AGP Executive Report

Digital Payments Push: Former Central Bank Governor DeLisle Worrell argues Barbados should favour bank-directed and digital payments over cash, citing lower loss and fraud risk and stronger authentication. Education Tech & Reform: The Ministry of Education Transformation rolls out a “Year of Purpose” for 2026-27 with new digital forums for teachers and students, while the Barbados Union of Teachers urges a slower, consultative rollout of assessment and secondary placement changes. Youth Skills in Software: WorldSkills Barbados Juniors Future Skills Camp introduces mobile app development, with campers building learning-focused apps and shifting next week’s focus to cybersecurity. Health Preparedness: Barbados is urged to tighten defences against measles amid a major regional outbreak, with officials warning the island remains vulnerable to imported cases. Cyber/AI Momentum: Future Caribbean’s Agentic AI Buildathon has moved into the build phase with 450-plus participants across 39 countries working on deployable solutions for areas like health, finance, tourism, logistics, and climate resilience. Local Industry & Supply Chains: Barbados’ private sector backs stronger support for manufacturers amid concerns that imported construction materials are eroding local capacity, while shipping disruptions have delayed back-to-school supplies at Abed’s. Energy & Business Risk: Solar Dynamics Limited’s charged assets are up for sale after a receiver was appointed, raising questions for the solar water heating pioneer’s future. Accessibility Rights: Senator Janeil Odle calls for enforced building-code accessibility so disabled people can access courts and other public buildings under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.

Barbados Defence Force Modernisation: BDF Chief of Staff Brigadier Carlos Lovell renewed a youth call to join as the force updates gear and technology to meet cyber threats, gun violence and disasters. Education Tech & Skills: WorldSkills Barbados Juniors Future Skills Camp added mobile app development (plus 3D printing and robotics), while the Ministry of Education Transformation named 2026-27 the “Year of Purpose” with new digital forums for teachers and students. Assessment Reform Pushback: The Barbados Union of Teachers urged a slower, consultative rollout for student assessment and secondary placement changes, following parent concerns and a petition. Digital Payments: Former Central Bank Governor Dr. DeLisle Worrell argued for digital and bank-directed payments over cash to cut loss and fraud risks. Local Industry Under Pressure: Barbados Private Sector Association backed stronger support for manufacturers as imports erode domestic capacity during the construction boom. Energy & Business Risk: Solar Dynamics Limited’s charged assets are up for sale after a receiver took control, adding uncertainty for solar water heating in the region. Agritech & Health Safety: Authorities are reviewing paraquat controls amid global phase-out moves. AI Buildathon Momentum: Future Caribbean says 450+ builders from 39 countries are in the build phase of an agentic AI challenge for real-world Caribbean deployments.

Digital Payments Push: Former Central Bank Governor Dr. DeLisle Worrell argues Barbados should favour digital and bank-directed payments over cash, citing lower fraud and loss risks and stronger transaction security. Education Tech & Reform: The Ministry of Education Transformation names 2026/27 the “Year of Purpose,” adding digital forums for teachers and students, while secondary placement reform is adjusted after parent concerns and the Barbados Union of Teachers calls for a slower, consultative rollout. Youth Coding & Apps: WorldSkills Barbados Juniors Future Skills Camp introduces mobile app development, with teens building learning and social-media-linked tools as cybersecurity becomes the next focus. Local Industry & Supply Chains: Barbados Private Sector Association backs stronger local manufacturing support, while Abed’s warns shipping disruptions could delay back-to-school supplies and may hit Christmas stock. Solar Industry Update: Solar Dynamics Limited’s assets are being put up for sale after receivership, raising questions for Barbados’ solar water heating sector. Regional Digital Public Infrastructure: Caribbean countries are building cross-border digital public infrastructure through interoperable, practical use cases—aiming for trust and smoother regional services.

