Caribbean News
C&W Communications officially launches ‘JUMP’
private-public initiative aims to help bridge the digital divide across Caribbean
Bridgetown, BARBADOS (July 10, 2023) — A plan to deliver all-important internet connections to low-income Caribbean households has been unveiled as part of a private-public partnership between leading telecoms operator C&W Communications and some Caribbean countries.
Aptly called JUMP, the initiative aims to help bridge the digital divide and foster greater digital inclusion in a region that today still has less than 65% broadband penetration with 27 million users from a total combined population of
44 million.
In partnership with local governments, C&W Communications, the operators of Flow, Flow Business, C&W Business and BTC, will provide qualifying households with a subsidised high-speed internet connection, a free laptop computer and relevant training for individuals and families.
So far, the governments of Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, St Lucia, and The Bahamas have committed to JUMP and more than 2,700 households have already been connected.
“There is a widening gap between those who have access to online opportunities and those who do not, so JUMP has been created to ensure the benefits of digital technologies are available to as many people as possible. It is here to help transform lives and empower previously underserved communities,” said Inge Smidts, Chief Executive Officer, C&W Communications.
She was speaking at the official launch of JUMP in Barbados at Sandals Royal.
“In the Caribbean, some of the barriers to internet use and adoption include general lack of awareness, affordability, the absence of digital skills, and inadequate infrastructure. JUMP aims to address all these issues in a comprehensive way, and we are proud to deliver this initiative that will have an immediate impact in the communities we serve,” added Smidts.
The Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, endorsed JUMP and welcomed the initiative in Barbados.
“The digital divide is a large, multifaceted issue that requires holistic solutions, and a successful strategy requires building innovative partnerships, so we must co-create solutions in partnership to ensure no citizen is left behind,” she said.
“There is a role for each of us to play, and we are optimistic that JUMP will provide an opportunity for everyone to bring their energy, commitment and collaboration on the mission of uplifting our region.”
In Barbados, C&W Communications has partnered with the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs to provide low-income households that qualify for the programme with a subsidised home internet package, a compatible device (laptop/tablet) and digital literacy training.
Smidts said JUMP is C&W’s long-term commitment to the communities it serves.
“We aim to eliminate barriers and to ensure that every individual and family, despite their financial situation, can benefit from the digital world. We firmly believe that connectivity is not a luxury; it is a fundamental right that should be accessible to all, and we plan to connect 1,000 households in Barbados before the end of the year,” she said.
“We believe this investment will change lives, unlock the potential of economies, and truly enable progress. Our core social mission is to connect everyone to the digital world, regardless of their income or where they live, and we are committed to harnessing our resources and capabilities to narrow the digital divide,” she said.
Press Release
By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media
October 14, 2025 – It’s being called political theatre — but for citizens, constitutional watchdogs, and democracy advocates across the Caribbean, it feels far more serious. Within a single week, two national parliaments — in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis — descended into turmoil as opposition members stormed out in protest, accusing their Speakers of bias, overreach, and abuse of parliamentary procedure.
For observers, the walkouts signal a deeper problem: erosion of trust in the very institutions meant to safeguard democracy. When Speakers are viewed as political enforcers instead of neutral referees, parliaments stop functioning as chambers of debate and start performing as stages for power and spectacle — with citizens left wondering who, if anyone, is still accountable.
October 6: St. Kitts Parliament Erupts
The first walkout erupted in Basseterre on October 6, 2025, when Dr. Timothy Harris, former Prime Minister and now Opposition Leader,
led his team out of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly in a protest that stunned the chamber.
The flashpoint came as the Speaker moved to approve more than three years’ worth of unratified parliamentary minutes in one sitting — covering 27 meetings and three national budgets — without individual review or debate.
Dr. Harris called the move “a flagrant breach of the Constitution and parliamentary tradition,” warning that the practice undermines transparency and accountability. “No serious parliament can go years without approving a single set of minutes,” he said after exiting the chamber.
The Speaker defended the decision as administrative housekeeping, but critics were unconvinced, branding the move a “world record disgrace.” The opposition’s walkout triggered renewed calls for the Speaker’s resignation and sparked a wider public discussion about record-keeping, accountability, and respect for parliamentary norms in St. Kitts and Nevis.
October 10: Trinidad Opposition Follows Suit
Four days later, on October 10, 2025, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago staged its own walkout from the House of Representatives in Port of Spain.
The UNC accused the Speaker of partisan bias, claiming she had repeatedly blocked urgent questions, ignored points of order, and allowed government members to breach standing orders without consequence.
“The Speaker has failed in her duty to act impartially,” the Opposition declared in a statement. “Parliament is not the property of any political party or Presiding Officer.”
The dramatic exit was seen as a culmination of months of rising tension and frustration, with opposition MPs arguing that parliamentary rules were being selectively applied to silence dissenting voices.
Political analyst Dr. Marcia Ferdinand described the twin walkouts as “a warning sign that parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean is teetering on the edge of performative politics.”
“When chairs become political shields rather than constitutional referees,” she said, “democracy becomes theatre, not governance.”
A Pattern Emerging
While St. Kitts and Trinidad are very different political environments, both incidents point to the same regional fault line: the perception that Speakers — the guardians of parliamentary order — are no longer impartial.
In Westminster-style systems like those across the Caribbean, the Speaker’s authority depends not on power but on public confidence in fairness. Once that credibility erodes, parliamentary control collapses into confrontation.
Governance experts say the implications are serious: eroded trust between government and opposition, declining public confidence in state institutions, and growing voter cynicism that “rules” are flexible tools of political advantage.
Why It Matters
Parliamentary walkouts are not new in the Caribbean, but what makes these recent events different is their frequency and intensity — and
the regional echo they’ve created. Social media has amplified images of lawmakers storming out, with citizens from Barbados to Belize questioning whether the same erosion of decorum could be happening in their own legislatures.
Analysts warn that if this perception takes hold, it risks diminishing the moral authority of parliamentary democracy itself.
“Once opposition MPs believe the rules are rigged, and once citizens believe Parliament is just performance,” said one Caribbean governance researcher, “you’ve lost the most valuable currency in democracy — trust.”
Restoring Balance
Political reformers across the region are calling for tighter Standing Order enforcement, independent parliamentary service commissions, and training to strengthen Speaker neutrality. Civil society leaders say the public must also play its part by demanding transparency and refusing to normalize partisan manipulation of parliamentary procedure.
Whether these twin walkouts become catalysts for reform — or simply another episode of Caribbean political theatre — will depend on what happens next inside those chambers.
For now, democracy watchers agree on one thing: when opposition leaders feel the only way to be heard is to walk out, the entire democratic house — not just its Speaker — is in danger of collapse.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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