Caribbean News
JAMAICA: Plastic Bottle Refund Deposit Scheme Early 2019/20
#Kingston, February 6, 2019 – Jamaica – The deposit refund scheme, which will provide cash to consumers who return their plastic bottles, is to be operational early in the 2019/20 financial year.
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz, made the disclosure during a statement to the House of Representatives on Tuesday (February 5). The forthcoming scheme is intended to reduce littering and encourage recycling.
“The deposit refund scheme will allow for the application of a deposit on plastic bottles placed on the market and a cash rebate to the consumer on the return of these bottles to designated redemption centres across the island,” Mr. Vaz said. “This scheme will be implemented by a reconstituted Recycling Partners Jamaica Limited,” he added.
He informed that participating members of the private sector have instituted a self-imposed cess of $1 per bottle, to start, which will see an initial private-sector investment of $850 million in the first year.
Mr. Vaz said the funds will be used to establish collection points, purchase trucks to increase collection capacity, and fund an expanded education campaign. He informed that there is a proposal to move the $1 deposit per bottle to $3 deposit per bottle by September 2019.
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, in his contribution to the 2018/19 Budget Debate, had announced the Administration’s intention to support the proposal for the deposit refund scheme submitted by the private sector.
The Government has charged the private-sector partners to ensure that the scheme is fully operationalised early in the 2019/20 financial year; that the requisite infrastructure is in place to facilitate effective implementation, including the siting of redemption centres to allow for ease of return of bottles by consumers; and that a plastic bottle recovery rate of at least 85 per cent is achieved within the next four years of implementation.
Additionally, the deposit refund scheme must be supported by a comprehensive and sustained national public education and awareness programme.
“The Government will monitor the implementation of the deposit refund scheme to ensure accountability and transparency, and if deemed necessary, promulgate legislation to govern the scheme. Unrefunded deposits will be used to maintain the deposit refund scheme as well as provide support to the National Solid Waste Management 
Authority (NSWMA) in its efforts to improve the island’s waste management infrastructure,” Mr. Vaz said.
He told the House that plastic bottles, once collected, present an excellent opportunity for recyclers to catalyse economic activity, particularly at the micro and small levels, by designing and producing products for local and regional consumption.
Plastics, by their chemical characteristics, take decades, in some cases thousands of years, to degrade in the environment. Hence, collection of plastics for disposal at landfills is not a sustainable solution in the long-term, particularly for small island developing states such as Jamaica, where land is a scarce and is an extremely valuable resource.
Release: JIS
Contact: Latonya Linton
Photo Caption: Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz, makes a statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (February 5). Listening (from left) are Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Mike Henry; St Mary South East Member of Parliament, Dr. Norman Dunn; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information. Hon. Floyd Green.
Donald De La Haye Photo
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.
