The webinar is being held to mark International Youth Day, which was observed on 12 August under the theme ‘Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond’.
]]>Nominations for the awards are open until 31 August 2025.
Organised by the CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), these awards aim to recognise the important roles that women and youth play in the energy sector as professionals, entrepreneurs, decision-makers, and consumers. The awards also seek to highlight the importance of gender diversity to enhance the success of the clean energy transition.
WISE honours women who are committed to the energy transition and have made significant contributions to their communities at national, regional, and international levels in public, private, and civil society sectors. The categories under which those submissions will be judged are: Business/Entrepreneurship; Social Impact, Community and Advocacy; Policy and Regulations; and Utilities and Industry.
SEYA targets persons between the ages of 16 and 35 who exhibit innovation, creativity, and dedication to their communities by advocating for and actively participating in the energy transition at local, national, regional levels across public, private, and civil society sectors.
Nomination forms for Caribbean citizens and residents are available here.
The awards will be presented at the 9th Caribbean Sustainable Energy Forum (CSEF IX), to be held in Grenada from 28-30 October 2025.
]]>The issues were a common thread of speakers at the opening of the 52nd Annual General Meeting of the RNB on Tuesday, 12 August in Barbados, where the spotlight was placed on the anticipated increase in the need for nurses and midwives, and the need for guidance and action to mitigate the impacts of the shortage.
Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott, Minister of Health and Wellness of Barbados, delivered the feature address in which he lauded the achievements of the Regional Nursing Body over the past 50 years and its unwavering commitment to nursing excellence.
“The RNB now stands at a critical crossroad. You are not only being called upon to sustain the gains of the past, but to lead the transformation of the profession, to shape new models of care, and to prepare our nursing workforce to face complex health challenges ahead, which include, of course, ‘Dr. Google’ and the worrisome effects of climate change,” the Minister said.
He pointed to the “troubling trends” and “growing concerns” about nurse retention and called for courage and collaboration in charting the course ahead.
“Too many of our nurses are leaving for greener pastures, an issue that has become more acute in recent years. Small developing states such as ours simply cannot match the salaries and benefit packages offered by the larger, wealthier nations. As a result, we are facing staffing shortages that increase nurse-to-patient ratios, create longer shifts, which can lead to stress and burnout in some cases, and ultimately can compromise the quality of patient care,” he noted.
In her remarks, Ms. Alison Drayton, Assistant Secretary-General, Human and Social Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, highlighted the “critical shortage of these indispensable health professionals.” She cited the State of the World’s Nursing Report 2025 (SOWN), which pointed out that one in seven nurses globally was practising outside of the country of their birth, underscoring a growing dependence on foreign-born nurses within high-income countries.
“This dynamic poses significant challenges to the development and sustainability of health systems in low- and middle-income countries like those within our Region. Accordingly, it is imperative that the Region substantially increase its investments in the education, recruitment, and retention of nurses and midwives to safeguard the resilience and effectiveness of our health workforce,” the Assistant Secretary-General said.
Ms. Nester Edwards, Chair of the Regional Nursing Body and Chief Nursing Officer of the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Religious Affairs of Grenada, also warned of the consequences if gaps are not filled.
“While they are among the largest, if not the largest, segment of the workforce in our healthcare systems, the Region continues to face a perennial shortage of nurses and midwives with high attrition rates and migration to more developed countries. According to the SOWN 2025 report, we are unlikely to achieve the targets for universal health coverage if the gap in these shortages is not filled,” she said.
She called for redoubled efforts to find effective strategies to recruit and retain nurses and midwives, including those in the diaspora. “Improving working conditions and utilising technological advancements and incentives, including flexible working hours, should be considered when developing these strategies,” she said.
The RNB chair also urged capacity-building of the next generation of nurses and midwives in leadership, policy development, strategic planning, and research.
Agenda items for the three-day meeting include developing an action plan to address the migration and mobility of health workers in the Region, a review of the SOWN 2025, new developments in nursing, and the results of the April 2025 sitting of the Regional Examination for Nurse Registration.
]]>Suriname, which holds responsibility for the Industrial Policy in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet, is spearheading work towards its completion to present it to a Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in October 2025. The work to be carried out in time for that meeting includes deeper engagements with key stakeholders in the business community.
