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JAMAICA: PATH scholarship comes at right time for medical student

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#Jamaica, November 7, 2017 – Kingston – Without a $1-million scholarship from the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), Chedukia Langley, a fourth-year medical student at the University of the West Indies (UWI), says she would not have been able to meet her financial obligations to the university, and faced the possibility of being deregistered.

Chedukia, who spoke to JIS News at PATH’s 15th anniversary scholarship awards ceremony held at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge in St. Andrew on October 27, says with the money received, she was able to clear outstanding fees for last year and make a deposit on this year’s tuition.

The 22-year-old, who started UWI in 2014, tells JIS News that even with two scholarships, she was unable to meet her full tuition cost of $3.5 million per annum for her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree, in addition to other expenses, including travelling, as she is a commuting student.

“I was at the brink of dropping out, because, although I had gotten scholarships, I still owed the university, and I did not know how I was going to pay,” she says.

The student, who has been a PATH beneficiary since high school, says that when she heard that she would be a scholarship recipient she was “beyond elated”.

“PATH is aimed at breaking the generational cycle (of poverty). They recognised that I needed the help, and they knew I could help other persons as well as contribute to Jamaica’s economic development. They made a wise investment in me,” Chedukia says.

The former Glenmuir High School student, who was born in St. Elizabeth, tells JIS News that becoming a medical doctor is a dream she has had from a young age.

“I wanted to become a doctor from I was very small. I always said I wanted to go to Glenmuir High School and become a doctor. Medicine is a rewarding career, and you get to help people where you can restore someone’s health,” she notes.

Chedukia says it has taken much sacrifice to get to this point, including leaving home to live with an aunt in Old Harbour, and she is determined to persevere in order to make life better for herself and her family.

“I can’t say I had an excellent childhood, but it was okay. I wasn’t living with my dad or my mom at one point in my life. We lived in one room with a zinc kitchen and (pit) latrine. My mother had six children, but it was okay,” the young woman tells JIS News.

Amidst all her challenges, Chedukia says she remained determined to excel, scoring grade ones in Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Mathematics, English Language, History, Spanish, Food and Nutrition, Physical Education, Office Administration, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EPDM).   Chedukia tells JIS News that her next major goal is to complete her degree programme.  She intends to work in the public sector and then enter private practice.

PATH is an initiative by the Government of Jamaica with support from donor partners, such as the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and other multilateral and bilateral agencies.  It is aimed at delivering benefits by way of cash grants to the poorest and most vulnerable persons in the society.

The programme is administrated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, and the main objectives are to increase educational attainment and improve health outcomes of the poor, break the intergenerational cycle of poverty, reduce child labour by requiring children to have minimum attendance in school, and serve as a safety net by preventing families from falling further into poverty in the event of adverse shock.

As at June 2017, 70.62 per cent of registered PATH beneficiaries were children up to 18 years old.

In celebration of its 15th year of service to the people of Jamaica, PATH offered tertiary scholarships valued at $15 million to beneficiaries pursuing bachelor’s degrees at accredited institutions, to assist in covering the cost of tuition and books.

Seventeen students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in law, medicine, actuarial science, engineering, chemistry, plant biology and psychology received those awards.

The funds will be disbursed over a period of up to three years, with the condition that the recipients maintain a GPA of at least 2.5.

By: Ainsworth Morris

 

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Mottley Sworn in After Historic Clean Sweep in Barbados Election

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Barbados, February 12, 2026 – Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley was this afternoon officially sworn in for a third consecutive term, hours after delivering one of the most emphatic election victories in Caribbean political history — another complete capture of all 30 seats in Barbados’ House of Assembly.

The ceremony, conducted by President His Excellency Lt. Col. The Most Honourable Jeffrey Bostic, marked the formal start of a new administration following the February 11, 2026 general election, which returned the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to power with a renewed and overwhelming mandate.

In a statement after taking the oath, Mottley said she accepted the responsibility “with humility and resolve,” thanking the people of Barbados for placing their trust in her leadership once again and urging national unity as her government begins its new term. Attorney Wilfred Abrahams was also sworn in as Attorney General.

The result is historic not only for its scale but for its consistency. This is the third straight general election in which the BLP has won every constituency, reinforcing Mottley’s dominance in national politics and extending an unmatched era of one-party control in the modern democratic period.

Voting day unfolded under the watch of a CARICOM Election Observation Mission, led by Antigua and Barbuda’s Supervisor of Elections Ian Hughes and supported by senior electoral officials from Belize and Jamaica. The team engaged key institutions ahead of the poll and monitored the process across the island.

Regional leaders were swift in their congratulations.

Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali described the outcome as “emphatic and historic,” saying the clean sweep reflected how deeply Mottley’s leadership has connected with Barbadians and expressing optimism about strengthening ties between the two countries.

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness also hailed the victory, noting that her re-election provides an opportunity to deepen cooperation within CARICOM and advance shared regional priorities.

