The Corporate Sustainability Review - CSR 2023-2024

EDITORIAL

Our new logo incorporates interlocking shapes to create an abstract image of the letters C, S, and R – an abbreviation of the registered name Corporate Sustainability Review. The embrace of the two semi-circular elements, captures the harmony of business and civil society working together; and emphasizes the human element which is at the heart of SDG goals held in common. The swirling ‘S’ linking the corporate with community, speaks to sustainability being a constant flow of innovation and adaptation.

The Corporate Sustainability Review features the unique social programmes and experiences of companies from a wide range of sectors including Energy, Finance, Manufacturing, Telecommunication Services, Retail and others as they strengthen communities and transform lives across the Caribbean region. The Corporate Sustainability Review

YOUTH CHANGEMAKERS

CREDITS

Donna Ramsammy

Saraah Khan

Stefanie Gouveia

The Inter-Generational Workplace

Shaped by the socio-economic and political upheavals of the last two decades, the billions of youth across the planet are more informed about global issues than previous generations due to technology. They are also quick to mobilise on a global scale to force change in ways that previous generations couldn’t. Protest, cancel culture, movements and digital convergence are all features of youth resistance and resilience today. This generation of youth are leading change and inspiring good in the Caribbean and on every continent.

1965 heralded the United Nations Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between Peoples. Since then, the UN has continually endorsed guidelines, policies and programmes for youth inclusion and participation in efforts towards development and peace.

2023 was declared ‘Year of Youth’ by the Commonwealth Secretariat as a year dedicated to youth led action for sustainable and inclusive development. Activities were focussed on the empowerment of some 1.5 billion across Commonwealth nations. Youth “Changemakers” were encouraged to join with civil society and governments to shape a future that is “secure, fair, and sustainable”.

In support of the Commonwealth Year of Youth, this issue of the Review recognises and celebrates Youth Changemakers in the Caribbean – among these are persons recognised by the Commonwealth as making a difference through innovation and interventions for societal progress and regional sustainability. Winners Shergaun Roserier and Maya Nanan are featured in this issue.

Education moves to the street at De Cawna Library as Jamaican activist Rachael McDonald takes a bold approach to reigniting interest in reading by bringing street culture and literacy together. It is a courageous rebirthing of our history of gathering at the neighbourhood corner, and where, by harnessing the wisdom of the elders and

Donna Ramsammy Editor-in-Chief

infusing it with the passion and promise of youth, we can recover peace, and create a secure and sustainable future – village by village and town by town.

Corporate Caribbean embraces the absolute necessity of youth inclusion in equipping the region to be more competitive and resilient in the face of economic challenges driven by disruptions to supply chains, trade imbalances, legacy debt, inequities in deployment of technology, and the growing effects of climate change.

Investments in youth are delivering significant ROI through projects such as

‣ Atlantic’s Point Fortin’s Finest Leadership Development Programme,

‣ NGC’s sporting and skills training partnerships,

‣ Heritage’s Information Technology TrainingHITT,

‣ PowerGen’s sporting excellence sponsorship,

‣ bpTT’s coral and seagrass restoration project MARIN,

‣ Shell’s Re-Ernergize TnT advocates,

‣ B-Mobile’s JumpSTART business entrepreneurship, and

‣ Ansa McAl’s Youth Champions which is making strides in building leadership competence.

Joshua Hercules is exemplary in championing the cause for getting youth off the street. Once an actor and victim of gang culture, he has come from the edge to become a strong advocate for youth entrepreneurism and youth action for a safer and more secure future through community collaboration. Joshua shows that self awareness and selfcare are essentials for beating the odds.

In Guyana, Agriculture and not just oil and gas, is fuelling a sustainable future for the South American neighbour. Youth commitment is needed for growing the industry to manage the scope and scale of food security for the country and its CARICOM partners.

Our features section examines mental health as a serious concern among youth; and how women leaders in the Energy Sector can make ESG a fundamental in the way business is delivered. Also in this section, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), is a new piece of legislation from the European Union (EU) which aims to standardise data disclosure on the impact of their activities by big business.

A Vibrant Future

Why the ANSA McAL Group is investing in youth

When it comes to youth changemaking, in the Caribbean region the ANSA McAL Group of Companies is purposefully prioritizing investing with purpose in youth within its Philanthropic contributions.

The emphasis on youth empowerment is consistent with the Group’s vision for sustainable possibilities for people everywhere. In areas that include the arts, education, sports, professional and personal development, and entertainment, the ANSA McAL Group has persistently been a prominent agent and advocate of youth changemakers. But it is not just youth, the Group's views on development through innovation and future-proofing, have positioned the Group as a changemaker across its operations.

The Champions Development Programme and iLead Internship Programme are two of the most recent initiatives that bear the characteristic ANSA McAL Group stamp.

The Champions Programme

With a sustainability focus, since its inception in 2015, the Champions Programme, is designed around a 24-month rotation, and structured to optimize professional exposure, deepen technical expertise and cultivate leadership competence for selected university graduates. Each enthusiastic intake is expected to make a mark from the first day of employment.

It’s a “talent pipeline,” says Sarah Inglefield, Head of Culture and Communications at ANSA McAL. “The Champions Development Programme aims to convert our region’s most ambitious and high-performing graduates into our future executives.” In 2023 the Group celebrated the 6th annual intake of graduates, and among them are three female graduates from Guyana where the 2022/2023 programme was launched.

Aligned to the Group’s sustainability agenda and its commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Champions delivers well on Goal 8 which promotes inclusive and sustainable economic growth along with full and productive employment and decent work for all.

Through Champions, ANSA McAL is systematizing sustainability to shape its own succession planning, and at the same time connecting youth talent to nationbuilding. These ideals should come as no surprise given the ambitious standards that the Group has set, sustained, and met since the Company was founded in 1881.

CSR STORIES

The iLead Internship Programme

Where the Champions Development looks outward for talent identification and assimilation, the iLead Internship Programme, previously known as the iLead Developmental Workshop, looks inward for talent retention and optimization. True to their motto, ‘Together We Are Family,’ ANSA McAL Group is instinctually in touch with the generational talent that already exists within their organization. 2023 marked a decade since ANSA McAL Group landed its first iLead Development Workshop.

The iLead summer internship serves the Group’s employees’ family members pursuing higher education, and strategically places interns in those areas of the operations that align with

A Vibrant Future

Why the ANSA McAL Group is investing in youth

their field of study. There, interns gain firsthand experience and knowledge to enable their personal and professional growth.

