Caribbean News
Education Ministry looking to offer more Science Scholarships
#Jamaica, January 18, 2018 – Kingston – National Mathematics Coordinator, Dr. Tamika Benjamin, says discussions are under way towards increasing the number of scholarships offered to student-teachers who are pursuing science majors at the tertiary level. She said the move is aimed at boosting student achievement in the science subjects, particularly chemistry and physics. She pointed out that with the improved performance in mathematics, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is looking to shift more resources into the sciences, where students are falling behind.
“Two years ago, the Ministry made a decision to invest $400 million per year for a period of four years to make scholarships available to persons interested in teaching maths and science. This year, in our discussions, we’re actually considering making a slight adjustment to the number of maths scholarships available, downwards, because we would have already exceeded our targets, and we are falling behind in some of the critical science areas,” she said.
“For me, it is encouraging that we can actually consider making that decision, because a few years ago, you would have been fighting to find people who would even want to teach [mathematics]. So to see that the maths programme is actually leaps and bounds ahead is encouraging,” she added.
Dr. Benjamin was addressing a press briefing on the implementation of the pilot of the Mathematics Enhancement Project (MEP) held on Wednesday (January 17), at The Mico University College in Kingston. A total of 440 scholarships have been awarded to tertiary students under the Maths, Science and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (MS-TVET) Teacher Initiative for the 2017/18 academic year. The support covers tuition, boarding, books and miscellaneous fees. Some students received an additional grant of $20,000 each.
Noting the improved performance in maths, Dr. Benjamin said that students are doing better in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).
“This year, we have 67 per cent mastery at the grade-four level, and that’s coming from our first sitting where we had 38 per cent mastery. When we look back at CSEC maths, we are currently at 52 per cent, and what is encouraging is that the actual sitting cohort is increasing in number. We are seeing an increase in the percentage of students passing, meaning that many more students are actually leaving our secondary schools with a pass in CSEC maths,” she explained.
She noted that what is especially heartening is that more children are thinking “outside the box”.
“Over the last two or three years, they’ve had to create multiple rubrics to mark the items, because our students, in increasing numbers, are inventing accurate strategies to answer the questions. So that is actually encouraging. It’s a sign that our students are going beyond the usual algorithms and finding methods and approaches to solve problems that are their own, but, most importantly, they are accurate,” she said.
Dr. Benjamin said the Ministry recognises that more work has to be done to improve reasoning and critical thinking.
“We will continue to work on improving teacher quality, but we must maintain at the forefront of our minds, that we build teachers’ capacity to support the development of the critical thinking skills of our students.”
The four-year MEP project (September 2017 to August 2020) is being implemented by The Mico University College, through the Caribbean Centre of Excellence in Mathematics Teaching (CCEMaT) located on the college campus. It aims to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics at the primary level through innovative classroom strategies.
MEP will be piloted in five primary schools, namely, Allman Town, Clan Clarthy, and John Mills Infant, Primary and Junior High School in Kingston and St. Andrew; Devon, Manchester; and Mineral Heights, Clarendon. MEP was developed by the Centre for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching (CiMT) at Plymouth University in the United Kingston, which will assist in its implementation locally.
Release: JIS
Photo credit: bostonglobe
Caribbean News
Liberty Caribbean Supports Regional Forum on AI, Cyber Resilience and Digital Inclusion
Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (February 24, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow, Liberty Business and BTC, recently served as Gold-Level Partner of the two-day Trinidad and Tobago Internet Governance Forum (TTIGF), themed “The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience”.
The Digital Divide is of particular interest to Liberty Caribbean and is being addressed through its Charitable Foundation across the region. Low broadband penetration in the Caribbean contributes to diminished opportunities for individuals, communities, and local economies, but with the support of funding partners, this gap can be addressed through a comprehensive programme – JUMP – that focuses on providing access, devices, and digital skills.
“Liberty Caribbean was proud to serve as Gold-Level Partner of the TTIGF because the conversations taking place here shape key digital
policies for multiple stakeholders,” said Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad.
“As technology accelerates at an unprecedented pace, we must ensure that innovation strengthens our societies rather than fragments them. The theme, ‘The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience,’ speaks directly to the work we do every day: building networks that are not only fast and reliable, but secure, inclusive and future-ready.”
Across the Caribbean, the digital divide remains one of the most pressing barriers to equitable growth. Low broadband penetration limits access to education, entrepreneurship and essential services, and that is why we are deeply committed to closing this gap.
Through the Liberty Caribbean Charitable Foundation and initiatives like the JUMP Programme, the company is expanding access to technology, affordable connectivity and digital skills training so that individuals and communities are empowered to participate fully in the digital economy.
Martin-Sulgan further stated “at Liberty Caribbean, we believe progress and responsibility must move in lock step. By investing in resilient networks, inclusive programmes and trusted partnerships, we are helping to build a Caribbean that is innovative, secure and prepared for the opportunities ahead.”
Topics covered during the Forum, with over 140 participants, included “Securing Critical Infrastructure”, Integrating AI into Digital Transformation”, “The Digital Divide”, The Human Cost of Innovation – Mental Health and Well-being in the Digital Age’, and AI, Cyber Resilience and Regional Innovation”.
Focused on the underlying mandate of the Conference theme thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, technologists, researchers, and community stakeholders were invited to explore how countries can evolve boldly without compromising values or long-term stability.
Photo Caption:
TTIGF – l-r Darren Campo, Regulatory & Compliance Officer; Yolande Agard-Simmons, Senior Manager Communications; and Kevon Swift, Senior Manager Government and Regulatory Affairs of Flow Trinidad in attendance at the Post Event Mixer at Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s Head Office in St Clair, Port of Spain
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.
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.