Education Tech & Reform: Barbados’ 2026/27 school year is branded the “Year of Purpose,” with a new digital educators’ forum for teachers and student idea-sharing, while secondary placement reform is being adjusted after parent and stakeholder pushback—continuous assessment for placement is postponed and the Common Entrance Exam remains for now. Assessment & Access: The Barbados Union of Teachers is urging a slower, consultative rollout of assessment changes, and disability advocates are pressing for real enforcement of accessibility—especially for public buildings like courts—under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act. Digital Skills: WorldSkills Barbados Juniors Future Skills Camp added mobile app development, with teens building learning-focused apps and exploring future tech like robotics and cybersecurity. AI Buildathon: Future Caribbean says 450-plus builders from 39 countries are in the build phase of an Agentic AI challenge, targeting deployable solutions across disaster response, health, finance, tourism, logistics, food systems and climate resilience. Agritech & Health Safety: Barbados is reviewing whether to tighten controls or phase out paraquat (Gramoxone) amid wider international moves linked to health concerns. Trade & Supply Chain: Abed’s reports back-to-school delays tied to shipping disruptions, warning Christmas stock could also be affected. Regional Digital Infrastructure: CARICOM countries are connecting national digital public infrastructure through cross-border, practical use cases aimed at interoperability and digital trust.

Education Tech & Reform: Barbados’ Education Transformation Minister Chad Blackman declared 2026-27 the “Year of Purpose,” backed by new digital forums for teachers and students, while the rollout of continuous assessment for secondary placement has been postponed after parent pushback—BUT and teachers are urging a phased, consultative approach. Skills for the Digital Economy: WorldSkills Barbados Juniors Future Skills Camp added mobile app development for the first time, with campers building learning-focused apps and exploring future tech like robotics and cybersecurity. AI & Regional Innovation: Future Caribbean’s Agentic AI Buildathon has drawn 450+ builders across 39 countries, aiming for production-ready AI solutions for disaster response, health, finance, tourism, logistics, food systems and climate resilience. Digital Public Infrastructure: Caribbean nations are connecting digital public infrastructure across borders through interoperability and digital trust use cases, with CARICOM acting as a coordination layer. Local Industry & Supply Chains: Barbados’ private sector backs stronger local manufacturing support and local content rules, while Abed’s warns shipping disruptions could delay back-to-school supplies and may affect Christmas stock. Public Health & Safety: Agricultural authorities are reviewing tighter controls or a possible ban on paraquat, as more countries move to phase out the toxic weedkiller. Accessibility: Disability advocates say building codes exist but aren’t enforced, calling for urgent action to make courts and public buildings accessible under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act. Water Resilience Lesson: Puerto Rico’s drought-driven rationing highlights how decentralized rainwater harvesting could reduce crisis impacts.

Education Transformation: Barbados’ Oceana Innovation Hub is set as a built testbed for project-based learning, climate resilience, and new school architecture—moving beyond “chalk and talk” toward a more collaborative model. Cricket Governance: Shaka O’Neal, a medical laboratory technologist, surprised many by winning a seat on the Barbados Cricket Association board, with a stated focus on grassroots development. Pesticide Policy: Agricultural authorities are reviewing whether to ban or tighten paraquat (Gramoxone), as more countries phase it out over health concerns. Digital Public Infrastructure: Caribbean nations are building cross-border digital public infrastructure with interoperability and digital trust as key themes. Accessibility Rights: Disability advocates say Barbados’ building codes exist but aren’t enforced, calling for urgent action to make courts and public buildings accessible under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act. Student Assessment Reform: The Barbados Union of Teachers urges a phased, consultative rollout of assessment and secondary placement changes to avoid rushing reforms amid learning loss and staffing strain. AI & Youth Tech: Future Caribbean’s Agentic AI Buildathon has drawn 450+ builders, while WorldSkills Juniors in Barbados added mobile app development to its future-skills camp. Tourism Research: The Caribbean Tourism Organization will launch a Caribbean Tourism Research Forum at SOTIC 2026 to connect research with tourism policy and industry innovation. Border Tech: Barbados is moving to strengthen advance passenger screening via new immigration data legislation, with data protection and anti-profiling safeguards.