The entry-level projects available to interns allow for the honing and evolution of skills needed for the various diverse set of industries across the Group. Additionally, the structured interaction with leadership, coupled with skills building in critical areas of resumé building and interview mastery, equip interns for an easier transition from university life to the corporate world. Over the last five years alone, between 2018 and 2023, 260 internships were offered throughout the Group.

The Heroes Development Programme

Another influential move for ANSA McAL is its investment in the Heroes Foundation, Heroes Development Programme (HDP). Through this 3-year partnership, ANSA McAL is supporting the Heroes Foundation in their efforts to deliver projectbased learning for youth participants, along with an emphasis on development, training, and career planning. Sarah Inglefield described the partnership with the Heroes Foundation as “in direct alignment with some of our Sustainability Business Priorities.”

As part of its awareness of sustainable skills, the HDP emphasizes guiding participants to enhance intangible skills of self-discovery, interpersonal communication, cultural sensitivity, and leadership. The current iteration of the HDP supports 15 young individuals – 14 of whom are from Trinidad and Tobago and one from Venezuela. Inglefield notes that the facilitation of migrant activities during the programme “allow[s] migrant youth to learn Trinbagonian culture” and that “Migrant participants in HDP have also gone on to work with the ANSA McAL group in the past.”

iLead interns and ANSA McAL representatives on a tour of the Bestcrete Aggregates facility

iLead intern at Guardian Media Limited

A Vibrant Future

Why the ANSA McAL Group is investing in youth

ANSA welcomes Heroes’ mixed-method approach which encourages diversity within the programme. Instruction is delivered to a cross-section of secondary school students in Forms 1-3 and migrant youth aged 11-17 years from diverse backgrounds that include disabilities, differing socio-economic statuses, cultural and ethnic groups, and geographies. According to Heroes CEO, Lawrence Arjoon “Barriers to participation such as transportation, language, or physical accessibility have also been identified and resolved as part of the overall drive toward ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion is maintained.”

HDP’s creative use of technology to deliver its HDP programme is quite aligned to the Group’s tech bias. HDP uses the platform WebPal for example, in virtual interactions such as team-building activities and crosscultural sharing to address critical issues such as equality, violence, and environmental sustainability. Along the way, participants retain the programme’s emphasis on creating a fun environment for cultural exchange.

At the end of 2023, the ANSA McAL Team had the opportunity to interact with the 15 students at Marabella South Secondary School with the Heroes Foundation for the organisation’s League Learning experience. Joined by their Principal and teachers, Sarah Inglefield and Natalie Bibby, Corporate Sustainability Specialist delved into a meaningful session focused on career development. Its moments like these that allow the positive power of mentorship to

CSR STORIES

resonate and impact the shaping of future leaders. ANSA McAL hosted the Heroes Foundation end of year awards for year 2 of the 3-year Heroes Development Programme for the 15 students, their sponsor teachers, and parents at the ANSA McAL Headquarters at TATIL Building. Frances Bain-Cumberbatch, Chief Legal and External Affairs Officer delivered the remarks on behalf of ANSA McAL and encouraged the students to believe in themselves and strive to be all that they can be. Testimonials from the students and one of the parents let everyone present know how impactful the programme has been. They shared that the programme has enabled the students to become more outgoing and confident to share their ideas, while learning valuable life lessons and planning for their bright futures.

Frances Bain-Cumberbatch, Chief Legal and External Affairs Officer presents one of the Heroes Foundation students with an award

ANSA McAL Heroes Foundation representatives with HDP students at Marabella South Secondary School

Heroes Foundation end of year awards ceremony hosted at the ANSA McAL Head Office at TATIL Building, Port of Spain

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A Vibrant Future

Why the ANSA McAL Group is investing in youth

If it was not immediately obvious through the various opportunities for youth, education is understood by the Group as a key component of youth and societal development. Specifically, Inglefield explains that “The ANSA McAL Group is committed to our investment in youth because we recognize that we cannot succeed as a society, in business or in our communities without their active inclusion.” Youth investment is one way in how the Group sees its future viability as one of the leading regional enterprises. With a workforce of over 6500 people across seven countries, ANSA McAL understands that these investments will pay off in a more capable and work-ready talent base. Between 2022 and 2023, the ANSA McAL Group invested more than one million dollars (TTD) in schools and education across the Caribbean region.

Supporting Youth Leadership

The ANSA McAL Group was proud to support and partially sponsor Khaleem Ali to attend the 52nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva in 2023.

A graduate of the University of the West Indies and pursuing a Legal Education Certificate at the Hugh Wooding Law School, Khaleem, (24 years) had opportunities to engage in training, interact with world leaders and amplify the voice of the Caribbean in decision making processes, particularly around the issue of Human Rights.

Sarah Inglefield, stated, “This sponsorship reflects our own mission of supporting young talent as we strive to encourage youth leadership and the attributes of hard work. Khaleem’s upcoming contribution in Geneva from a Caribbean platform should not go unnoticed. He is a brilliant young man with a bright future, and we are extremely proud to support his endeavours”.

The UN Human Rights Council is the leading UN entity on human rights and represents the world’s commitment to the promotion and protection of the full range of human rights and freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

ANSA McAL Group CEO Mr. Anthony Sabga III greets Heores Foundation students

A Vibrant Future

Why the ANSA McAL Group is investing in youth

CSR STORIES

Leveraging Technology and Sports

Forerunners to the contemporary Champions Development, iLead Internship, and the Heroes Foundation programmes are other youth-focussed initiatives in arts and sports.

In October 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, ANSA McAL engaged with Caribbean artistry to encourage youth to embrace change and to be prepared for the 'new normal'. The ANSA McAL Foundation engaged powerfully and meaningfully with and for youth in its first global, virtual benefit concert, ‘One Caribbean. One Future. One Yard.’ The Foundation invested TT$1.5 million in the seminal event and the entire proceeds went towards the prevention of learning disruptions for students in the region. Some of the funds went to 1500 tablets which were donated to Ministries of Education in Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago. This was in addition to the Group’s assistance of 25 schools throughout Trinidad and Tobago with TT$500,000 worth of devices.

ANSA McAL is also an active sponsor of youth sports throughout the region; track and field athletes in St. Kitts and Trinidad & Tobago. Trinidad triathlete James Castagne-Hay was sponsored to represent T&T at the Youth Commonwealth Games in Tobago, and Rhonda Sanchez was sponsored to attend the North America Regional Powerlifting Championships this year. In St. Kitts CARIB Brewery sponsors Giant Malt and Ginseng Up Ambassadors in their sports endeavours including De’Cheynelle Thomas who qualified for the Carifta Games set for Grenada in 2024, and Avon Rouse who aspires to represent St. Kitts and Nevis in track and field at the next Olympic Games and World Championships. Inglefield says, “If Carib Brewery’s historical support of youth in sport is anything to go by, the Corporate Philanthropy footprint of ANSA McAL can guarantee further emphasis on youth health, wellbeing and development.”

