Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Senator Dr Shantal Munro-Knight, has underscored the importance of entrusting young people with the responsibility of addressing climate challenges, particularly in small island developing states.

Senator Munro-Knight was speaking during Climate Mobility Youth Day at COP29 in Azerbaijan.

Reflecting on the Government’s youth-focused initiative, the Minister remarked: “We have to trust…our young people.  As we challenge them to walk with us, we put our money where our mouth is. Regardless of qualifications, we want to know that they can bring skills, heart, and commitment,” she stated.

She also spoke about this country’s Future Barbados initiative, which was launched in 2018 to empower young Barbadians to solve pressing issues facing the island state.

The initiative calls on Barbadians under 40 years, whether residing locally or abroad, to contribute innovative solutions to challenges such as blue economy sustainability, effective governance, and public health amid the climate crisis.

During the High-Level Session, youth delegates from around the world presented innovative policy ideas, directly engaging with global leaders. The session was a key step towards forming a coalition between the co-hosting governments and young people, aimed at driving forward inclusive and sustainable climate adaptation strategies.

Dr. Munro-Knight also highlighted Barbados’ ongoing commitment to youth development, speaking to scholarship programmes and new opportunities for young leaders to gain expertise and exercise agency in addressing global climate issues. 

She expressed confidence that these investments would foster a generation of informed leaders dedicated to bringing their skills back home to support national development. 

The success of Climate Mobility Youth Day underscored the critical role of youth engagement in tackling the dual challenges of climate change and human mobility. Barbados’ active participation demonstrated its commitment to empowering the next generation of climate leaders. (PR/GIS)

A team of about 50 volunteers from CIBC Caribbean and their families joined hundreds around the world on Saturday 21^st September for the start of the International Coastal Clean-up – the world’s largest annual volunteer effort created to tackle and clean up increasing levels of trash and debris which are impacting our delicate marine environment. 

Armed with gloves and lots of energy, the team assembled on the Drill Hall Beach, St. Michael from as early as 6.30a.m., and with the help of the crew from the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) they started the task of collecting trash left by people who use the popular beach. 

The Barbados International Coastal Clean-up (BICC) is an annual nationwide volunteer beach cleanup event which is coordinated by Barbados’ Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN), a non-profit organization. This year the cleanup for Barbados will take place every Saturday until the end of October in an attempt to tackle and prevent the damage being done to our local marine environment by trash and debris on our beautiful beaches.

On Saturday, all materials collected were carefully catalogued and recorded as the CYEN team uses this information to report into the international network to which they belong, about the items found on beaches across the region.    

Within a two-hour window, the CIBC Caribbean team had collected 108.39 kgs of garbage which included food wrappers and containers, plastic beverage bottles, clothing, pieces of glass, cups, plates, grocery bags, micro plastics and bottle caps.  They also removed pieces of wood and a discarded office chair with wheels. The group also moved the fallen dry palm tree fronds to a large pile for further removal. 

“The cleanup at Drill Hall Beach highlights the ongoing commitment of Barbadians to safeguarding our coastal environment. As we work together to remove harmful debris, we not only protect our marine ecosystems but also strengthen our communities. Each piece of litter removed is a step toward a healthier, more sustainable future for Barbados, and we are proud to have CIBC contributing to this vital cause year after year. This effort is a reminder that protecting our beaches is not just an annual event but a shared responsibility for all of us,” stated National Coordinator for the CYEN in Barbados Shannon Weekes.   

The bank also took the opportunity to present the CYEN with a donation towards their work in keeping the beaches clean by organising the clean-up exercises this year. The super-size credit card was presented by Krystle Maynard from the Treasury Department and Sean Bostic Senior Manager, Business Analysis, Performance & Analytics.

This is the third year that the bank has participated in the beach cleanup.  Other beaches they have tackled include Sam Lord’s Castle Beach, St. Philip and Pirate’s Cove Beach in Bridgetown.  (PR)

Venezuela’s opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, says he trusts the country’s military to ensure respect for the result of Sunday’s presidential election. Speaking during a press conference on Friday, Mr. Gonzalez declared that the Opposition, is going to win because millions of Venezuelans want change.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, has attracted significant support, even from former supporters of the ruling socialist party.