Caribbean News
ADO and TCCFG distribute nearly 200 backyard farming kits at CG Atlantic’s Zest Festival
#TheBahamas, December 7, 2022 – Agricultural Development Organization (ADO) Bahamas distributed 195 backyard farming kits to interested members of the general public at CG Atlantic’s Zest Festival, which took place on Saturday at the CG Atlantic House Grounds.
Hundreds of attendees showed up at the festival, many of whom jumped at the opportunity to take home one of ADO’s kits and get started producing food in their own yards.
ADO Executive Chairman Philip Smith said it’s just the latest in the organization’s efforts to equip more Bahamians with the tools to improve food security.
“We view food security and our pursuit of it as a nation as a holistic effort, one that should involve all levels of society, from government, to businesses to individuals,” said Smith.
“And through our backyard farming initiative, we are seeking to provide individuals and their families with resources to grow some of their own food and reduce dependence on imported goods.”
Members of The Commercial Church Faming Group (TCCFG) were on hand at the Zest Festival to demonstrate to members of the public how to use the kits.
The giveaway was ADO’s most recent, with the organization having also handed out 50 kits last week at Campbell Shipping, which were purchased as a Christmas gift to their staff. The company also donated $6,000 to ADO.
The backyard farming initiative is part of a larger effort by ADO, in partnership with TCCFG, to support agricultural development for greater food independence.
With the cost of living and inflation continuing to be a major issue for many Bahamian families, Smith said he is hopeful that the organization can help to provide a stable and sustainable local food production industry.
“The COVID-19 pandemic and the food shortages and inflation that has followed has emphasized that as a country, we need be able to feed ourselves,” he said.
“And that’s a key part of our mission here at ADO. We believe that the importance of being able to grow our own food cannot be emphasized enough and will go a long way towards increasing our resilience as a nation to global economic shocks.”
In a country where nearly 90 percent of the food consumed is imported, food security has been at the forefront of national discussion in recent years, with crisis after crisis highlighting the urgent need to reduce The Bahamas’ annual food import bill of more than $1 billion.
Both governing parties have called for a greater focus on increasing food production in The Bahamas in an effort to move towards greater food independence.
Launched in February, ADO has already become a driving force in that effort, committed to working with the government and various sectors of society to support agricultural development.
In recognition of Giving Tuesday, which takes place tomorrow, ADO is seeking the public’s help in raising funds to be able to continue its work of empowering Bahamians to grow their own food in an effort to increase the country’s food security.
Those interested in donating to ADO’s cause find more information on how to do that at https://adobahamas.org/donations-page.
Photo Captions:
Header: Carroll demonstrating how to use farming kits to members of the public.
Insert: Agricultural Development Organization (ADO) and The Church Commercial Farming Group (TCCFG) officials were at Zest Festival ready to equip members of the public with their own backyard farming kits. (L-R: ADO Office Manager Michelle Shepherd, TCCFG Extension Officer Sydney Carroll, TCCFG Agricultural Expert Basil Miller, ADO Volunteer Maya Ingraham, ADO Donations Officer Millie Wong)
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.