Alignment with the Year of Youth, and Beyond

When asked about how the Group’s student sponsorship through the HDP and broader plans for youth development reflect the four pillars of the ‘Year of Youth’ theme; Energize, Engage, Empower, and Envision, Inglefield adds another: Enhance. “By helping participants discover their own potential, programmes like Champion, iLead and the HDP allow young people to enhance their abilities,” she says.

ANSA McAL Head of Culture and Communications, Sarah Inglefield poses with athlete James Castagne-Hay and team

Brand ambassador De'Cheynelle Thomas qualified for the Carifta Games set for Grenada in 2024

CSR STORIES

Inglefield applauds the HDP approach and how the projects diffuse shared-learning throughout schools and eventually extend outward into the wider community. HDP’s campaign against gender-based violence and child abuse has reached over 700,000 people online, and their Peer Counselling Groups educate schoolmates on healthy conflict resolution mechanisms. These two initiatives which also target migrant children, are well aligned to SDG16 –peace, justice, and strong institutions.

HDP also deploys Climate Champions for green infrastructure and reforestation activities in Paramin, a rural village located in the western region of the Northern Range in Trinidad. This academic year, participants also contributed

A Vibrant Future

Why the ANSA McAL Group is investing in youth

to the annual youth coastal cleanup with the Caribbean Network for Integrated Rural Development (CNIRD) and International Coastal Clean Up (ICC), the Heroes of Energy Youth Forum at Trinidad and Tobago Energy Conference, and BBC World Questions Youth Forum.

The almost exclusive form of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) assessment through goal setting provides one area for the evolution of the HDP. Currently, the programme’s emphasis on life, career, and sustainability skills, taught across twelve modules, involves self and emotional awareness, leading behaviour change projects, energy, climate and environmental sustainability, food sustainability, digital literacy, and equality and elimination of violence.

Assessing Impact of Change

In accordance with the strong appreciation of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) mechanisms that have no doubt contributed to the sustained success of ANSA McAL Group, when Inglefield was asked about the M&E assessment of the HDP, she noted that Personal Development and Career Development plans are recommended. These plans allows participants to track their own progress during the programme and beyond.

Inglefield states that the 80% HDP attendance and participation rate reflects “long-term, supported, and reliable opportunities, most of which are outside of the

student’s normal environment, to explore self-identity and make connections.”

The challenge of measuring these intangible HDP psychosocial and twenty-first century skills are synergistic with the ANSA McAL Group leadership encoding; and HDP participants reflect the kind of community culture that ANSA McAL is itself deliberately shaping across the region.

The Champions Programme participants receive a set of Key Performance Indicators that they are assessed on, and there have been several high performers in the Group who have come out of the programme.

Toward a Future of Changemakers

On the horizon for the Group and its commitment to youth development is an expansion of the strategic partnership with the Heroes Foundation. This is intended to allow for more students from schools nationwide, to benefit from the Heroes Development Programme.

The Group is also in the process of partnering with an NGO spearheading online tutoring for Caribbean students. These two partnerships signify ANSA McAL's commitment to education and sustainability, utilizing technology to empower those in society who stand to benefit the most. The Group anticipates the positive impact this collaboration will have on fostering educational opportunities and technological advancement in the Caribbean.

Building Bonds for Life

Atlantic Point Fortin’s Finest Leadership Development Programme

Atlantic established the Point Fortin’s Finest Leadership Development programme in 2000. It has evolved into a 10year development intervention with a current enrollment of 249 students.

The top 10 students within the Borough of Point Fortin are announced annually, based on results of Secondary Entrance Assessment received from the Ministry of Education. Point Fortin’s Finest graduates have gone on to become professionals in various fields including in medicine, law, and entrepreneurship and serve the national community. Many return to the programme to mentor their younger counterparts.

Eleven-year-old Nathene Logie marvelled as she walked into Atlantic’s Point Fortin office in 2012. “I was excited and curious,” she recalls. “You’re going into this fancy building, and I knew my parents felt proud, so I felt proud, as this was an achievement.”

The Fanny Village Primary school student had not only passed for her first-choice school of St. Joseph’s Convent, San Fernando, she had also ranked as a top 10 performer in the Point Fortin area, which qualified her as one of Point Fortin’s Finest – Atlantic’s longstanding student leadership development programme.

Over the next 10 years, Nathene and her cohort of Point Fortin's Finest benefited from annual education bursaries and university grants. They assembled annually for “Camp” – two weeks of leadership training during the July/August vacation – where they were taught the basics of financial planning and time management, interacted with elite athletes, and received mentoring from some of the more senior Point Fortin's Finest students.

“That was the highlight of everybody’s vacation,” recalls Chelsea Mohammed, who entered Point Fortin's Finest in 2009, went on to study Electrical and Computer Engineering at university, and is now department manager at a local manufacturer at age 26. “We looked forward to that camp.”

Participants are exposed to sport, the arts, and hone their public speaking skills. As the annual cohort moves into Form 6, they are asked to function as junior managers at the camps for the incoming Point Fortin's Finest. “That big brother/big sister bond transpires for the rest of your life,” says Chelsea.

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“It’s a sought-after programme within the Point Fortin primary schools. Sustaining an intervention over a period of 10 years for each student is something you don’t typically hear about.”

Atlantic

LNG

Sustainability Officer, Ian Ochoa

A field trip to Atlantic’s LNG plant was “mind blowing” for Nathene Logie, who was pursuing a UTT degree in Coastal and Ocean Management at the time and was excited about seeing the process of preparing Liquid Natural Gas for shipping. She also dug the PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) – “having to wear the overalls and helmet and boots and stuff.”

While pursuing tertiary education and receiving financial assistance that often goes directly to tuition, Point Fortin's Finest participants are introduced to working life, through World of Work internships. They’re counseled about career paths and assigned to departments within Atlantic and other partner organisations. They’re also taught to construct resumés and LinkedIn profiles.

For many, it’s the first exposure to the expectations of work: how to dress professionally and finish a task within deadline. “We logged our time in and out at the office,” observes Nathene, who graduated from the Point Fortin's Finest programme in 2021 and now works with current participants as a facilitator and programme assistant. “That helped with punctuality.”

Today, as she chats with fresh-faced Point Fortin's Finest participants about what to expect from the programme, Nathene often finds common ground. “I think they relate to me. We have a connection almost: I was where you are. I went through the programme, and I benefited and see how important it is, and that makes me want to help them as well.”