AI & Digital Skills: WorldSkills Barbados Juniors Future Skills Camp added mobile app development for the first time, with campers building learning-focused apps and set to shift next week to cybersecurity. Youth & Entrepreneurship: Youth minister Shane Archer urged young Barbadians to lead now, not wait for titles, while WorldSkills Minister Sandra Husbands reiterated government investment in practical training. AI Buildathon Momentum: Future Caribbean says 450-plus builders from 39 countries are in the build phase of its Agentic AI Buil­dathon, targeting deployable solutions across disaster management, health, tourism, logistics, food systems and climate resilience. Tourism Research Link-Up: The Caribbean Tourism Organization will launch a Caribbean Tourism Research Forum at SOTIC 2026 in Guyana to connect research with tourism policy and destination decisions. Border Tech for Security: Barbados moved forward with the Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record Bill to screen travellers in advance, with data protection and anti-profiling safeguards. Agritech in the Region: Barbados-based Red Diamond Compost is among 15 AgTech startups selected for IICA’s Digital Agriculture Week in Costa Rica. National Capacity & Defence: Barbados Defence Force begins a major modernisation aimed at maritime, cyber and climate emergency readiness. Energy & Data Centre Caution: Economist Marla Dukharan warned that large-scale AI and data centre investments must deliver clear national benefits, not just foreign capital. Local Governance & Housing: Government plans to acquire church land in St Philip for a higher-density housing push. Science & Innovation Recognition: A Diamond Anniversary Honour Bill will recognise 120 Barbadians, including contributions in science, technology and innovation.

Digital Skills in Barbados: WorldSkills Barbados Juniors Future Skills Camp added mobile app development for the first time, with teens building learning-and-entertainment apps and set to move into cybersecurity next week. AI Buildathon Momentum: Future Caribbean says 450-plus builders from 39 countries are in the build phase of its Agentic AI Buil­dathon, targeting deployable solutions across disaster response, health, finance, tourism, logistics, food systems and climate resilience. Tourism Research Gets a Platform: The Caribbean Tourism Organization will launch a Caribbean Tourism Research Forum at SOTIC 2026 in Guyana to connect researchers with tourism policymakers and industry for smarter, sustainable decisions. Border Tech for Security: Barbados is advancing an Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record Bill to screen travellers before arrival, with data protection and anti-profiling safeguards. Food Tech for Resilience: A regional push is testing black soldier fly larvae to turn food and farm waste into locally produced animal feed, aiming to cut import dependence. Local Tech & Defence: Barbados Defence Force begins major modernisation, with upgrades aimed at maritime, border and cyber threats. Youth & Entrepreneurship: EmpowerHer celebrated 41 women completing an entrepreneurship programme covering planning, finance, marketing, pitching and compliance.

Skills & Apps: WorldSkills Barbados Juniors Future Skills Camp adds mobile app development for the first time, with campers building apps and games; cybersecurity is set as next week’s focus. Youth Learning Tech: A 15-year-old’s “Work Entertainment” concept turns social media time into quiz-based learning across subjects like math, English, science and history. AI Buildathon: Future Caribbean says 450-plus builders from 39 countries are in the build phase of its Agentic AI Buil­dathon, targeting deployable AI for sectors from healthcare and tourism to climate resilience and the blue economy. Tourism Research: The CTO will launch an inaugural Caribbean Tourism Research Forum at SOTIC 2026 (Oct 6) to connect research with tourism policy and industry decisions. Border Tech & Data: Barbados moves to strengthen border security with advance passenger information legislation, aiming to screen travellers before arrival while protecting personal data and avoiding profiling. Defence Modernisation: Barbados Defence Force announces a major modernisation push, including new technology for the Barbados Cadet Corps. Digital Agriculture: IICA selects 15 AgTech startups for Digital Agriculture Week, including Barbados’ Red Diamond Compost. Health & Community: DLP calls for a national catastrophic illness fund for children after a teen’s death, urging support beyond online fundraising.

