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Florida bills, affects Caribbean and other minority groups

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Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

 

 

#USA, May 30, 2023 – Florida passed several bills and the laws under these bills will affect the Caribbean populations in the state alongside other minority populations and not in a good way.

The bills were signed into law by Governor DeSantis and one of them is the Senate bill 266, Defunding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, passed on Monday May 15th.  It will put an end to university diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) programs throughout Florida.

It will see the barring of tertiary educational institutions spending tax dollars to develop, promote, sustain, and expand initiatives that support diversity, equity and inclusion.

DeSantis in highlighting his reasoning for such actions expressed that the idea of DEI attempts to impose orthodoxy on universities, “and not even necessarily in the classroom, but through the administrative apparatus of the university itself,” he maintained.  He further highlighted that people will be treated as individuals, with this removal of DEI’s.

He also described it as imposing an ideological agenda, saying that it is wrong.  Additionally, he continued to say that the way DEI has been implemented across America is better viewed as representing “discrimination, exclusion, and indoctrination,” which  “has no place in our public institutions.”

Now the importance of DEI programs to Caribbean people, in this case students, is that Caribbean nationals and first-generation Americans have utilized the DEI programs to secure tertiary education.  Also, generally people who fit the category of existing on the margins of sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic status, and race and ethnicity; will also be affected for obvious reasons.

Consequently, these affected populations could experience difficulty being treated fairly as this could encourage further discrimination.  In fact, certain individuals may even use this newly passed bill as justification for hateful behavior as well as making things more difficult for the highlighted minority populations, in seeking educational and inclusion opportunities.

DeSantis further justified his actions by describing DEI as a dividing factor among individuals with ‘superficial criteria,’ while also expressing that people who wish to pursue things like gender ideology should attend the University of California emphasizing that in Florida they want to focus on the “classical mission of what a University is supposed to be.”

Another  bill was passed on May 10th, 2023, Senate Bill 1718.

It was passed in the name of anti-illegal immigration as expressed by DeSantis who said, “The legislation I signed today gives Florida the most ambitious anti-illegal immigration laws in the country, fighting back against reckless federal government policies and ensuring the Florida taxpayers are not footing the bill for illegal immigration.”

The bill comes following the end of Title 42, bringing what DeSantis described as the Biden Border Crisis, which he says has ” wreaked havoc across the United States and has put Americans in danger.”

The bill stipulates:

  • More severe penalties for human trafficking.  Business owners with 25 or more employees are now required to use the e-verify system to ensure the employees hired are legally eligible.
  • Healthcare providers that accept Medicaid are required to collect data on the immigration status of their patients.
  • $12 million from the General Revenue Fund will enact the “unauthorized alien transport program” – an initiative that transports illegal immigrants to sanctuaries in Democrat-led cities and states.
  • The issuing of Identification Cards (ID) to illegal immigrants, which invalidates ID cards issued in other states.

This bill can also potentially affect illegal Caribbean immigrants in Florida, especially since the population of illegal migrants throughout America on a whole is high.

Caribbean News

Mottley Sworn in After Historic Clean Sweep in Barbados Election

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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.

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Caribbean News

Liberty Caribbean Committed to ‘Elevating Region’ at CANTO  

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Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad & Tobago

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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Adam Stewart named CNW’s Businessman/Philanthropist of the Year for 2025

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Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts, Adam Stewart, has been named Businessman/Philanthropist of the Year for 2025 by the regional news publication, Caribbean National Weekly (CNW).

The publication recognised Stewart for his leadership in hospitality, his ongoing investments in regional tourism, his steady crisis response and his philanthropic work throughout what it described as a year filled with both remarkable achievements and significant challenges.

CNW highlighted how 2025 saw industry recognition for Stewart, major announcements of multimillion‑dollar developments across his all‑inclusive luxury resort brands and an invitation to join the prestigious Wall Street Journal CEO Council.

But the publication said his impact extended well beyond business milestones.

“In 2025, the Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts didn’t just guide his iconic hospitality empire through crisis – he used its scale and influence to help shape Jamaica’s rebound and lay groundwork for future regional growth,” CNW wrote.

The defining moment, it said, came in late October when Hurricane Melissa caused severe damage to parts of Jamaica’s tourism infrastructure. Stewart responded by leading transparent communication with global travel advisors, partners and team members, and made a landmark pledge, that 100 per cent of Sandals and Beaches employees would remain on payroll and receive Christmas bonuses, even at resorts temporarily closed for extensive restoration and upgrades. The company also committed more than US$3 million in staff recovery aid, providing direct support to families affected by the storm.

CNW further highlighted the work of the Sandals Foundation under Stewart’s guidance, noting record levels of community engagement and targeted disaster‑recovery support in healthcare, livelihoods and the environment.

In response to the honour, Stewart said he was “deeply humbled” to receive the Businessman/Philanthropist of the Year recognition and expressed his gratitude to his teams and partners for their dedication during an extraordinary year.

“This award reflects far more than any one individual. It is a direct result of people showing up every day for their communities and believing business is a force for good. It belongs to the extraordinary teams who carry our shared vision forward – especially the Sandals Foundation, whose work continues to create lasting change across education, health care, disaster relief and environmental stewardship,” Stewart stated.

“To every colleague and partner who helps bring this mission to life – thank you for your commitment, heart and belief.”

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