“They made me into the person I am today and will definitely contribute to the person I will be in future.”

Nathene Logie, Point Fortin's Finest participant – 2012 to 2021

Nathene Logie’s cohort of Point Fortin’s Finest - shown here (from the top), in 2012, 2015 and 2019. Nathene is #4 in the ad for Point Fortin’s Finest. (previous page)

From Casual Indifference to Careful Consideration

bpTT & the IMA are changing attitudes to sustainability

Why is there so much flooding even though there is a reduction in rainfall?

Despite being surrounded by the sea, why is fish so expensive?

What is causing the slow killing of Buccoo Reef, the main source of income for so many families in Tobago?

bpTT’s Marine Resilience Initiative (MARIN), Tobago partnership project with the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) is expected to find answers to these questions and to how human behaviour contributes to environmental impact. It requires a holistic view of the interdependence of the marine ecosystems and the stakeholders that rely on them for their living and leisure.

MARIN Tobago is tackling climate change and natural resource management in Tobago and in doing so are boosting marine resilience in the coastal nearshore habitats of mangroves, sea grass beds and coral reefs. BP’s initial investment in the 5-year initiative, was for 1 year initially, and was focussed on the feasibility of restoring damaged coral reefs and replanting of seagrass beds in Tobago.

We are in some hot

water

Trinidad and Tobago, like other islands, is experiencing the impacts of rising sea levels, increasingly warmer ocean temperatures, ocean acidification and more aggressive and frequent storms and hurricanes. In Tobago, warming oceans have caused severe coral bleaching and increased nutrient input has caused the sargassum invasion along coastlines and triggered disease outbreaks in corals.

And if that’s not enough, climate threats to coastal marine biodiversity are worsened by human impacts such as overfishing, coastal land conversion for building, indiscriminate disposal of wastewater, land-based contaminants into the ocean, and unregulated recreational activities.

Giselle Thompson, Vice President, Corporate Operations, bpTT is fully committed. She explains that when bpTT decided to fund 10 biodiversity project across its global locations, the MARIN project was the first to be selected. “There are two major components of the project” she explains. The scientific approach examines different restoration methodologies; and the social approach is an outreach to educate and build awareness at the community level with an ultimate aim of creating a network of NGOs, tour operators, fishermen, and people who make their life from these resources – who will act as marine stewards and protectors.

CSR STORIES

Dr Rahana Juman, Deputy Director Research/ Wetland Ecologist and MARIN Project Supervisor says, “For anything to work, you really need meaningful public engagement. That is critical for MARIN - establishing the network, building that ocean stewardship.” Part of the IMA mandate is public education through shared research findings with relevant communities and to promote understanding of human action upon the environment.

A coral community

Dr Rahanna Juman, who leads a young, enthusiastic team of nature lovers, grew up in Diego Martin and recalls her father’s stories about going to the slipway, located where Movie Towne is now, to “catch crab”. With a gift for science and a natural inclination to botany, she “fell in love with mangroves”, enjoying the serenity and peace of being alone with nature. She points out that communities that live along the rivers and coastal areas are organically informed and socialized. But for others in the communities, education is critical to making the connection between overfishing, pollution, coral die off and fish scarcity.

No parrotfish please

From Casual Indifference to Careful Consideration

Experience to engage is something that the MARIN Tobago project will use to promote participation by Millennials and Gen-Xers who are vocal about planet health. By using the platforms of social media, hosting talks with the universities, and forming partnerships with the Environment Research Institute of Charlotteville (ERIC), training and volunteer opportunities will get folks in the water for an immersive “come and experience a restoration exercise”.

Dr Anjani Ganase is a coral reef ecologist with the IMA and the project lead for MARIN. “You have to think of the ocean as a resource when you live on an island whether for inspiration, food or medicine…”, she says. Her love for the ocean was nurtured by her grandfather, a fisherman. Her studies and training in marine biology took her to Florida, the Netherlands and Australia. She spent four years on survey expeditions to the Great Barrier Reef, in Hawaii and to some Caribbean reefs, studying coral reef health patterns to understand the drivers of change, and opportunities for sustainable practices. “We want to consult with the communities that live adjacent to coral reefs - to learn from them how they utilize the reefs and then work with them to come up with a stewardship programme of their own.” For areas with a strong tourism orientation... "we can learn from them on how best to package their tourism product and work towards reef conservation.”

One aspect of community education is focused on maintaining the beneficial elements on the reefs i.e. parrotfish. There is an increase in parrotfish consumption which is detrimental to coral reef conservation as the parrotfish feed on the algae that if left uncontrolled will overtake and kill coral recruits. Awareness among fishermen can make a difference to coral life.

Hannah Lochan is a research officer on the MARIN team at the Institute of Marine Affairs. A graduate of UWI, she discovered her passion for coral restoration on a one-year internship at the Cape Eleuthera Insititute in the Bahamas. It was there she learnt "all the different strategies you can use to grow corals." She shared that Tobago has been placed under a coral bleaching alerts whenever the sea temperatures heat up. This places the corals under stress, potentially

From Casual Indifference to Careful Consideration

resulting in high mortality. Fortunately for Tobago, the stony coral tissue-loss disease that is rampant in other parts of the Caribbean, has not yet reached its shores. To keep it this way for as long as possible, seaport management and proper diving practices should be encouraged.

Attish Kanhai, co-lead on the MARIN project, is a Benthic Ecologist whose primary interest is in things that live on the sea floor - worms, amphipods, crustaceans, shrimp and seagrasses. Driven to share his extensive knowledge in science education, he is the author of several articles on environmental issues, highlighting the value of seagrass meadows and their importance as an ecosystem. Seagrasses are several species of flowering plants that live underwater. The focus is on Turtle Grass, which provides the highest density, the largest root network and the thickest leaves. Like plants on land which absorb carbon dioxide (photosynthesis), seagrass stores carbon, and is a major source of marine carbon also known as blue carbon.

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Nature-based solutions

Using biomass, estimates can be made of how much carbon is stored within a plant or an area. Seagrass rehabilitation therefore will help the IMA record the potential storage of that carbon in the long term. It’s a simple carbon equation. “When you burn fossil fuels, you take carbon from the earth and put it into the atmosphere”. The idea is to take the carbon from the atmosphere and put it back into the earth by using nature-based solutions such as planting seagrasses for carbon capture. Seagrasses occur near the shoreline where there are high levels of human activity, so continuous replanting is important. In Tobago the only extensive seagrass bed is in the Bon Accord Lagoon/ Buccoo reef area, which is a marine protected area.