Youth Tech in Barbados: A 15-year-old at WorldSkills Barbados Juniors built a mobile app concept that turns social media time into learning by requiring quiz questions (math, English, science, history) before users access selected platforms. Workforce & Skills Investment: Minister Sandra Husbands highlighted continued government investment in young Barbadians through the WorldSkills Junior Camp at SJPI, stressing practical, global-competitive skills. Tourism Research for Policy: The Caribbean Tourism Organization announced an inaugural Caribbean Tourism Research Forum at SOTIC 2026 (Oct 6, Guyana) to connect researchers with tourism policymakers and industry for smarter, sustainable decisions. Digital Agriculture Picks: IICA and a jury selected 15 AgTech startups for Digital Agriculture Week in Costa Rica (Sept 7–10), including Barbados’ Red Diamond Compost. Food System Innovation: A regional push explores black soldier fly larvae to convert food and farm waste into protein-rich animal feed, aiming to cut reliance on imported inputs. Border Tech & Data Protection: Barbados moved forward with the Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record Bill to strengthen pre-arrival screening for air/sea travel while protecting personal data. Defence Modernisation: The Barbados Defence Force announced a major transformation to tackle modern risks like cyber threats and maritime trafficking, including new tech for the Cadet Corps. Earthquake Update (Region): Trinidad and Tobago was hit by a 5.1 quake with no immediate damage reports.

Border Tech & Privacy: Barbados is moving to introduce Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record screening for travellers by air and sea, aiming to strengthen border security and national safety while adding data protection and preventing racial profiling. Housing & Land Tech: Government plans to compulsorily acquire about 2.21 acres of church-owned land in St Philip to support a housing push, with expectations of higher-density developments. Defence Modernisation: The Barbados Defence Force is rolling out a major transformation to tackle new risks, including cyber threats and maritime trafficking, with upgrades to capability. Food Systems Innovation: Caribbean researchers are testing black soldier fly larvae to turn food and agricultural waste into protein-rich animal feed, cutting reliance on imported inputs. Tourism Research Push: The Caribbean Tourism Organization will launch an inaugural Caribbean Tourism Research Forum at SOTIC 2026 to connect research with tourism policy, destination strategy, and industry innovation. Education for Youth: BHTA’s Adopt-A-School futsal tournament is raising funds for school IT, upgrades, environmental projects, nutrition, and other needs. Underwater Safety Tech: A new underwater monitoring approach uses AI to estimate scuba divers’ breathing from exhaled bubbles, helping detect when divers may be in trouble. Health Equity: The DLP is calling for a national catastrophic illness fund for children after the death of a teen with acute myeloid leukaemia.

Tourism Research & Policy: The Caribbean Tourism Organization is launching the inaugural Caribbean Tourism Research Forum at SOTIC 2026 in Guyana (Oct 6), aiming to connect researchers with destination leaders and industry so tourism decisions are guided by practical, evidence-based findings. Regional Connectivity: interCaribbean Airways has been named Official Airline Partner for SOTIC 2026, offering a 25% discount for delegates and CTO members—another push to make regional tech-and-tourism conversations easier to attend. Defence Tech & Training: Barbados Defence Force is rolling out a major modernisation, including new technology being introduced to the Barbados Cadet Corps to build modern skills for young people. Digital Civic Tools: Pearly, a new Barbados platform for public reporting and bus tracking, is seeing rapid uptake, with potholes topping complaints as citizens log road defects and use the bus locator. Health & Funding: The DLP is calling for a National Catastrophic Illness Fund for children after the death of a teen awaiting a bone marrow transplant, highlighting the pressure on families facing high-cost treatment. Business & Tech Investment: Massy Holdings reports 7% revenue growth for the first nine months of 2026, while profits fall 35.6%, citing investments in people, technology and safety systems. Underwater AI Safety: Researchers describe underwater robots using AI to estimate divers’ breathing from bubble patterns—an assistive safety tool for when a buddy can’t spot trouble fast enough.

Oceanfront Work-Life Tech: The Leela Vida in Christ Church is opening in 2026 with a solar-powered, oceanfront setup that bundles a luxury gym, performance recovery, soundproof work pods, and nutrition support to cut down on executives’ fragmented daily routines. Defence Modernisation: The Barbados Defence Force is rolling out a major transformation to modernise operations, with a focus on maritime and border protection, radar surveillance, and new tech for the Barbados Cadet Corps. EV Industry Watch: Japan is pushing a fresh wave of electric vehicles, including upgraded Nissan, Toyota/Lexus, Subaru, Mazda, Suzuki and Maruti models, as the wider industry shifts further toward EVs. Hurricane Planning: NOAA has trimmed its 2026 Atlantic storm outlook to 7–13 named storms and flagged a below-normal season—while warning the peak risk period is still starting now for Caribbean travellers. Health & Community Tech: A new EduConnect app is launching to streamline school-parent communication and reduce admin load for teachers. Youth & Safety: The National Council on Substance Abuse is raising concerns about underage drinking at Crop Over events where ID checks appear weak. Tourism & Skills: CTO is launching a Caribbean Tourism Research Forum at SOTIC 2026, and interCaribbean Airways is named Official Airline Partner for delegate discounts. Civic Platform: Pearly, a new digital platform, is seeing rapid uptake in Barbados for reporting potholes and tracking bus routes.

NOAA Forecast: NOAA cut its 2026 Atlantic outlook to 7–13 named storms (75% chance of below-normal), but the peak risk is still just weeks away—so Caribbean travel plans should treat “below-normal” as reduced odds, not zero risk. Public Safety Tech: A new underwater AI system can estimate a scuba diver’s breathing rate by watching exhaled bubbles, aiming to spot trouble faster when buddies can’t. Education Digital Tools: Barbados launched EduConnect, a paid app to streamline school–parent communication and reduce teacher admin work, with early use in five schools and plans to expand. Civic Tech in Action: The Pearly app is drawing thousands of users during Crop Over, with potholes and bus tracking topping the reports as a centralised digital complaint log takes shape. Sports + STEM for Youth: The Barbados Defence Force marked its 47th anniversary and announced new technology for the Barbados Cadet Corps. Housing Tech/Finance: Deanstown Heights will add 34 affordable homes via a credit union-led model, with buyers already showing interest. Health Support: QEH breastfeeding advocates say mothers often stop early due to returning to work and lack of workplace pumping support. Regional Connectivity: interCaribbean Airways named Official Airline Partner for CTO’s SOTIC 2026, offering a 25% delegate flight discount.

Education Tech: EduConnect, a new paid mobile app, is rolling out to streamline school–home communication and cut teacher admin, with early use in five schools and plans to reach about 30 next term. Public Safety & Civic Tech: The Pearly app saw thousands of sign-ups during Crop Over, boosted by a live band tracker and real-time data used by emergency services. STEM for Youth: The Barbados Defence Force says new technology will be introduced to the Barbados Cadet Corps to build modern skills. Health Tech & Support: QEH breastfeeding advocates renewed calls for workplace support and dedicated pumping spaces as mothers often stop exclusive breastfeeding after returning to work. Community Funding: BHTA is running an Adopt-A-School Futsal Tournament to raise at least $50,000 for school IT, upgrades, nutrition, sports, music and water storage. Underwater Robotics: A University of Minnesota team reports underwater robots can estimate scuba divers’ breathing by watching exhaled bubbles. Digital Government Capacity: A new study highlights the need for citizen capability and trust to make government digital services work. Infrastructure & Reporting: Pearly’s developer says potholes are the top complaint on the app’s digital reporting platform, with thousands logging road defects.

Defence & Youth Tech: The Barbados Defence Force marked its 47th anniversary and used the occasion to announce new technology being introduced to the Barbados Cadet Corps to build modern skills in young people. Public Safety Robotics: Researchers report underwater robots that can estimate a diver’s breathing rate by watching exhaled bubbles—an AI-assisted way to spot trouble faster, though bubble detection is harder than in-air sensing. School Digital Tools: EduConnect, a new app to streamline school–parent communication and cut teacher admin work, is already in use in five schools with plans to expand. Civic Tech in Action: The Pearly app is seeing heavy use for reporting potholes and tracking buses, with thousands of downloads and a growing push for faster government response. Education Funding Through Sport: The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association is running an Adopt-A-School futsal tournament to raise at least $50,000 for school IT, upgrades, environmental projects, and more. Health & Workplace Support: QEH breastfeeding advocates say mothers often stop early due to returning to work and lack of workplace pumping spaces, calling for breastfeeding-friendly policies. Safety at Festivals: The National Council on Substance Abuse warns underage drinking at Crop Over events is happening where ID checks are weak. Earth Monitoring: UWI Seismic Research Centre recorded a minor 3.5 quake east of Saint Vincent (10 km deep) with no immediate damage reports. Bilingual Signage Push: Barbados is adding bilingual road signs, with calls to expand Spanish learning beyond schools and into public life.