AGP Executive Report

Dance: Barbadian artist Shea Best’s path from music and steel pan to dance is in the spotlight. Starting lessons at 18, he trained in ballet, jazz and modern dance and has become one of the island’s hardest-working male dancers. Caribbean Film: Jamaican thriller Stew Peas is set to open in Barbados and six other Caribbean territories on October 29. The film is also up for six Caribbean Film Awards, including best feature and best actress. Music: LL Cool J says his Barbadian jazz-musician grandfather inspired the title of his 1985 debut album, Radio, believing he could hear his grandson on the hospital radio. Rihanna: The Barbadian superstar says she has at least 170 unreleased songs in her vault, adding to speculation about her long-awaited next album. Bajan Culture: A look at the Mighty Sparrow recalls his lasting place in calypso and the memories his music holds for Barbadians. Food and Rum: Local food lovers share favourite island stops as the Barbados Food and Rum Festival returns.

Rihanna’s Music Vault: The Barbadian superstar says she has at least 170 unreleased songs, renewing hopes for her first album since 2016. Caribbean Film: Jamaican thriller Stew Peas, nominated for six Caribbean Film Awards, is set to open in Barbados on October 29 as part of its regional release. Food & Rum: With the Barbados Food and Rum Festival approaching, local food voices are sharing favourite island spots and everyday flavours beyond the festival events. Bajan Sound: A feature asks what Barbados sounds like today, turning attention to the island’s contemporary music scene.

Food & Rum: With the Barbados Food and Rum Festival approaching, local food lovers share island favourites beyond the festival circuit, including Freddy’s Pork, Chicken and Chips on Tweedside Road. Caribbean Film: Jamaican thriller Stew Peas is up for six awards at the inaugural Caribbean Film Awards and is set for a Barbados cinema release on October 29. Rihanna: The Barbadian star says she has at least 170 unreleased songs in her vault, deepening speculation about her first album since 2016. Barbados Sound: A new feature asks what Barbados sounds like today, putting the island’s contemporary music scene in focus.

Caribbean Film: Jamaican thriller Stew Peas is in the running for six awards at Saturday’s inaugural Caribbean Film Awards. Its regional cinema release begins October 29, including in Barbados. Rihanna: The Barbadian star says she has at least 170 unreleased tracks, fuelling hopes for new music; she also shared holiday campaign photos featuring all three of her children. Bajan Sound: Artists across generations are discussing what makes Barbados’ music distinct, as the BIM@60 project works to highlight 60 songs that tell the island’s story. Food and Culture: The Barbados Food and Rum Festival has launched with a preview of what’s ahead, putting local flavours and culinary talent in the spotlight.

Poetry: Bermudian poet Nancy Anne Miller has released Missing Hurricanes, with Barbados Poet Laureate Esther Philips praising its exploration of island life, colonialism and memory. Bajan Music: A new BIM@60 feature asks what makes Barbados’ sound distinctive, tracing its range from spouge and soca to today’s genre-blending artists and inviting the public to help select 60 songs that tell the island’s story. Caribbean Pageant: Barbadian heritage is taking the spotlight in London as Ta-Jah Kelly, 21, competes for the Miss Caribbean UK crown on October 17, with performances celebrating Caribbean culture. Food and Rum Festival: The free public launch is set for Saturday, October 10, at Stade’s Rum Visitor Centre, with live cooking, mixology, food samples and Bajan music ahead of the November festival.

Heritage: Liberia’s cultural envoy has been invited to the November 28 opening of Barbados’ Ancestral Memorial to the Enslaved at Newton, designed by David Adjaye to honour 570 people buried at the site. Food & Music: The Barbados Food and Rum Festival’s free public launch is set for October 10 at Stade’s Rum Visitor Centre, with cooking demonstrations, food samples, mixology and live performances by Adrian Clarke, RPB, Shanta Prince, SugahRhe and Hypasounds. Live Music: “Road to 60” and Five roadshows aim to boost Barbados’ live music scene. Calypso: Recent tributes have celebrated the Mighty Sparrow’s legacy, including a three-hour medley hailed as a salute to the calypso king.

Food & Rum Festival: Barbados’ festival launches Saturday, October 10, with free food samples, live cooking and mixology at Stade’s Rum Visitor Centre, plus performances by Adrian Clarke, RPB, Shanta Prince, SugahRhe and Hypasounds. The November festival runs from November 5 to 8. Bajan Food, Reimagined: Chef Javon Cummins is giving familiar dishes a creative new look, including a refined take on pudding and souse. His aim: modernise the plate without losing the memories and flavours behind it. Live Music: “Road to 60 and Five” roadshows are set to boost Barbados’ live music scene, while a three-hour medley celebrating calypso legend Mighty Sparrow has been hailed as a fitting tribute.

