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Professionals from 12 Caribbean Countries Learn About the Bermuda’s Clean Energy Progress

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April 11, 2023 – Recently (30 March), Acting Premier and Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon Walter Roban, gave closing remarks highlighting Bermuda’s clean energy progress and learnings to energy professionals from 12 Caribbean Island nations, including Turks and Caicos, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and three selected participants from BELCO.

The Minister’s involvement was a part of the closing session for the week-long Caribbean Energy Transition Academy Fellowship Summit. The Summit included site visits to Bermuda’s solar and electric transportation projects, regional networking, and other immersive learning opportunities to advance regional clean energy initiatives.

Minister Roban explained, “I am grateful for our partnership with RMI and believe in the fellowship programme. As such, I am proud Bermuda is hosting this year’s fellowship Summit as it exemplifies our commitment to collaborating and supporting the Region in building the skills necessary to meet its collective resilience and climate goals which are vital to us all.”

Acting Minister of Transport Vance Campbell (the substantive Minister of Tourism) addressed the cohort at the summit kickoff and, following the event’s conclusion, said, “We are proud of the work that has commenced in Bermuda. We trust our efforts will encourage all Caribbean countries to accelerate policies and initiatives and commit to making this Region the leader in clean, renewable energy. We are grateful to RMI for the research and resources they have contributed to the Government of Bermuda.”

Aran McKittrick, Energy Transition Academy Fellow and Research and Development Officer at the Department of Energy, shared his experience at the Summit, “RMI’s Global Fellowship Program (Energy Transition Academy) has provided an excellent opportunity for me to learn and share experiences with my colleagues in the Caribbean as to how we can best accelerate energy transition projects in the region, such as Bermuda’s own Airport Solar and the EV Bus projects.”

Amid increasingly severe, climate-induced hurricanes and volatile global oil and gas prices, energy resilience is a top priority in the Caribbean. The clean energy workforce gap impedes energy transition at the required rate and scale. Governments and utilities throughout the Region recognize the need for concerted, regionally focused clean energy training and capacity development to create a resilient, energy-independent future.

The Caribbean Energy Transition Academy Summit is a key portion of RMI’s Global Fellowship Program, which aims to fast-track the development of utility-driven renewable energy projects through applied learning and experience exchange. In particular, the in-person Summit provides knowledge exchange and know-how for developing and implementing utility-scale solar-plus-battery storage and microgrids. RMI, the independent, global nonprofit organization that created the Fellowship Program, selected Bermuda for this year’s Summit due to the nation’s exceptional progress in clean transportation and power, as showcased through the electric public buses project, the airport solar array, the utilities’ battery energy storage system and commitment to procuring solar on over 30 government buildings.

Charlin Bodley, Manager, Energy Transition Academy of RMI, said, “The hosting of the Energy Transition Academy Fellowship Summit showcases the nation’s commitment to collaborating and supporting the Region in building the skills to meet its collective energy resilience and climate goals”.

Hon. Minister Roban closed his remarks by thanking RMI for over five years of deep partnership and collaboration, supporting Bermuda in being one of the pioneers for clean energy in the Region.

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Widow’s Testimony Recounts Night Haiti President Was Killed

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MIAMI, Florida — Emotional testimony from Martine Moïse, the widow of assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, has given jurors in a U.S. federal courtroom a chilling account of the night gunmen stormed the presidential residence and killed the country’s leader.

Martine Moïse took the stand this week in Miami as part of the ongoing trial of several men accused of helping plan and finance the July 7, 2021 assassination, a crime that plunged Haiti into political crisis and remains only partially solved.

She told the court that armed men forced their way into the president’s private home in the hills above Port-au-Prince during the early morning hours, firing multiple shots at her husband while she lay beside him. She testified that she was also wounded in the attack and survived by pretending to be dead until the gunmen left the room.

According to prosecutors, the plot involved a group of foreign mercenaries, including former Colombian soldiers, along with Haitian and Haitian-American suspects. Investigators say some of the men believed the mission was to detain the president, but the operation turned into an assassination.

The Miami trial is focusing on the alleged role of South Florida businessmen and others accused of organizing or financing the plan, part of a wider international investigation that has stretched across several countries.

More than four years after the killing, the question of who ultimately ordered the assassination remains unanswered, with suspects still in custody in both Haiti and the United States as the case continues to unfold.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Jamaica Joins Afreximbank Agreement, Strengthening Africa–Caribbean Partnership

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CARIBBEAN — Jamaica has become the 13th CARICOM member state to accede to the African Export-Import Bank Establishment Agreement, further strengthening economic ties between Africa and the Caribbean.

The development was confirmed during the 50th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, where an Afreximbank delegation led by George Elombi and Kanayo Awani met with Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness to advance cooperation.

Prime Minister Holness thanked the bank for its support following Jamaica’s recent hurricane, noting that Afreximbank financing helped restore critical infrastructure including water, electricity, sewage systems and roads, while also assisting reconstruction efforts aimed at building stronger resilience to future disasters.

The meeting also focused on broader development opportunities tied to Jamaica’s membership in the agreement. Discussions included rebuilding and modernising infrastructure such as railways, hospitals and other public facilities, while strengthening regional transportation and trade networks to improve the movement of people and goods across the Caribbean.

Afreximbank has been expanding its presence in the Caribbean as part of its strategy to connect Africa with the region often referred to as “Global Africa.” The bank has already committed billions of dollars in financing and trade support to Caribbean economies in recent years, including funding for infrastructure, trade facilitation and private sector investment.

By joining the agreement, Jamaica gains expanded access to Afreximbank’s financial instruments, technical support and trade networks designed to promote commerce between Africa and CARICOM states.

Regional leaders say the growing partnership could unlock new opportunities in areas such as trade, logistics, tourism, manufacturing and cultural exchange, strengthening economic cooperation between the two regions with deep historical and diaspora ties.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Liberty Caribbean Supports Regional Forum on AI, Cyber Resilience and Digital Inclusion  

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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

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