Caribbean News
Advancing Women, Peace, and Security: Experts Meet in Guyana to Drive Regional Action
Georgetown, Guyana – April 02, 2025 – Increasing security concerns across the Caribbean set the stage for an experts’ meeting in Guyana on the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda. Bringing together regional stakeholders and international specialists, the meeting focused on developing National and Regional Action Plans that will strengthen institutional responses, address gender-based violence, and enhance women’s role in peace and security efforts.
The hybrid two-day convening was hosted by the British High Commission in partnership with UN Women and Our Secure Future, and brought together key stakeholders from Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados to drive the implementation of a Regional WPS Approach in the Caribbean and National Action Plans (NAP) for each country.
A WPS NAP is a country’s strategic framework to implement the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which advocates for the protection and inclusion of women in peace and security efforts. Each NAP is tailored to address specific security challenges within a country, ensuring that women and girls are integral to conflict prevention, crisis response, and recovery processes. At both national and regional levels, WPS action plans provide structured interventions to combat violence, strengthen institutional frameworks, and enhance community resilience.
A WPS NAP for Guyana and other Caribbean nations presents a strategic opportunity to address key security issues facing women and vulnerable groups in the country. By identifying gaps in policy and institutional responses, the NAP can serve as a roadmap for building safer communities. In the region, Trinidad and Tobago has already adopted a WPS NAP, which took three years to develop and involved extensive stakeholder engagement.
H.E. UK Jane Miller British High Commissioner in Georgetown, said: “An important part of the WPS agenda is thinking about the issues we have in our countries and how the agenda can help us. WPS is not talking about women as victims or vulnerable, even though sometimes they are, but women as being part of the solutions. How can women be brought to the centre of conversations? It took Trinidad and Tobago
just about three years to launch their NAP and that sounds about right because effective consultation takes time. Bringing women into the centre of problem solving is not just the right thing to do, it is also the more effective way of finding solutions.”
Sahana Dharmapuri, Vice President of Our Secure Future spoke on the need for strategic partnerships and a regional approach saying: “We want to do things regionally because it goes back to the principle that if we work together, we can accomplish great things. The discussion today is building on that—fostering regional sharing, ideas, and coordination—which is unique. We do not often get the opportunity to share across countries in the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda. Capturing what women are saying about peace and security in their countries and sharing it with the global community highlights its global importance.”
Je’nille Maraj, Planning and Coordination Specialist at UN Women Multi-Country Office – Caribbean provided an overview of the Caribbean’s WPS progress. Ms Maraj said: “This is a moment to examine the WPS agenda and have the conversations we are having to use the WPS Agenda to address social norms that impact us. In Trinidad and Tobago, the conversation started off with a small group of like-minded people, including CARICOM Assistant Secretary General Elizabeth Solomon, very similar to what is happening in this room. We thought about how is this relevant to Trinidad and Tobago, who should we have dialogues with and we sought out strategic partners. The Government took on their own commitment to take a note to Cabinet. This was bolstered by the NAP Academy in partnership with Our Secure Future. We also held different meetings with civil society.
“UN Women bridged some of the gaps and helped some of these conversations to happen. Many countries in the Caribbean are taking significant strides to address these issues and it is a good moment for all of us to push through,” Ms. Maraj stressed.
Key government representatives from Gender and Child Affairs, Office of the Prime Minister, Trinidad and Tobago were on hand to share an overview of their experience and the rationale for launching the action plan. Kurt Meyer, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister said: “While we know that everyone is affected by insecurity, women, girls, men and boys often experience insecurity and violence differently. The WPS agenda is critical for achieving sustainable peace. Research indicates that peace agreements are 35% more likely to last at least 15 years when women participate in negotiations. By ensuring women’s inclusion and protection, WPS strengthens societies, promotes human rights, and contributes to long-term stability and security.”
Mirsad Jacevic, a global WPS NAP expert who has supported governments in developing more than 100 action plans worldwide, emphasised the importance of the process during the meeting saying: “The development of a WPS National Action Plan is not just a policy exercise—what is even more important is how we get there. The stakeholders we bring together, civil society – whose role is absolutely critical in shaping sustainable security policies, the partnerships we build, and the sustained commitment we foster will determine the success of the plan and its impact on communities.”
Meeting Highlights
The WPS activities started on March 26, 2025, with a Welcome Reception at the British High Commission Residence, where H.E. Jane Miller OBE, British High Commissioner to Guyana and Ms. Elizabeth Solomon, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign Relations, delivered opening remarks. A fireside chat followed, featuring prominent WPS experts Mirsad Jacevic and Sahana Dharmapuri, along with Delfina Garcia Hamilton, UN Women Consultant for the Coordination of the Governance Programme on Women, Peace, and Humanitarian Security.
On March 27, the High-Level Experts Meeting focused on discussions that set the stage for actionable steps in integrating WPS across national and regional frameworks and on the progress and challenges of implementing WPS policies.
A multi-stakeholder team was in attendance as part of the dialogues: CARICOM Assistant Secretary General, Elizabeth Solomon, along with representatives from Guyana’s Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Ministry of Legal Affairs and Attorney General’s Chambers, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. Other participating officials included representatives from the Trinidad and Tobago Gender and Child Affairs Division, Office of the Prime Minister and the Coalition of Domestic Violence and the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs in Barbados.
Caribbean News
Liberty Caribbean Supports Regional Forum on AI, Cyber Resilience and Digital Inclusion
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
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.
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