Already, consultations have been held with stakeholders in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, while others are planned for later in August.
Ambassador David Prendergast, Director, Sectoral Programmes at the CARICOM Secretariat, said that there is a strong demand for the Policy from the Region’s private sector. The Policy is grounded in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and is intended to promote the development of entities ranging from micro to large businesses.
“Essentially, [this policy] seeks to boost productivity, to create more opportunities for employment across the Region, to use our resources optimally, and to connect us into global value chains which are critical for production with the ultimate objective of improving the standard of living of our people across the Region,” Amb. Prendergast explained.
Industrial Policy development consultant to the CARICOM Secretariat, Mr. Sandiford Ruel Edwards, said given the current global environment, the CARICOM Industrial Policy and Strategy is well-positioned to make a substantive contribution to renewed economic diversification and cultivating indigenous growth and prosperity by addressing both established industrial sectors and emerging innovative fields and technologies.
“It is important to acknowledge that this industrial policy is not a universal remedy; historical global initiatives have sometimes resulted in notable failures, and there remain valid concerns regarding government intervention in market selection. This strategic framework proposes a collaborative model between regional governments and the private sector, targeting 12 industrial ecosystems alongside five cross-cutting enablers,” he said.
The 12 eco-systems at the foundation of the Policy are: Agri-Food, Fisheries and Processing; Construction; Culture and Creative Industries; Digitalisation; Education and Human Capital Development; Energy; Health and Wellbeing; Mobility and Transportation; Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises; Non-Food Manufacturing; Research, Development and Innovation; and Tourism.
The cross-cutting enablers are Financing, Competition Policy and Consumer Protection, Intellectual Property, Standards and Environmental Stewardship. ]]>
Please read her remarks below:
Ms. Alison Drayton, Assistant Secretary-General, Human and Social Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, on Tuesday made remarks at the opening of the 52nd Annual General Meeting of the Regional Nursing Body (RNB) in Bridgetown, Barbados.
- Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott, Minister of Health and Wellness of Barbados
- Honourable Davidson Ishmael, Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Wellness of Barbados
- Mr. Wayne Marshall, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Wellness of Barbados
- Chief Nursing Officers
- Ms Piedad Huerta, Subregional Program Director, Caribbean, Ad Interim, Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation
- Delegates and other special invitees
Good morning and welcome to the Fifty-second Annual General Meeting of the Regional Nursing Body. The work of the Regional Nursing Body remains a critical part of addressing priority issues related to the education, practice, and regulation of nurses and midwives in the Caribbean region. Your leadership has been pivotal to the harmonisation of the provision of nursing and midwifery services throughout the region and serves to ensure the quality of care they provide. By being here today, you affirm your dedication to the ongoing work needed to tackle vital health challenges and priority concerns throughout the region.
It is important to note that the need for nursing and midwifery professionals is expected to increase, driven by the escalating burden of non-communicable diseases, the rising importance of mental health services, and the persistent challenges posed by both emerging and endemic communicable diseases. This urgency is further amplified by the multifaceted impacts of climate change, shifting geopolitical landscapes, and the demographic pressures of an aging population, all of which collectively heighten the complexity of health service needs across the Region.
However, the Caribbean region continues to face a critical shortage of these categories of indispensable health professionals. In fact, according to the ‘State of the World’s Nursing Report 2025’, one in seven nurses globally were practising outside of the country of their birth, underscoring a growing dependence on foreign-born nurses within high-income countries. This dynamic poses significant challenges to the development and sustainability of health systems in low- and middle-income countries like those within our Region. Accordingly, it is imperative that the region substantially increase its investments in the education, recruitment, and retention of nurses and midwives to safeguard the resilience and effectiveness of our health workforce.
