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ACP-EU Supports Digital Connectivity in the Caribbean in the Face of COVID-19

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May 18, 2022 – In consultation with the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), the European Union (EU) is funding the DIRECCT (DIgital REsponse Connecting CiTizens) programme to strengthen the resilience of the health, education and small business sectors in the Caribbean to cope with current and future crises.

A press conference was held virtually today, bringing together the funding and implementing partners to launch the programme in the Caribbean region. Coordinated by the Agence Française de Développement (French Development Agency or AFD) Atlantic Regional Directorate, the bi-lingual event acknowledged the challenges to global and regional human development presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted the critical role of digital services to allow people to stay connected with their public health partners, educational institutions and essential businesses.

H.E. Mr. Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, Secretary-General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) opened the floor by stating that “through this timely collaboration, we will finance 10 projects which will benefit more than 50 states throughout the OACPS in the areas of health, education and small businesses. By prioritizing the needs of NGOs and reducing gender inequality which are still very present in the digital world, we can transform this COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity to develop our countries.”

It is clear that the availability of digital services mitigated the impact of the pandemic for citizens, patients, students and businesses in the region. In future crises, the ability to stay connected with institutions and partners will be an essential and an effective response that has been severely tested in the last 2 years.

“The EU has set a new ambition: to support and increase access to digital services and tools in developing countries”, affirmed Mr. Luís Maia, Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS and CARICOM / CARIFORUM. “Digital transformation and innovation are keys priorities area in the EU’s engagement with the Caribbean and the EU plans to step up its digital engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean through a Digital Alliance. The aim is to combine both regions’ interests, strengths and capacities, to jointly address the digital divide and achieve inclusive digital transformation.”

The responsibility to implement this 15.4-million-euro program, which is funded by the European Union, is that of Agence Francaise de Developpement and Enabel, the Belgian development agency. “The ACP-DIRECCT program is fully in line with AFD’s digital strategy” reminded Mr Philippe La Cognata, Regional Director in the Atlantic Ocean of the French Development Agency, “the digital transition is one of the six priority transitions of AFD’s Strategic Orientation Plan. We will use digital technology as a lever to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs. AFD is thus positioning itself as a digital donor in order to become a reference partner for developing countries to accelerate their digital transition for sustainable development.”

“The Caribbean region will benefit from this programme through strengthened health information systems and increased capacity for early detection, response, monitoring, and reporting of public health threats and emerging diseases,” stated Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) as she presented a synopsis of the project Improving Digital Integrated Public Health Surveillance in the Caribbean. The initiative aims to increase capacity for real time access of Caribbean Ministries of Health to public health surveillance data from a variety of sources using a digital integrated information platform (One Health approach). CARPHA’s 26 Member States, many of which depend on tourism, will use this digital system to inform early and appropriate interventions to track and mitigate disease spread, and act as an evidence base for policy-makers to address local environmental and social determinants of health.

Ms. Seliatou Kayode-Anglade, Project Officer, Economy Private Sector and Trade division, Financial and Economic Governance Department of Expertise France presented the Digital transformation project for Micro Small and Medium Entreprises (MSMEs) in West Africa and the Caribbean. The objective of the project is to strengthen the resilience of off-line formal and informal MSMEs by improving their digital skills. Activities are implemented by partners in West Africa and in the Caribbean. “Caribbean Export is one of our partners in the Digital transformation project for MSMEs and we are glad to collaborate with them on such an important topic for Caribbean private sector development and economic resilience” reaffirmed Ms. Kayode-Anglade.

Mr. Deodat Maharaj, Executive Director, Caribbean Export Development Agency in his remarks welcomed the cooperation with Expertise France and praised the conception and design of the Virtual eCommerce Accelerator Programme (VEAP) that the Agency will be implementing. Maharaj affirmed the Agency’s commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to ultimately help Caribbean businesses and entrepreneurs take advantage of digital technologies to build their resilience and sustainability. “Under the rubric of the Virtual Ecommerce Accelerator Programme, we will engage Caribbean firms, Business Supports Organisations (BSOs) and ecommerce related private sector firms (such as website developers and drop shipment partners), over of 6-months period, utilising a learning by doing approach aimed at enhancing their knowledge of ecommerce and implementation of ecommerce strategies.” The accelerator will include a maximum of 2 BSOs in each country with 5 firms assigned to each BSO for support across the 15 CARIFORUM countries. These BSOs and firms will be supervised by a team of Master trainers and coaches in the areas of ecommerce website development, product development, marketing, analytics and general ecommerce operations.

Mr. Frédéric Murat, International Operations Manager of Bibliothèques Sans Frontières (Libraries without borders or BSF) presented the Offline Internet initiative launched by BSF in Haïti. While half of the world’s population does not have access to a quality internet, the need for the dissemination of digital content for training, education, information or leisure has never been greater in order to create stronger and more resilient societies in the face of contemporary challenges (education, employment, global warming, migration, risk and epidemic prevention…). In this project, BSF aims at promoting access to information and education in 15 Haïtian schools, libraries and local organisations for the most vulnerable through offline internet solutions.

DIRECCT projects aim to improve access to digital infrastructure in more than 55 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries by increasing connectivity, support the development of sector-specific digital services (education, health and business) according to their particular needs and then train people to use them. In the health sector, the main objective is to enable public bodies to quickly collect reliable data on the status of the current pandemic and possible future health crises, which are essential tools for institutions to provide immediate and relevant responses. The €15.4 million programme is mainly implemented by the AFD in coordination with the Belgian development agency, Enabel.

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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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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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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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