Giselle Thompson speaks of her experience and education in Tobago - seeing what healthy seagrasses look like and what's left of them. “Most people don't understand the importance of seagrass and I think we learned a lot about how they serve the marine ecosystem. We also saw what a healthy reef is, as well as those damaged by bleaching."

Hannah Lochan prepares to dive on Mt Irvine Reef

The IMA team plans their dive in Charlotteville

Booby Island, Charlotteville Shallow reef by Lover's Bay, Charlotteville

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Dr Juman says “To change behaviours we need to alter how we view nature and the environment that provides us with so many services. Everything we do is dependent on a healthy environment”. She believes we need a deeper appreciation of our interconnectedness with nature and the correlation between our actions and nature's responses. “We are a part of the environment and play a role, benefitting and impacting at the same time”, She continues “We are a small island and everything we do in our backyard will impact the ocean… If you destroy the fish habitats by erecting buildings that destroy nurseries, where will the fish reproduce? We must make these connections especially for urbanized populations”.

Challenges

The lack of legislation and enforcement is a big challenge, as is the need to prioritize marine conservation and restoration. The fisheries management bill needs updating so that fishing can be regulated. Fish conservation must focus on the fish with higher reproductive rates. Parrotfish is not one. Mahi-Mahi is quite popular as a fish that has a higher reproductive rate and they replenish quickly. Dr Ganase bemoans the fact that change is slow in coming, especially when activism such as the 1980’s “Cry for Buccoo” still echoes. “Maybe not in the five years that we are working on this project but maybe in 10-15 years we will see some change,” she says.

Hope for the future

Dr Juman believes that judging from the increase in requests made to the IMA from corporate citizens, rotary clubs, NGOs and schools to participate in environmental events, connections are being made.

Giselle Thompson says she is encouraged by the levels of awareness and commitment expressed by tour guides, dive operators and NGOs she met with. She is impressed by their resourcefulness and passion for community outreach and how they have incorporated conservation education into their tourism products.

From Casual Indifference to Careful Consideration

Hannah Lochan also sees real enthusiasm among students at IMA field engagements on topics such as coral restoration. “The excitement and interest are there; they just need to be harnessed and nurtured”.

Attish Kanhai sees Gen-Xers and Millennials as more conscious of their environmental impact – concerned about ethical sourcing, organic and renewable products. If no one else is, they are paying attention to things like Ozone Layer recovery and advocating for change - like the banning of CFCs (aerosols, refrigerants). “We must see ourselves as part of the environment and not separate and apart from it”, he says.

Dr Juman commends bpTT for its stewardship. She believes more public/private sector partnership arrangements will make meaningful change and would inspire youth to continue the good fight, as “government cannot do it alone”.

Giselle Thompson agrees. “The competency exists. We have really well qualified amazing young scientists and researchers who can do so much real work with the right funding and resourcing. The energy and dedication of those who are trying to do a lot with very little has been impressive. And we see the IMA as a really great partner in the collective effort”

Project Success

So what will success look like? For Giselle Thompson- “I think success would be that the science works i.e. the methodology is tried and proved that we can restore and expand the seagrass that exists in Tobago. Those learnings can then be transferred across the region. Another key success factor would be a healthy, functioning marine resilience network - environmental champions that are working together to make sure that the restoration efforts continue to be successful over time. This includes getting more education programmes into schools, so that children understand their “marine backyard” and grow up with that conservation mindset.”

We Believe It Takes Team bmobile youth lead in sports and business

Youth leadership is defining bmobile’s social investment programmes. The bmobile Foundation’s initiatives are focussed on capacity and capability building for a better, stronger, tech-savvy, and more inclusive society. The Company is clear that “we can reach our full potential once we are committed to properly fostering the talent of our youth.” Leading several projects in business, sports, education, health or culture, bmobile nurtures champions as inspirers and rolemodels to effect more inclusive and sustainable communities. Among those champions are Olympic Medalist Keshorn Walcott, and business entrepreneurs Khachielle Farmer, Josiah Jacob, Ayodhya Ouditt, and Atiba Henry.

Team Sport: Olympic Medalist Keshorn Walcott talks success.

The bmobile Foundation’s support for a youth entrepreneurship training programme and an Olympic javelin thrower’s continuing quest for another gold medal have something in common: They show that success takes teamwork.

“bmobile has been one of the backbones of my career,” remarks Olympic gold medalist Keshorn Walcott, reflecting on the corporate partnership that has sustained him through 11 years of training and competition to the brink of another Olympics. “They’ve stuck with me through the highs and lows.”

Keshorn’s partnership with his long standing sponsor began a month after he won Men’s Javelin gold at the London Olympics in 2012. In August 2023, Keshorn felt he was well prepared to win his first World Athletics Championship medal in Hungary, when everything fell apart while warming up. “Twenty-five minutes before the competition, I got hurt,” he says, recalling the season-ending Achilles tendon injury and subsequent surgery. “But knowing there’s someone who has always been there… it means everything.”

We Believe It Takes Team

bmobile youth lead in sports and business

CSR STORIES

Over the years, the 30-year-old’s continuously collaborates with bmobile on youth building ventures especially projects which support children homes across the nation .. “I felt like that was a great connection,” he says. “Based on where I came from, I enjoy making a difference.”

Keshorn only recently began walking without crutches after surgery but is already training and still optimistic about competing well at the Paris Olympics in July/August 2024. As for all the sporting talent out there, he’d like to see it identified early and nurtured. “It’s not easy competing against the world on your own. You need structure and you need a team. That’s the only way you can succeed”

Team Business: Youth Entrepreneurs are ready to launch.

The graduation venue is abuzz with 26 participants of Youth Business T&T’s entrepreneurship support programme, JumpSTART. Over the past few months, the prospective entrepreneurs have bonded through breakout rooms and training sessions.

Among them is JumpSTART Best Business Pitch runner-up Khachielle Farmer, whose business idea, Chielle’s Design Experience, was developed in sessions and breakout rooms. “Everything was just coming together and helping me realise, yes, I could start a business with little to no knowledge,” says Khachielle. “Just have the idea and then the JumpSTART programme would take me through it.”

“That’s why I did the programme: I wanted to be more connected to people who could tell me how to get customers and sales, and with people who could demonstrate that they have done this.”

Ayodhya Ouditt

Most Innovate and Social Business Idea

YBTT JumpSTART 2023

“This is a chance to have their own advisory board.”