Therefore, we look to the leadership of the Regional Nursing Body to provide the strategic guidance on how the Region can advance and expand the nursing and midwifery professions to support the achievement of universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Secretariat wishes to express profound thanks to the Government of Barbados for hosting the 52nd Annual General Meeting of the RNB. We also want to commend the coordinating teams in the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the CARICOM Secretariat for their tireless efforts to make this meeting a reality. Thanks are also extended to the associations, institutions, and development partners, including PAHO/WHO, for their continued support to our Member States. Last but not least, thanks to the Chief Nursing Officers and Nursing Councils of our Member States and Associate Members. Your active participation will be vital for the success of this meeting and instrumental in shaping nursing and midwifery policies and initiatives to advance the nursing profession and improve health outcomes across the region.
I wish you fruitful deliberation throughout the course of this meeting.
Thank you!
]]>“On this International Youth Day, CARICOM calls on governments, civil society, the private sector, and development partners to deepen their investment in youth development. From every corner of the Caribbean to the global stage, our young people are the driving force of transformation and the champions of progress. They are keen to participate to develop meaningful local, national and regional policies and plans, and to implement them.
“Let us equip, empower, and enable our young people to lead, and partner with them, not only as beneficiaries of development, but as architects of a more sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous future,” Dr. Barnett said in a message on the occasion of International Youth Day 2025, which is observed on 12 August.
Please read the Secretary-General’s message below:
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) joins the global community in marking International Youth Day 2025 under the theme Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond. This observance reaffirms the Community’s commitment to positioning youth at the heart of regional integration and sustainable development.
The vision outlined in the Declaration of Paramaribo on the Future of Youth in the Caribbean Community continues to guide our efforts: “We recognise young people as assets to the Region, whose energy, creativity, and innovation are essential to our collective progress.” In line with this vision, CARICOM is advancing policies and programmes that enable youth to act as co-creators, innovators, and leaders in shaping the Region’s future.
The CARICOM Secretariat has taken strategic action to strengthen the youth development landscape, ensuring that participation is both meaningful and transformative. A milestone achievement in this effort is the creation of the Regional Youth Development Governance Structure, designed to enhance coordination, accountability, and collaboration among stakeholders, while providing a formal platform for youth to contribute to policy and programme implementation and monitoring at the highest levels.
These efforts are reinforced by the recent comprehensive report prepared by the CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme (CYAP) Corps on the enhanced role of youth in regional development. The report called for a stronger, more intentional approach to youth engagement, affirming that “youth must be seen not only as beneficiaries of development, but as partners in design, decision-making, and delivery.”
With this in mind, CARICOM continues to integrate youth leadership across strategic areas of the Community’s development agenda, including – Climate Resilience – mobilising youth to shape adaptation strategies in vulnerable island states; Economic Empowerment – expanding entrepreneurship, digital innovation, and skills training to create new pathways for employment and competitiveness; Mental Health and Well-being – rolling out the Mental Health First Aid Programme to build resilience, reduce stigma, and strengthen peer support systems; Food Security and Agriculture – fostering youth-led agribusiness and innovation to secure sustainable food systems.
These initiatives reflect the CARICOM Secretariat’s strategic priority for youth participation, empowerment, and development, recognising that the Sustainable Development Goals cannot be achieved without the full and active involvement of young people.
On this International Youth Day, CARICOM calls on governments, civil society, the private sector, and development partners to deepen their investment in youth development. From every corner of the Caribbean to the global stage, our young people are the driving force of transformation and the champions of progress. They are keen to participate, to develop meaningful local, national and regional policies and plans, and to implement them.
Let us equip, empower, and enable our young people to lead, and partner with them, not only as beneficiaries of development, but as architects of a more sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous future.
Happy International Youth Day!
]]>Nationals of CARICOM Member States, 18 and older, can submit entries to the competition, which closes on 5 September 2025. The winner will receive an Apple MacBook Pro M4 Max 16, which will be presented at the 50th Meeting of the SCCS in Curacao in October.
Entries to the competition should be sent to sccs.logocompetition@caricom.org, addressed to the Caribbean Community Secretariat for the attention of Mr. Halim Brizan, Director, Regional Statistics Programme, and copied to Mr. Dike Noel, Manager, Communications at communications@caricom.org
Regional Logo Competition Rules and Guidelines
Regional Logo Competition Entry Form
About the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS)
The Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS) was established in 1974 and was endorsed the same year by the inaugural meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the expanded Caribbean Community. The SCCS serves as the highest decision-making body for statistical activities within CARICOM. Its objective is to “foster increased recognition of the importance of adequate statistical services to the countries of the Region; to widen the scope and coverage of statistics data collection; and to improve the quality, comparability, and timeliness of statistics produced.”
