Disaster Readiness: Barbados fisheries officials tested hurricane response by running a nationwide drill to relocate the fishing fleet, aiming to avoid a repeat of Hurricane Beryl’s damage and stress faster, coordinated vessel movement. Science-to-Policy Push: Government launched a Research Frontier Symposium to put national and regional scientific research at the heart of policymaking, linking agencies and partners around sustainable blue and green economies. Climate Data Sharing: CIMH’s Dr David Farrell warned that gaps in data-sharing across Barbados and the wider Caribbean are limiting climate research and weakening decision-making, calling for urgent access to key datasets. Payments & Digital IDs: The Central Bank of Barbados is rolling out BiMPay, framed as the “payment rail” behind faster, safer, more accessible digital payments, with a WhatsApp-linked service planned around June 12 and digital ID-based registration. Energy & Exploration: Barbados began direct offshore petroleum negotiations for 19 ultra-deepwater blocks, with stronger climate and methane-management standards for bidders, as seismic surveys point to major potential oil and gas resources. Skills & TVET Tech: HEART/NSTA Trust digitised Level Two TVET courses on its Moodle platform under a CARICOM pilot, expanding access to skills training in areas like tiling and hospitality. Regional Finance Reform: CDB President Daniel Best unveiled “CDB Forward” to reshape how the bank delivers climate, infrastructure, education, and private-sector support across the Caribbean. Tourism Tech & Governance: Turks and Caicos passed a Tourism Authority Bill to modernise destination management, including research and visitor experience planning.