A young Jamaican has given the Caribbean another reason to celebrate academic excellence on the world stage.

Dr. Orbin O. Barnes, originally from Negril, Jamaica, has graduated as valedictorian of the Class of 2026 at Jinzhou Medical University in China, capping years of rigorous medical training with the highest academic honour awarded to his graduating class.

His achievement has been widely celebrated across social media, with many Jamaicans praising the accomplishment as another example of Caribbean talent excelling internationally.

Studying medicine abroad is no small undertaking. Students must adapt not only to demanding academic requirements but also to a different language, culture and healthcare system. Barnes’ selection as valedictorian signals exceptional academic performance, leadership and commitment throughout his years of study.

China has become an increasingly popular destination for Caribbean students pursuing medical degrees, offering internationally recognized programmes at a fraction of the cost of many universities in North America and Europe. Over the past decade, growing educational ties have seen more Jamaican and Caribbean students choose Chinese universities to prepare for careers in medicine and other professional fields.

Barnes now joins a growing list of Caribbean graduates distinguishing themselves on the global stage, reinforcing Jamaica’s reputation for producing high-achieving professionals whose talents extend far beyond athletics, music and culture.

For many young Caribbean students considering overseas education, Dr. Barnes’ success is a reminder that determination, discipline and hard work can open doors anywhere in the world.

Graduating at the top of his class, he leaves Jinzhou Medical University not only with a medical degree, but with the honour of delivering the valedictory message on behalf of the Class of 2026—an achievement that has filled Jamaicans with pride both at home and across the diaspora.

PHOTO: Instagram

Whitehouse, Westmoreland, Jamaica – June 11, 2026 — As part of activities commemorating World Environment Day, 28 students from New Hope Primary and Kings Primary School joined farmers, Forestry Department representatives, environmental wardens, and the Sandals Foundation to plant fruit trees in Whitehouse, Westmoreland. The activity forms part of the Foundation’s support of Jamaica’s national RE-LEAF (Reforestation, Ecological Enhancement and Landscape Framework) Initiative. As part of its commitment, the philanthropic organization has distributed 360 fruit trees to schools and farmers to aid landscape restoration and food security efforts.

A variety of food trees including breadfruit, ackee, jackfruit, mango, avocado, soursop, and Otaheite apple were distributed to Culloden Early Childhood Institution, Whitehouse Basic School, New Hope Primary School, Kings Primary School, Petersville Primary School, and Petersville Early Childhood Institution as well as to members of the Westmoreland Organic Farmers Association to increase access to locally grown produce.

Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, said the Organization’s choice of trees was a deliberate effort to build the resilience of the communities. “We chose fruit trees because in addition to helping to restore green space sand biodiversity, they sustain a community’s food security. ”

Recently, Whitehouse farmers joined students of Kings and New Hope Primary School students, Forestry Department representatives, and Sandals Foundation environmental wardens to plant 20 trees – demonstrating a community approach to their landscape restoration efforts.

“Reforestation is about much more than planting trees,” said Georgia Scarlett, Environmental Manager at the Sandals Foundation. ” It is also about ensuring future generations understand their role in protecting the natural resources that sustain our communities. By placing fruit trees in schools and farming communities, we are creating opportunities for learning, nourishment, and long-term environmental stewardship.

For Caribbean communities facing growing pressure on food systems, green spaces, and natural resources, the project offers a practical model for local action. By placing fruit trees in schools and farming communities, the initiative gives residents more than seedlings. It gives them a direct role in producing food, restoring shade, and protecting the environment their children will inherit.

PHOTO CAPTION:

L-R: Dian Holgate, representative of the Forestry Department; Georgia Scarlett, Environmental Project Manager of the Sandals Foundation; Kings Primary School teacher O’Shea Lawrence; farmer, Barbara Stewart, and students Chloe Robinson and Reshaina Samuels of Kings Primary School participate in a tree-planting activity in Whitehouse, Westmoreland. The initiative formed part of the RE-LEAF programme, which distributed 360 fruit trees to schools and farmers across the community.

Twenty+ Turks Islanders will become the country’s first endorsed and regionally-recognised flats-fishing guides and Train-The-Trainers under the new partnership — part of a programme designed to secure a local stake in the Caribbean’s multi-million-dollar sport-fishing economy.

PROVIDENCIALES — Twenty+ young Turks Islanders are about to become the country’s first nationally-certified flats-fishing guides and instructors. Their training — and the industry it anchors — began this week with the signing of a landmark partnership agreement.