The SCCS comprises Directors and Chief Statisticians of CARICOM Member States and Associate Members and plays a pivotal role in advancing statistical development. It is responsible for establishing common frameworks, promoting the adoption of regional statistical standards and harmonising concepts and methodologies across Member countries. Through the implementation of a common Regional Statistics Work Programme (RSWP), the SCCS ensures the production of high-quality, harmonised statistics to support the planning, monitoring and evaluation of development initiatives throughout CARICOM.
About the Regional Statistics Programme
The Regional Statistics Programme (RSP) of the CARICOM Secretariat holds responsibility for strengthening the statistical capacity in Member States and at the Secretariat to provide harmonised, high-quality statistical information for decision-making, and to guide, monitor and assess human and economic development in the Community and specifically in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
Capacity-building, the promotion of Centres of Excellence, building statistics systems, and developing and reinforcing frameworks to support data collection, including in collaboration with International Development Partners,are key components of the work of the RSP. The work is guided by the Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics (RSDS), which is the master plan to strategically support the modernisation and transformation of the CARICOM Statistical System (CSS) while ensuring alignment with regional and national priorities.
]]>The landmark ‘Scaling up the Deployment of Integrated Utility Services (IUS) to Support Energy Sector Transformation in the Caribbean (Phase 1) Programme‘ will accelerate the adoption of distributed renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other clean energy technologies. It is expected to benefit 40,700 people across Barbados, Belize and Jamaica.
This is the first CDB programme approved by the GCF, and signals a joint commitment to expand access to sustainable, affordable, and resilient renewable energy, particularly as the Caribbean faces intensifying climate risks including storms, floods, and rising temperatures.
CDB President, Mr. Daniel Best, expressed gratitude to the GCF for its investment, stating, “We thank the Green Climate Fund for its strong partnership and steadfast support to advance sustainable development in the Caribbean. This programme will mark a major step forward in strengthening our region’s energy security through cleaner, more reliable, and affordable energy that reduces our dependence on imported fuels and builds long-term climate resilience for our communities.”
Chief Investment Officer of the GCF, Henry Gonzalez, added: “The Integrated Utility Services programme will support the energy transition in Caribbean Small Island Developing States, among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. The approval of this initiative demonstrates how GCF is supporting country ownership by strengthening local institutions to deliver resilient, low-carbon energy systems.”
The Bank will lead implementation with national and regional partners to establish utility-led IUS models that reduce financial and technical barriers to the uptake of sustainable energy solutions. Participating utility companies will offer integrated sustainable energy services to their customers, including support for the procurement, installation, operation, and maintenance of key technologies. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing resilience, utility customers will benefit from lower costs, reduced risks, and equitable access.
The six-year Phase 1 programme will deliver support in Barbados, Belize and Jamaica. The lessons learnt from this initial phase will be integrated into a subsequent Phase 2 programme through which CDB aims to replicate this support in other Caribbean countries.
Approved during the GCF Board’s 42nd meeting in Papa New Guinea on July 3, 2025, the programme will be supported by US$26,736,295 in financing from the GCF. CDB and other partners will contribute US$42,010,000 in loan and in-kind funding.
This initiative leverages the recent upgrade of the Bank’s GCF accreditation, which allows the Bank to develop/deliver GCF-financed initiatives up to US$250 million each.
CDB looks forward to engaging communities, utilities, financiers, and development partners during Phase 1, setting the stage for further scaling in subsequent phases. (Caribbean Development Bank Press Release)
About the Caribbean Development Bank
The Caribbean Development Bank is a regional financial institution established in 1970 to contribute to the harmonious economic growth and development of its Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs). In addition to the 19 BMCs, CDB’s membership includes four regional, non-borrowing members, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela, and five non-regional, non-borrowing members, Canada, China, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. CDB’s total assets in its Ordinary Capital Resources stood at US2.02 billion as at December 31, 2024, while it also manages US$1.40 billion of Special Funds Resources. The Bank is rated Aa1 Stable by Moody’s, AA+ Stable by Standard & Poor’s and AA+ Stable by Fitch Ratings. Learn more at caribank.org
]]>“The [PAHO-CARICOM Joint Sub-regional Cooperation Strategy (JSCS) 2025-2029] is a continuation of a process. CARICOM has prioritised health outcomes for a long time, and this long-standing commitment of CARICOM will continue.”