Senior Sport: Barbados’ 2026 National Senior Games have wrapped, with 21 athletes receiving Rawle Clarke Legacy Awards and organisers eyeing a bigger event in 2027. Food & Culture: Chef Javon Cummins is reimagining pudding and souse for the Barbados Food and Rum Festival, giving a familiar Saturday tradition a modern presentation while keeping its flavours and memories intact. Triathlon: Barbados has named a record team for the CARIFTA triathlon and aquathlon championships in Bermuda, hoping to build on last year’s second-place finish. Live Culture: The Gombey Festival is returning, while a series of “Road to 60” roadshows aims to give Barbados’ live music scene a boost. Calypso Legacy: A three-hour medley celebrating the Mighty Sparrow has been hailed as a tribute to the calypso king’s lasting influence.

Food & Festival: Chef Javon Cummins is giving pudding and souse a contemporary makeover for the Barbados Food and Rum Festival, using bold presentation while keeping the dish’s familiar flavours and memories intact. Music Legacy: A three-hour tribute medley has honoured calypso great Mighty Sparrow, whose storytelling and songs shaped Caribbean music and carnival. Live Music: “Road to 60 and Five” roadshows aim to give Barbados’ live music scene a boost. Heritage: Barbados marked 50 years since the bombing of Cubana Flight 455, remembering the 73 victims and the lasting ties of regional solidarity forged after the attack.

CARIFTA Triathlon & Aquathlon: Barbados has named its record team for the 2026 CARIFTA Triathlon, Aquathlon and Mixed Relay Championships in Bermuda (Oct. 23–25), aiming to build on last year’s second-place finish. Sports & Spotlight: Former Pakistan pacer Sohail Tanvir says Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s continued presence is an “absolute blessing” for Indian cricket, praising their experience and impact. Cybercrime Training: A regional workshop brought together police and cyber units from Belize, Colombia, Aruba, Barbados and others to boost cross-border cooperation against cybercrime. Science & Sargassum: Barbados is pushing ahead with biotech and advanced manufacturing plans after UWI research identified three microbial strains that can break down decomposing sargassum. Health & Community: Barbados Postal Service says it’s open to using AI to modernize operations as Postal Week begins. Culture & Memory: Barbados marks the 50th anniversary of Cubana Flight 455 with renewed calls for solidarity and medication support for Cuba.

50th Anniversary Remembrance: Barbados marks 50 years since the 1976 Cubana de Aviación Flight 455 bombing, which killed 73 people including members of Cuba’s youth fencing team, with tributes highlighting the tragedy’s lasting regional impact. Science & Environment: Barbados is pushing ahead with research into microbes found in decomposing sargassum, aiming to turn the seaweed problem into biotech and advanced-manufacturing opportunities. Royal Caribbean x Sandals Deal: Royal Caribbean has agreed a major $3 billion partnership with Sandals and Beaches, linking cruise travel with all-inclusive resort stays under one umbrella. Cultural Legacy: The Mighty Sparrow’s enduring influence is revisited in fresh reflections on calypso’s storytelling power. Health & Community: Barbados Doctors’ Week opens with a focus on how technology and multidisciplinary teams are reshaping care, while the Barbados Postal Service says it’s ready to embrace AI. Judiciary & Justice: Douglas Frederick is appointed to serve as acting judge in the newly established Gun Court. Sports & Culture: Barbados’ Tridents score a 4-1 win over Bermuda in CONCACAF Nations League action, while Gombey Festival culture continues to light up the region.

Cricket x Viral Culture: Hardik Pandya revived his iconic World Cup shrug celebration—this time with global YouTube star MrBeast and Indian creator CarryMinati—sparking fresh buzz after the pose’s 2024 Barbados T20 World Cup moment. Arts & Heritage: Barbados readers also got a calypso reminder of the Mighty Sparrow’s legacy, with a spotlight on his storytelling and Carnival impact. Local Sports Development: FMT Sport Club returned from Jamaica’s CAREBACO Smash Badminton Tournament with medals across senior and junior categories, including gold for Under-15 and Under-11 doubles. Community & Culture Events: Gombey Festival 2026 brought drumming, whistles, and troupes together in Bermuda’s Botanical Gardens, celebrating the tradition as living art and history. Barbados Governance & Tech: The Barbados Postal Service says it’s open to using AI to modernize operations as mail habits shift. Judiciary Update: Douglas Frederick was appointed acting judge in Barbados’ newly established Gun Court for three years.

AI & Work: Barbados is set to assess AI’s impact on the Barbadian workforce, with PM Mia Amor Mottley saying work will begin soon on the Competitiveness and Productivity Commission. Postal Tech: Barbados Postal Service says it’s open to using AI to improve operations, noting traditional mail decline and promising plans for the year ahead. Digital Youth: Young parliamentarians debate whether Barbados is ready for digital transformation, pushing for digital literacy, coding and AI education from primary level while flagging the digital divide. Live Music Push: “Road to 60 and Five” roadshows launch with nine weekly community concerts to boost the live music scene beyond Crop Over. Sports Spotlight: Barbados Tridents top Group B after a 4-1 Nations League win over Bermuda. Regional Justice: The CCJ will hold its first-ever travelling sittings in Saint Lucia on Oct 7–8, with livestream access. Culture Moment: Gombey Festival returns, with troupes filling Bermuda’s Botanical Gardens and leaders praising the tradition’s history of rebellion and freedom.

Road to 60 and Five Roadshows: Barbados is kicking off a nine-week live music push with community concerts starting tomorrow, pairing promoter Omar “Marzville” McQuilkin with acts including Rite Side of Red and Richard “Scrilla” Straker to boost opportunities beyond Crop Over. Digital Future: Young parliamentarians debated whether Barbados is ready for digital transformation, calling for early digital literacy, coding and AI education while warning about infrastructure and the digital divide. AI at Work: Government says it will assess how artificial intelligence will affect the Barbadian workforce, with work expected to begin soon on the Competitiveness and Productivity Commission. Doctors’ Week: The Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners marks its first-ever Doctors’ Week after 50 years, spotlighting the changing practice of medicine and the growing role of AI and online health information. Health & Safety: A family is urging action after the death of 4-year-old Xavio Trotman in a St David’s collision, calling for speed limits and more cameras. Regional Justice: The CCJ will hold historic itinerant sittings in St Lucia next week, bringing the court closer to people across CARICOM.

Culture & Heritage: The 2026 Gombey Festival roared back to life in Barbados’ Botanical Gardens, with hundreds watching troupes celebrate the tradition’s history of rebellion, freedom, and community teaching. Sports & Community: Barbados’ Tridents powered past Bermuda 4-1 in CONCACAF Nations League B to top Group B, while youth parliamentarians pushed for digital literacy and AI education from primary school as Barbados charts its next tech stage. Workforce & Tech: Government says it will assess AI’s impact on the Barbadian workforce, with the Competitiveness and Productivity Commission expected to begin work soon. Music Scene: “Road to 60 and Five” roadshows kick off to boost live music beyond Crop Over, with weekly community concerts leading toward Independence celebrations. Regional Spotlight: The CCJ will hold historic itinerant sittings in St Lucia next week, and regional sport leaders discussed pathways toward the CARICOM Games. Media & Society: UNFPA is urging more human-centred local reporting on gender-based violence, child marriage, and adolescent pregnancy. Everyday Life: Flow delayed a planned post-paid mobile data rate increase after public backlash.

Crypto Scandal: A new report spotlights Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao’s rise and influence after a US pardon following a guilty plea, raising fresh questions about power in the crypto world. Gender & Media: UNFPA says local media partnerships in Guyana should better cover gender-based violence, child marriage, and adolescent pregnancy with survivor-focused reporting. Local Culture & Music: Barbados’ “Road to 60 and Five” roadshows launch nine weekly live concerts to boost the island’s live music scene beyond Crop Over. Youth & Tech: Barbados youth parliamentarians call digital transformation “risky but necessary,” pushing for earlier digital literacy, coding, and AI education plus better school infrastructure. Sports Spotlight: Barbados Road Tennis Open wraps with finals at Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, highlighting high-quality play and refurbished courts. Food & Heritage: Chef Dixie Fingal-Rock Innes shares a light shrimp souse recipe, while Candy Kay releases two contrasting Christmas tracks blending soca parang and traditional parang. Arts & Identity: Gail O’Kane reflects on decades of sketching Barbados chattel houses to preserve disappearing local history. Health Note: Heart and Stroke Foundation data from QEH flags serious repeat heart-attack rates and urgent action on heart health.