2YBTT JumpSTART Pitch Winners: Ayodhya Ouditt, Innovative Social Idea; Colin Atiba Henry, Best Pitch Winner, and Pitch runners-up Delisia Jones-Joseph and Khachielle Farmer

Josiah Jacob, a 28-year-old with varied interests and lots of short courses under his belt, found the programme particularly useful in helping him focus. With a background in plumbing and a little experience in music production, he needed to know what business opportunity he wanted to pursue, eventually putting music in the Time Wasters’ column because he was spending time on it without generating income. He’s a trained plumber, so he put that under Quick Win. “My mentor kept pushing me to get jobs: Get that money!”

Josiah Jacob, centre, with YBTT GM Shedron Collins and fellow graduate Brandon Yorke

YBTT General Manager, Shedron Collins

CSR STORIES

bmobile’s support for JumpSTART was invaluable..

YBTT JumpSTART Training Coodinator Jonathan Khan says the key takeaway for most participants is emerging with a ready-to-launch business model. “The most gratifying experience is simply seeing persons be more confident in themselves and their business, and able to really sell their business with passion and commitment.”

Anjanie Ramesar- Soom, of bmobile’s, Corporate, Environmental, Social & Reputation Management team notes that entrepreneurs drive more than a third of T&T’s GDP. “And in these unprecedented times, our support of YBTT is directed at improving the likely successes of young entrepreneurs, who, in turn, make meaningful contributions to our overall economic well-being.”

Thirty-five-year-old Ayodhya Ouditt had established a business prior to JumpSTART, planning and designing impactful CSR projects for corporate clients. He eagerly anticipated connecting with people who had already succeeded. “This was more about honing my business,” says Ouditt, winner of JumpSTART’s Most Innovative and Social Business Idea. He found the mentorship of a digital marketing expert particularly helpful. “Our work is a B2B model and very premium. Having a mentor who worked in a similar field, she resonated with issues I have, in finding clients and scaling my business.”

We Believe It Takes Team

bmobile youth lead in sports and business

Josiah Jacob has put his plumbing business on hold to focus on other pursuits. But, intent on generating “generational wealth,” he says he’ll get back to his own business one day. “The mentorship is needed,” he says. “You need that person to give you that push and that drive to keep going forward. As a single individual, you have so much going on and tell yourself, this is more important than that.”

Best Pitch Winner, Atiba Henry of Caribbean sweet manufacturer Kree’s Yumplicity, wholesales everything from red mango to coconut fudge and butter-fried pepper nuts. “It was just as I expected,” noted Atiba after graduating. “Getting to network with like-minded entrepreneurs and being guided to further develop and streamline my business.”

YBTT JumpStart entails two to three months of business training, backended with several months of mentorship support. Since 2019, it has graduated 142; 72% of whom are women.

YBTT JumpSTART graduates, 2023

Best Pitch Winner Atiba Henry

“It

is our people, our youth,

Inspiring Future Generations

who hold the power to shape the future.”

Erik Keskula, Present CEO, Heritage Petroleum Company Limited

Established in October 2018, Heritage Petroleum Company Limited (Heritage) is a Trinidad and Tobago state-owned oil and gas company. With an unwavering commitment to operational excellence, Heritage is distinguishing itself in the industry. Its success is underpinned by its highly skilled workforce, modern technology, and stringent adherence to international best practice and safety standards.

Since its inception, the company has consistently delivered profits, averaging a 10% contribution to the country's GDP over its five-year existence. Heritage's success is attributed to its strategic approach and vision of being a world-class oil and gas company recognised for its operational safety, innovation, and excellence in sustainability.

Heritage sees the current industry workforce as key to the country’s energy transition. It is therefore not surprising that youth education and development sit high on the list of priorities for the company. In Heritage’s Environmental, Social Governance (ESG) Reports the company’s reference to “the next generation of leaders” reflects the broader ESG focus of the company, namely protecting the environment, building community capacity, supporting economic development, and empowering future leaders.

Behind the company’s internal rallying mantra of ‘One Team, One Journey’ is “a duty of care” to support the next generation of leaders “in creating a sustainable and prosperous future” for Trinidad and Tobago. The message of youth changemaking is clear, and the steps taken to facilitate this process of youth development throughout the company’s operations are visible. As much as the company’s values are premised on the acronym INSPIRE (Integrity, Nimble, Safety, Performance, Innovation, Respect, Excellence), attention is paid to inspiring future leaders.

While Heritage CEO, Erik Keskula has endorsed the company’s support of youth development, he also recognises the need to bridge the multigenerational gaps to ensure knowledge sharing and expertise, continuity and succession planning, are sustained to improve efficiencies across the company.

Inspiring change through education and sustainability

As part of Heritage’s sustainability focus, the company established several social programmes and initiatives which directly benefit our future leaders.

These programmes provide trainees with coaching, guidance, and relevant work experience. The significance of these programmes along with the sponsorships and donations made by Heritage, is better grasped within the context of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (17) (UNSDGs), 11 of which underpin the ESG pillars of the company.

Heritage... Supporting Community Sustainability

The seeds of progress lie within our communities.

At Heritage, we are committed to protecting the environment, building community capacity, supporting economic development, and empowering future leaders. This is done through initiatives that prioritise education, skills development, and economic and environmental sustainability.

Our social sustainability initiatives include the Heritage Education Resource Opportunity (HERO) programme, which provides scholarships to top-performing Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) students living within our operating communities; the Heritage Outreach to Maximise Environmental Excellence (HOMEE) and Here We Grow Programmes, which address environmental and sustainability challenges and solutions.

Find out more about our Social Sustainability Programmes at heritage.co.tt/sustainability

Inspiring Future Generations

CSR STORIES

With over TT$41 million allocated to social and environmental programs, sponsorships and donations, Heritage's emerging sustainability and shared value strategy also emphasises employee volunteerism, which embeds corporate values into national engagement. Utilising an informed and calculated approach, the company tracks its reach and impact of a mix of donations, sponsorships, and partnerships. Staff mentorship and talent-sharing further enhance programs empowering youth as future leaders, fostering community capacity, and promoting environmental sustainability.

In 2020, the company established Heritage Education Resource Opportunity (HERO), a scholarship programme offering TT$100,000 to aid top-performing Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) students within its fenceline communities. The HERO programme consists of the Heritage Young Proactive Ambassadors (HYPA) programme, a stress intervention programme designed to enhance pupils’ performance and exam readiness as they prepare for SEA and the Leadership Empowerment Development Programme, which prepares post-SEA pupils for their entry into secondary schools.