On Wednesday, the Turks and Caicos Fly Fishing Association (TCFFA) and the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deliver the country’s first endorsed and regionally-recognised Sustainable Fly Fishing curriculum. The programme is funded by the UK Government through the Darwin Plus Local initiative, delivered through TCICC’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Blue Economy programme, and built on a proven Bahamian model developed with the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association.

The first cohort will certify Twenty+ Turks Islanders as Flats-Fishing Guides and Train-The-Trainers — drawn from Providenciales, North Caicos, South Caicos, Middle Caicos and Grand Turk, and supported by Invest Turks and Caicos Islands through its MSME Programme’s Technical Assistance.

The stakes are not theoretical. Next door in the Bahamas, recreational fisheries contribute over US $500 million annually to the national economy and employ more than 18,000 Bahamians (FAO, 2016). The flats fishing sector alone generates approximately US $169 million a year, supported by more than 250 certified guides and the equivalent of 7,800 full-time jobs across lodging, meals, transport and retail (Fedler, 2019, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust). Guided anglers spend roughly three times more per trip than other visitors, and more than 90 percent say they would not travel to the destination if the fishery were unavailable.

Turks and Caicos has the same flats, the same bonefish, and one small but meaningful edge of its own: waters that run a touch warmer through the winter months, when cold fronts can slow fishing elsewhere in the Caribbean. With this MOU in place, the country now has the institutional foundation to match.

For TCFFA, the programme is more than a training initiative. It is a monumental milestone in building livelihoods around nature and nature-guiding — an approach the Association considers the way forward for Turks and Caicos tourism. It is a direct expression of the country’s own national promise: Beautiful by Nature.

“This MOU is more than a document. It is the foundation of a national industry. For the first time, Turks Islander fly fishing guides have an endorsed and regionally-recognised, locally-delivered pathway into a profession that has long been built on their knowledge but not always on their terms. We are building an industry where the value of our flats stays with our people.”

— Levardo Talbot, President, Turks and Caicos Fly Fishing Association

The programme has been formally endorsed by senior education, tourism and government leaders, who underscore its national significance:

“This partnership represents the future of education in action. At TCICC, we are intentional about designing programmes that are not only academically sound but also economically relevant and globally competitive. Through this Sustainable Fly Fishing curriculum, we are transforming indigenous knowledge into a structured, internationally recognised profession. This is how we build capacity, create opportunity, and ensure that Turks and Caicos Islanders are not just participants in our tourism economy, but leaders within it.”

— Dr. Candice Williams, President & CEO, Turks and Caicos Islands Community College

“This initiative exemplifies the kind of forward-thinking, industry-aligned education that we are committed to advancing across the Turks and Caicos Islands. It reflects our national priority to equip our people with skills that are both relevant and transformative. By embedding certification, sustainability, and entrepreneurship into this programme, we are empowering our young people to access new pathways for meaningful employment and to contribute to sectors that are critical to our economic future. This is education with purpose, and education that delivers impact.”

— Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education

“This partnership signals a defining moment in the evolution of our tourism product. Sustainable fly fishing represents a high-value, low-impact niche that aligns seamlessly with the Turks and Caicos Islands brand and our broader vision for sustainable tourism development.

By investing in the certification and development of local guides, we are not only strengthening the authenticity of our tourism offering, but also creating a new entrepreneurial pathway for Turks and Caicos Islanders within the blue economy. This initiative ensures that more of the economic benefits generated from this growing global market are retained within our communities while empowering Islanders to build businesses around their knowledge, skills, and natural environment.

At the same time, this partnership positions the Turks and Caicos Islands to compete in a lucrative international niche while safeguarding the very natural assets that make our destination unique.”

— Hon. Zhavargo Jolly, Minister of Tourism, Environment, Fisheries and Marine Affairs

ENDORSEMENTS AND SUPPORTERS

Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education; The Hon. Zhavargo Jolly, Minister of Tourism, Environment, Fisheries and Marine Affairs; the Department of Tourism Regulations; the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources Management; the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources; and the Department of Maritime and Shipping.

National industry and investment partners. Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC/TVET); Invest Turks and Caicos Islands; Experience Turks and Caicos; and the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association.

National and international conservation partners. The Bahamas Fly Fishing Association, The Turks and Caicos National Trust; the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund; the Environmental Defense Fund; the Marine Conservation Society; the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; and BirdsCaribbean.

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

HEADER – Members of the Turks and Caicos Fly Fishing Association Ltd. (TCFFA) following the official Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony with the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC).

INSERT – Dr. Candice Williams, President and CEO of TCICC, and Mr. Lavardo Talbot, President of TCFFA, during the official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations.