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Jamaica to benefit from return of BII to region

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#Kingston, Jamaica, October 28, 2022 – The return of the British International Investment (BII) to the region will offer a vital new source of finance for countries.  It will prioritise investments in the private sector, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a focus on sustainable and scalable projects.

Addressing the launch of the BII on Tuesday (October 25), at the British High Commission in Kingston, Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, welcomed the return of the BII to the region, after an absence of more than 20 years.

“We are very pleased, and we are very happy that BII is coming back to Jamaica. That opens the avenue for more and more investments that can help to improve standards of living in Jamaica and can help to transform the lived experience of the Jamaican citizen,” he said.

The Minister added that the BII will be a vital investment partner in building out Jamaica’s critical infrastructure – renewable energy, water, and sewerage.

Dr. Clarke noted, also, that significant investments will be needed to reduce Jamaica’s dependence on imported commodities, thereby strengthening Jamaica’s resilience against economic shocks from external factors.

“Having the extra investment dollars right here in Jamaica, right here in the Caribbean from BII will be absolutely additive and something that we welcome and support,” the Finance Minister added.

For his part, Minister for the Americas and Overseas Territories, The Rt. Hon. Jesse Norman, said the BII is a key part of the UK government’s global plans to mobilise up to £8 billion a year of public and private-sector investments by 2025.

This will include BII partnering with capital markets, leveraging the city of London and other funds, to scale up financing for private-sector development.

“The BII has a long track record of investing to support private-sector growth around the world. I am pleased that we will now be supporting projects in the Caribbean. BII will help usher in a new wave of investments in clean and green infrastructure [and digital transformation], making investments that bolster financial institutions and businesses, create jobs, and boost trade,” Mr. Norman said.

In addition, he said the UK also continues to deliver vital support to the region through its multilateral partners – the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

Managing Director, BII, Colin Buckley, said climate change is at the centre of BII’s strategy.

In the past five years, the BII has invested more than $1 billion in climate finance in Africa and South Asia.

“Going forward, all of our investments will be Paris Aligned (Paris Agreement and Convention) and 30 per cent of all our new investments will be climate finance. We are looking to invest in renewable-energy generation, in helping companies adapt and become more resilient to climate change and to support new technologies like battery storage, green hydrogen, mini-grids and other off-grid solutions,” he outlined.

Formerly the Colonial Development Corporation (CDC), BII’s investments seek to create more productive, sustainable, and inclusive economies in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.

The CDC was founded in 1948. It opened its Caribbean office in Kingston in the early 1950s. It supported the development of hydroelectric power stations across Dominica and St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Grenada, Barbados, and Montserrat.

From the mid-sixties until the mid-nineties, the majority of the Caribbean portfolio was concentrated in Jamaica. The CDC assisted in creating the Jamaica Housing Development Company to provide mortgages for low-cost housing. It later financed the island’s commercial, industrial, tourist, port, harbour, and other infrastructure facilities.

By the 1970s, the CDC expanded across the Caribbean, investing in power, agribusiness, manufacturing, commerce, tourism, transport, financial institutions, telecoms, and IT.

The BII is the United Kingdom’s development finance institution. It assists in solving challenges to developing and emerging economies by investing flexible capital to support private-sector growth and innovation.

 

Contact: Rochelle Williams

Release: JIS

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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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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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