Another flagship programme is Heritage’s two-year Graduate Training Programme designed to provide graduating tertiary-level students with coaching, guidance and relevant work experience, that will serve them along their career journeys. Graduate trainees who took part in this inaugural training programme in 2021-2023, received practical work experience within the following Business Units: Finance, HSE, Midstream, Land, Subsurface, Business Development and Offshore. One of the graduates from this cohort, Sadiyah Forde, played a crucial role in supporting the creation of Heritage’s first ESG Report and the company’s plan in alignment with Trinidad and Tobago’s commitments to the 2015 Paris Agreement. Miss Forde has since gone on to contribute to the Carbon Capture and CO2 EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) project spearheaded by the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries. The project seeks to reduce the Heritage’s carbon footprint by enabling the capture and removal of carbon dioxide from our operations and storing it deep underground.

Heritage Staff participating in Day of Volunteerism 2023 at Lakeview, Point Fortin 2023 and at a Senior Citizens Facility in Techier Village 2024

Top-performing SEA students in the HERO 2023 Cohort who received $100,000 each to pursue their education up to tertiary level

CSR STORIES

Cross-sector partnerships, such as this, allow young people to take the skills learnt during the mentorship period into the ‘real world’ and contribute positively to decisions that ultimately affect their future.

The necessity of facilitating partnerships where young people can thrive is underscored by the United Nations (UN) in its 2011 publication Private Sector Toolkit For Working With Youth. As part of the ‘World Programme of Action for Youth’ framework, the UN recommends that “Governments, employers, educators, and civil society groups alike must come together to ensure greater youth participation, knowing that if they do not, the consequences and opportunity costs could be grave.” Through Heritage’s programmes we are investing in our young people by expanding their skillsets and networks, and contributing young entrepreneurs and marketable prospects to employers, particularly in the energy sector.

The ‘Here We Grow’ initiative is the company’s phased approach to supporting food security. This is rooted in the ‘grow what you eat and eat what you grow’ philosophy where food was the result of the value added by the residents. Within this initiative is the Seedling Distribution Programme, which provides seedlings and food to households within the company’s operating communities. Through this programme, between 2021-2023, 50,000 seedlings have since been distributed.

There is also the Agri-preneur Training and Capacity Development Programme, which channels young residents into the agricultural sector, providing them with the

necessary resources to launch and grow their agriculturebased businesses. The Agri-preneurship Programme specifically targets community members between 18 and 35 years old. One of the components of the last programme was a field trip to expose participants to the operations of various agribusiness enterprises, agri-processes such as hydroponics, traditional farms, and UWI’s Field Station. It also facilitated a holistic understanding of the agricultural sector as an economically viable option.

The Heritage Information Technology Training (HITT) programme was established in 2023 to provide computer literacy training to people between 7 and 65. It is a technology-based social sustainability programme aimed at improving information technology awareness and addressing the digital divide issues that impact individuals within its operating communities. Heritage partnered with the National Energy Skills Centre (NESC) to facilitate learning among various community stakeholders, including students, parents, and youth groups.

In 2023, Heritage launched the Heritage Outreach to Maximize Environmental Excellence (HOMEE) initiative. At the core of the HOMEE programme is a commitment to environmental awareness. Through a series of projects, such as an Upcycling Art Competition for Primary Schools and an Environmental Photo and Essay Competition for Secondary Schools, Heritage allows students to express their creativity on critical environmental issues. In the process, Heritage was able to weave its ESG strategy into youth activism and, more broadly, environmental sustainability.

Egypt Village Government Primary School Seedling Distribution for Here We Grow Programme 2024

Participants in the Agri-preneurship Programme 2023

Evidently, core to Heritage is its sustainability thrust, and adding to its existing complement of social programmes is the Industrial-Mechanical Apprenticeship Programme (I-MAP), in collaboration with Ministry of Youth, Development and National Service and facilitated by MIC Institute of Technology. I-MAP aims to transform the lives of dynamic youths aged 18 to 35 from fenceline communities, by enhancing youth participation and productivity, equipping participants for sustainable job opportunities, building a skilled workforce for diversification, and promoting gender inclusivity. Heritage’s Industrial Compound in Santa Flora will house the first cohort of apprentices in April 2024.

Still in its nascent stages, the company continues to evolve its CSR programmes to meet international measurement standards, and it is setting a baseline in key areas of youth and national development as evidenced by its current programmes and interventions. To learn more about these ongoing projects visit https://heritage.co.tt/.

Creating a Heritage of Future Sustainability

Heritage continues to be a main sponsor of the Pointea-Pierre Wildfowl Trust (PaPWFT), a wetland habitat for an array of birds, some of which have been listed as endangered. In 2024, Heritage donated Five Hundred Thousand Dollars (TTD 500,000.00) to support its conservation efforts, reinforcing Heritage's unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability and social responsibility. Other social programmes include a mentoring partnership with the Society of Petroleum Engineers, an annual December Toy Drive and an ongoing food hamper distribution programme for the underserved in Heritage’s neighbouring communities.

As part of our community capacity building initiatives, Heritage also donated $26M to the rebuilding of the historical Palo Seco Velodrome, sponsored the Skiffle Steel Orchestra and Siparia Deltones Steel Orchestra at the 2023 National Panorama Festival, supported the Diatonic Pan Institute's Youth Music Literacy Programme and contributed to Point Fortin’s Borough Day activities.

Heritage is a company that continues to excel in its industry and is committed to promoting excellence among youth for our nation's future success. This includes providing education and training programs, mentorship, and investing in the environment and cultural preservation of Trinidad and Tobago. I-MAP is the latest addition to our social enrichment programmes, preparing our young leaders to contribute positively to the energy industry.

We remain laser-focused on our ESG responsibilities and will continue our thrust towards achieving our sustainability goals and investing in the development of our future leaders.

Heritage continues to be a main sponsor of the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust

Launch of IMAP initiative in 2024

Empowering youth, enabling change

NGC is future-focused and

forward-thinking

In the corporate world, succession planning is critical to long-term sustainability. To ensure business continuity if key positions are vacated, businesses must dedicate time and resources to prepare their employees for the higher-level responsibilities they could inherit.

A parallel can be drawn for society. The long-term sustainability of a nation is dependent on its own succession planning –its ability to prepare its young people for the responsibilities that will fall to them in future, through education, training and provision of adequate opportunities for holistic personal development.

As a future-focused and forward-thinking organisation, The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC) has always paid close attention to youth empowerment in the elaboration and execution of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy. Across all its areas of focus – sport, arts and culture, education, environmental preservation and community development – the company has made investments that directly target young people, and aim to build a generation of leaders, innovators and changemakers.

Hearteningly, NGC has seen the impact of its interventions in the many success stories that emerge from its partnerships. Here, we meet two young people turning the opportunities they were given into bright futures.

