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Mental Health: The Hidden Pandemic

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MEDIA RELEASE

 

Bridgetown, Barbados. 12 March 2025.  Mental health is a growing public health issue. In the Caribbean in particular, mental health is influenced by a range of socio-economic factors, cultural attitudes, and the availability of mental health services. Socio-economic factors, such as poverty and unemployment contribute significantly to stress, anxiety and depression while natural disasters, epidemics/pandemics can also lead to trauma, displacement, and long-lasting psychological effects.

Dr. Lisa Indar, Executive Director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), speaking at the media launch for the Health Research Conference stated “Mental health touches each and every one of us whether personally, through our loved ones or within our communities.  It impacts how people relate to others, make decisions, and handle stress.  People’s ability to live fulfilling lives often depends on their mental health. This makes protecting and restoring mental health of immediate concern to public health professionals with increasing impact, and especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

CARPHA, in collaboration with the Government of Barbados, through the Ministry of Health and Wellness will host the 69th Health Research Conference from 7- 9 May 2025.  The three-day conference, which gives delegates a platform to network, share research and insights, will take place at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael, Barbados.

The conference is the Caribbean Region’s foremost gathering of health research professionals. More than 200 participants will benefit from over 160 oral and poster presentations and concurrent sessions. During the close of the conference, health researchers will be awarded at for their outstanding contributions to public health in the Region.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Kenneth George, Chief Medical Officer of Barbados underscored the role of CARPHA in public health research. “CARPHA has been instrumental in supporting scientific and public health research for several decades. Through rigorous data analysis, research and dissemination of information, CARPHA continues to shape the health policy agenda not only within our region but on the international stage as well.   In addition to the research agenda CARPHA is central to the provision of technical assistance to the 26 Member States of the region in the areas including surveillance, epidemiology, port health, vector control, non-communicable diseases, and reference laboratory services.”

Delivering his address on behalf of the Minister of Health and Wellness, Senator Mr. the Most Honourable Jerome Walcott, Mr. Wayne Marshall Permanent Secretary stated  “The Government of Barbados last hosted this prestigious Conference in 2013, and we are thrilled to once again bring together a diverse group of health professionals, researchers, and policymakers from across the region and the globe. This collaboration with CARPHA ensures that the 2025 Annual Health Research Conference and its pre-conference events, including meetings and training workshops, will be a platform for sharing groundbreaking research and clinical findings that can significantly influence public health policies.

Mr. Marshall expressed gratitude to CARPHA, sponsors, and all the participants who will make this Conference a resounding success. In closing he urged all to work together to elevate the discourse on mental health and other critical public health issues, fostering a healthier future for all.

The Conference will be attended by Chief Medical Officers (CMOs), researchers, physicians, nurses, psychologists, environmental health officers and other public health officials from across the Caribbean Region, Latin America, North America, and Europe.

Local, regional and international organisations and companies will be exhibiting and presenting their programmes, innovations, products and services.

Meetings and training workshops leading up to the conference include:

  • Meeting of the CARICOM Chief Medical Officers
  • Pandemic Fund  and Antimicrobial Resistance forum for the CMOs and partners   Monitoring and Evaluation Workshop
  • Meetings of the Caribbean Vector Borne Disease Network, and
  • Meeting of the Regional Health Communication Network

More information about the conference, and special rates for residents, students, including sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, can be found at http://conference.carpha.org/ and on social media at CARPHA1.

Caribbean News

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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