Dr Carla Barnett | Secretary-General | CARICOMWednesday, 23 July 2025 (CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown): The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on Tuesday, signed a Joint Subregional Cooperation Strategy (JSCS) aimed at enhancing regional public health response and resilience through coordinated technical collaboration. The agreement was formalised by CARICOM Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnettand PAHO Director Dr Jarbas Barbosa.
This joint strategy establishes a five-year plan for concerted action to address common regional health issues, uniting CARICOM, PAHO, subregional, and international partners to bolster the Caribbean’s health agenda. It focuses on five key strategic priorities to steer PAHO’s technical assistance in the Caribbean subregion. All fifteen (15) CARICOM Member States as well as six the (6) Associate Members will benefit from this strategy.
Dr Barnett, in her address, recogised PAHO’s continued collaboration, noting,
“The [PAHO-CARICOM Joint Sub-regional Cooperation Strategy (JSCS) 2025-2029] is a continuation of a process. CARICOM has prioritised health outcomes for a long time, and this long-standing commitment of CARICOM will continue.”
The Secretary General expressed that this landmark moment in the partnership with PAHO, solidifies the ongoing support for the development and implementation of public health policies across the Region and ensures good health investments for the People of the Community.
Dr Barnett shares more of her perspective on the JSCS below.
“This signing marks a milestone in a long-standing partnership rooted in trust, mutual respect, and a shared vision for the health and well-being of the peoples of the Caribbean,” said Dr Barbosa, emphasising that “the Caribbean faces unique and interconnected public health challenges: from the rising burden of noncommunicable diseases, to the effects of climate change, to the urgency of digital transformation and the need for resilient health systems. These challenges do not stop at borders, and neither can our solutions.”
The PAHO Director provides more insight on the organisation’s long-standing partnership with CARICOM below.
Guyana’s Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony, echoed the significance of the Joint Strategy, stating,
“This strategy affirms that health is not just a service, it is a right. In the Caribbean, that right must not be determined by geography, income, or age.”
Minister Anthony shares more of his perspective on the JSCS below.
Helpful Links:
Noncommunicable Diseases | Data/Statistics
https://www.paho.org/en/topics/noncommunicable-diseases
Major Storm on the Horizon: NCDs and mental health conditions to cost South America trillions by 2050
]]>On 1 July 2025, CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett and Germany’s Ambassador to CARICOM, His Excellency Dr. Christophe Eick, signed and exchanged diplomatic notes formalising cooperation in six areas including the circular economy, sustainable energy, biodiversity conservation, the Blue Economy, and capacity building for employment in emerging ‘green and blue’ sectors.
This strategic collaboration aims to tackle pressing regional challenges such as climate-sensitive waste management, climate-resilient energy supply, and the sustainable use of biodiversity and marine resources.
The initiative will also include support for technical assistance, institutional strengthening, and stakeholder training, particularly in tourism and agriculture, promoting innovative and circular approaches to development.
In the energy sector, this CARICOM-Germany partnership aims to enhance long-term strategies for transitioning to green energy, encourage investment in renewable projects, and promote decarbonised energy systems throughout the Region.
Similarly, biodiversity and ecosystems will be positioned as key contributors to sustainable development, with the CARICOM Secretariat positioned to receive support to help Member States implement the Caribbean Biodiversity Strategy.
Efforts to develop the blue economy are also expected to be advanced through initiatives focused on Marine Protected Areas and enhanced public-private cooperation for sustainable coastal development. It is anticipated that complementary training programmes will address skills gaps in the education sector, equipping the regional workforce with qualifications needed for employment in green and blue industries.
These important initiatives will be coordinated by the CARICOM Secretariat in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), further strengthening the longstanding development cooperation between CARICOM and Germany.
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