The scale of the win again leaves Barbados without a parliamentary opposition, a reality that has become a defining feature of the political landscape since 2018. Supporters argue the repeated mandate reflects public confidence in Mottley’s stewardship of economic reform, climate diplomacy, the transition to a republic, and Barbados’ expanding global influence.

Now, newly sworn in and backed by another unanimous parliamentary majority, Mottley begins a third term with both extraordinary political capital and equally high expectations at home and across the region.

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Liberty Caribbean Committed to ‘Elevating Region’ at CANTO  

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Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad & Tobago

Liberty Caribbean is Diamond Sponsor of CANTO Connect 2026 and 42nd AGM

 

Port of Spain, TRININDAD & TOBAGO (February 1, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow. Liberty Business and BTC, has reaffirmed its commitment to turning regional connectivity into measurable economic and social outcomes as Diamond Sponsor of CANTO Connect 2026 and its 42nd Annual General Meeting.

CANTO is the leading regional body that brings together telecommunications operators, ICT providers, regulators, governments, and industry partners to support the development of the Caribbean’s digital and communications landscape.

Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad & Tobago delivered the sponsor’s address on behalf of Liberty Caribbean.

“The work of laying fibre and lighting towers is done; connectivity is now our foundation,” she said.

“The real task before us is to translate that foundation into innovation, productivity and prosperity for our people. Intelligent connectivity, such as networks designed for 5G, AI and IoT, will be the platform for smarter public services, more resilient systems and scaled opportunities for Caribbean entrepreneurs.”

Martin-Sulgan emphasised that infrastructure alone will not deliver sustainable progress.

“Digital progress must become digital prosperity. That means creating career pathways for young people, helping local businesses scale and ensuring citizens across our communities can fully participate in the digital economy. A connected Caribbean should also be a confident, creative and globally competitive Caribbean,” she said.

Liberty Caribbean is represented by a senior delegation at CANTO Connect to support the conference objectives of aligning policy, investment and execution across the region under this year’s theme ‘Elevate the Caribbean – From Connectivity to Global Competitiveness’.

Liberty Caribbean’s delegation includes Inge Smidts, Chief Executive Officer; Desron Bynoe, VP and General Manager, Flow Barbados; Susanna O’Sullivan, VP and General Manager, North Caribbean; Marilyn Sealy, Senior Director, Head of Communications; Dominic Boon, VP, People; Daniel Neiva, Chief Commercial Officer, B2B; Bradley Ramcharan, Director, B2B, Trinidad & Tobago; Yolande Headley, Country Manager, Dutch East Caribbean; and Jade Reymond, Country Manager, Flow Anguilla.

Martin-Sulgan thanked CANTO’s local secretariat for convening the forum and urged delegates to convert conversation into action.

“If we align policy, capital and capability, the Caribbean can move from connectivity to competitiveness. Liberty Caribbean will continue to invest in resilient networks, nurture homegrown talent and partner to deliver measurable social and economic value across our markets,” she said.

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Adam Stewart named CNW’s Businessman/Philanthropist of the Year for 2025

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Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts, Adam Stewart, has been named Businessman/Philanthropist of the Year for 2025 by the regional news publication, Caribbean National Weekly (CNW).

The publication recognised Stewart for his leadership in hospitality, his ongoing investments in regional tourism, his steady crisis response and his philanthropic work throughout what it described as a year filled with both remarkable achievements and significant challenges.

CNW highlighted how 2025 saw industry recognition for Stewart, major announcements of multimillion‑dollar developments across his all‑inclusive luxury resort brands and an invitation to join the prestigious Wall Street Journal CEO Council.

But the publication said his impact extended well beyond business milestones.

“In 2025, the Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts didn’t just guide his iconic hospitality empire through crisis – he used its scale and influence to help shape Jamaica’s rebound and lay groundwork for future regional growth,” CNW wrote.

The defining moment, it said, came in late October when Hurricane Melissa caused severe damage to parts of Jamaica’s tourism infrastructure. Stewart responded by leading transparent communication with global travel advisors, partners and team members, and made a landmark pledge, that 100 per cent of Sandals and Beaches employees would remain on payroll and receive Christmas bonuses, even at resorts temporarily closed for extensive restoration and upgrades. The company also committed more than US$3 million in staff recovery aid, providing direct support to families affected by the storm.

CNW further highlighted the work of the Sandals Foundation under Stewart’s guidance, noting record levels of community engagement and targeted disaster‑recovery support in healthcare, livelihoods and the environment.

In response to the honour, Stewart said he was “deeply humbled” to receive the Businessman/Philanthropist of the Year recognition and expressed his gratitude to his teams and partners for their dedication during an extraordinary year.

“This award reflects far more than any one individual. It is a direct result of people showing up every day for their communities and believing business is a force for good. It belongs to the extraordinary teams who carry our shared vision forward – especially the Sandals Foundation, whose work continues to create lasting change across education, health care, disaster relief and environmental stewardship,” Stewart stated.

“To every colleague and partner who helps bring this mission to life – thank you for your commitment, heart and belief.”

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