework, which is already being integrated into the project’s official website, establishes clear, accessible timelines for complaint resolution: all grievances will be acknowledged within five business days of submission, with a formal resolution targeted within 30 days.

    To address the unique sensitivity of complaints involving sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment, the GRM includes both confidential and fully anonymous reporting pathways, addressing barriers that often prevent vulnerable groups from coming forward. Perch added that each of the four project sites will appoint dedicated community liaison personnel to facilitate outreach, support engagement with local communities, and guide complainants through the reporting process. This multi-channel access model ensures that vulnerable people with limited digital or mobility access are not excluded from filing concerns.

    “This framework isn’t just a procedural requirement – it’s a critical safeguard aligned with the Environmental and Social Performance Standards that govern this entire programme,” Perch emphasized during the consultation. “When you’re working across multiple sites serving at-risk populations, it’s essential that no one is left struggling to have their concerns heard or addressed.”

    Turning to the Odle’s Glenn Senior Village project – a key community-focused component of the wider programme – Perch noted that the environmental and social assessment process identified a specific group of Directly Affected Persons (DAP) who will receive priority monitoring and engagement throughout construction and operations. This designation, a standard requirement in impact assessment protocols, flags groups that face the highest potential for disruption or have the most at stake in the project’s outcome.

    The DAP cohort for Odle’s Glenn includes local residents living adjacent to the site, nearby schools, elderly residents requiring ongoing care, people with disabilities who depend on uninterrupted support services, and on-site caregivers and facility staff. While other stakeholders will also receive ongoing updates, these groups will remain the top priority for outreach and impact mitigation for the full duration of the project.

    Once completed, Odle’s Glenn Senior Village will fill a critical gap in Barbados’ long-term care ecosystem, providing affordable shared housing for independent elderly adults who cannot afford the cost of private care facilities. Situated on three acres of semi-rural land near the Frederick Miller Polyclinic, the development will include 15 to 17 single-story accessible residences paired with communal gathering spaces, all designed to create a safe, supportive community environment for residents. The initiative is being led by Barbados’ Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, as part of a broader push to expand accessible, community-based care services for vulnerable older adults across the island.

  • AI seen as affordable alternative for women entrepreneurs

    AI seen as affordable alternative for women entrepreneurs

    Female small business owners struggling to cover the cost of additional staff as they scale their operations have a new, low-cost tool at their disposal: artificial intelligence. That is the core message from Melissa Savoury-Gittens, president of the National Organisation of Women (NOW), who made the announcement during the official launch of NOW’s groundbreaking new initiative, “Build a Business with AI”. The program is a collaborative effort between NOW and Amplifi AI Inc, a firm specialising in expanding AI capabilities for everyday users, and was launched at the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs in Warrens.

    Savoury-Gittens explained that the program was developed in direct response to feedback from female small business owners who participated in NOW’s earlier digital marketing workshops. Many of these early participants shared that while their young ventures needed extra administrative support to grow, they simply did not have the budget to bring on a full or part-time paid assistant. This common bottleneck, she argued, is where AI can step in to fill the gap.

    “Many small women-led businesses need help, but they cannot afford to pay an assistant. That’s where AI comes in,” Savoury-Gittens said, outlining the wide range of day-to-day administrative tasks AI can handle for cash-strapped founders. From sorting and responding to emails, drafting replies to customer enquiries, organising daily and weekly calendars, to sending automated responses to marketing inquiries, Savoury-Gittens noted that AI can take over many time-consuming routine tasks that pull entrepreneurs away from core business growth work.

    Crucially, NOW’s leadership emphasized that the program does not aim to replace future human hiring. Instead, it is designed to support small business owners through their early growth stage, when budgets are too tight to add staff. “Instead of paying for an assistant, we’re going to teach you how to make AI your assistant that can do all the work for you so you can still advance in your business,” Savoury-Gittens explained. This approach lets founders scale their operations gradually, without being held back by administrative bottlenecks before they can afford to bring on human team members.

    Janelle Germain, chief executive officer of Amplifi AI Inc, added that the initiative also addresses a second major barrier to AI adoption: unequal access to high-quality AI skills training. Germain shared that Amplifi AI’s internal research found that even senior professionals often only understand the most basic functions of AI, with most people only associating the technology with consumer tools like ChatGPT, limited to simple tasks like writing emails or drafting short documents. In reality, she noted, AI has far broader capabilities that can drive major business growth—if users know how to leverage those tools effectively.

    This lack of accessible training has created a new digital divide, Germain argued. People with the financial means to pay for specialised advanced AI training can upskill and get ahead in their industries, while those who cannot afford these costly programs are locked out of the benefits of AI technology. The “Build a Business with AI” program is designed to close this gap by making practical, business-focused AI training free and accessible to members of NOW, removing the cost barrier that keeps many female founders from learning these valuable skills.

    Beyond the new AI initiative, Savoury-Gittens also touched on broader challenges facing NOW as it continues its work advancing and empowering women across the region. She acknowledged that the organization is facing a general decline in volunteerism, which has strained its capacity to deliver programs, but noted that NOW is in a stronger position today than it was a decade ago. Even as more women move into positions of public and private sector influence, she cautioned, the work of advancing gender equality and supporting women’s economic empowerment is far from over.

    “We still need to continue to fight for women, and we still need to continue to help advance and empower our women,” Savoury-Gittens said. To address the growing scope of NOW’s work, she argued that the organization’s presidency should eventually transition from an unpaid volunteer role to a paid, full-time position, given the massive volume of work required to support the organization’s programs and members. Savoury-Gittens added that NOW currently receives only minimal government funding, forcing the organization to rely heavily on partnerships, sponsorships, and grants to sustain its operations and continue expanding its support for women. “That’s why we need partners, and that’s why we’re out there always asking and pleading to get sponsorship, grants, and all those other things we’re trying to get so that we can sustain the organisation,” she said.