A young leader rises in La Brea

NGC has had a longstanding relationship with Trinidad and Tobago’s Police Youth Clubs (PYCs), particularly those operating in its fenceline communities. The La Brea PYC is one club with which NGC has worked closely over the years, and which has helped steer scores of vulnerable youths toward positive pursuits. Specifically, the club has furnished young people with opportunities to study, socialise and take part in extra-curricular activities within the community. NGC’s support has funded developmental work, capacity building and social activities for club members. NGC also partnered with the Youth Training and Employment Partnership Programme (YTEPP) to deliver vocational skills training for members.

Among the young residents who seized the opportunities offered by the PYC is Mr. Jillon Rasheba Lewis, who is the newly elected Councillor for the electoral district of Brighton/Vessigny in the Siparia Borough Corporation. At 26 years of age, Jillon is one of the youngest Councillors appointed to serve.

Jillon officially joined the La Brea PYC in 2019, when he was introduced to the Electrical Installation course facilitated by YTEPP. After successfully completing the course, he saw an opportunity for personal development. He became an official executive member of the club as the Youth President and opted to pursue other courses offered by NGC/YTEPP

CSR STORIES

through the club. These included courses in barbering, phone repairs and use of the AutoCAD software.

Speaking about the impact of the club on his life and development, Jillon commented: “The leader of the Youth Club, Corporal Jasmine Vesprey-David, has been an impactful mentor in my life. Her way of leadership is excellent and unmatched. I also had the opportunity to work alongside wonderful people within the club and build great network systems. The interaction with the youths has been amazing, guiding them and looking out for them, has been instrumental in my development.”

Jillon also had an internal drive to succeed. From a young age, he grappled with a stutter when speaking. To overcome this challenge, he attended public speaking classes, got professional support and heeded advice from his mother. Today, he is able to deliver powerful speeches on various

Empowering youth, enabling change

public platforms - a necessary skill for his current political career. His communicative ability also enables him to engage with and attend to the residents he currently serves.

Jillon today stands as an exemplar for La Brea and has great aspirations to change his community for the better. “My short-term goals are to be accessible to my burgess of Brighton/Vessigny and to represent them in the best and just manner. My aspiration is to uplift the communities within my electoral district and to create positive and cohesive togetherness towards the betterment of our community.”

Jillon laments that his community has lost faith over the years in its leaders and hopes that through his work and achievements as a Councillor for Brighton/Vessigny, that faith can be restored. “I want residents to be able to say with pride that great things can come from within the belly of this community and great things will continue to thrive here.”

As a young leader, Jillon sees a role for other young people to step up and contribute. He expressed the importance of youth development programmes – many of which are currently available to residents of La Brea – and of opportunities to gain the kind of work experience that will drive upward mobility. That said, he believes self-motivation and ambition are just as important.

“Personal development is my greatest advice to young people: set goals, write them down and allocate time to your goals. Be consistent and ask yourself - why not achieve all you can achieve, why not gain all you can gain, why not you and why not now?”

A sporting star on the horizon

A major ingredient in youth success is having persons to emulate, and few disciplines generate as many iconic role models as sport. This is just one of the reasons behind NGC’s keen interest in building the industry around sport, particularly in the area of track and field.

The company has witnessed the rise of many young superstars through its grassroots athletic programmes and its partnership with the National Association of Athletics

Jillon Rasheba Lewis, Councillor for the electoral district of Brighton/Vessigny

Empowering youth, enabling change

CSR STORIES

Administrations of Trinidad and Tobago (NAAATT). The Youth Elite Programme (YEP) is one of the impactful initiatives being delivered under this partnership. Launched in 2017, this programme has sought to provide specialist coaching to a select cohort of athletes who have excelled at regional and international events and proven their ‘podium potential.’ The programme aims to help these athletes attain excellence in track and field while emphasising the significance of having an all-round academic and life skills foundation.

One of the talented YEP inductees who is building his brand and setting the bar for others to follow is 19-year-old highjumper Mr. Aaron Antoine. Aaron, who was also a member of the NGC-sponsored Couva Police Youth Club, began his track and field career at the tender age of eight, when a teacher suggested to his parents that he be enrolled in a running club. Aaron recounts that his parents took him to the stadium with the intention of speaking to a track coach, but without their knowledge, he approached a field coach instead. The rest is history.

“My first memorable athletic achievement was when I won the first gold medal for Trinidad at the Caribbean Union of

Teachers Games in 2014. That gave me the impetus to train harder because it meant something to me when the results started showing.”

After that achievement, Aaron worked hard to refine his abilities. He went on to become the national junior and senior champion at the NGC/NAAA Championship Series, and a national junior record holder in the high jump at that event. In 2022, Aaron won gold in the Boys Under-20 High Jump at the Carifta Games.

Aaron credits the YEP with providing opportunities to advance his career, through better training equipment

Aaron Antoine, professional high-jumper

CSR STORIES

and nutritional guidance. The programme also gave him the exposure he needed to become more marketable as an athlete, and he was approached by several US-based schools interested in having him attend their institutions. After considering his options, he accepted the offer of Manhattan Kansas State, where he is currently enrolled.

Aaron’s ambitions as an athlete are not just personal – he has intentions of changing the narrative around field events. Citing the many track stars in the country’s history, he noted that while Keshorn Walcott shifted the focus toward field events to a degree, Trinidad and Tobago has not had major international success in high jump. He aspires to change this.

“Currently, I am training to be the best I can be to compete amongst the best in the world. Changing the narrative and the world view on Trinidad and Tobago is one of my goalsthough we may be small on the map we are blessed with a lot of talent, and I believe we have a generation that can initiate that positive change.”

Aaron thinks certain systemic changes can help as well. “I genuinely believe that there should be a better structure to sports in schools, a similar model to the inter-college football competition can be adopted for track and field as well as other sporting disciplines.”

In addition, he believes in building the value chain. “As in my case, I believe that identifying athletic talent from the primary school level and nurturing it with the right programmes will produce athletes that transition from juvenile to junior and then to senior athletes. If we allow sport to flourish even more, we will see a positive change in our youths and then the mission will become the movement.”

As a young role model, Aaron encourages other young people to find their passion and put in the work. He urges them not to get demotivated by the inevitable bumps along the road, and wisely adds: “Remember always to pray and keep humility always in sight.”

Empowering youth, enabling change

Fuelling dreams for 25 years

PowerGen continues to energise careers in cricket

From chasing boundaries with classmates on the fields of Trinidad and Tobago to scoring centuries with and against the top teams in the world on almost every continent, the PowerGen Secondary Schools Cricket League (SCCL) has helped unearth the potential and realise the dreams of many of our national players over the past quarter century.

President of the League, Mr. Nigel Maraj reports that an average of 4,000 children from all over Trinidad and Tobago participate in the SSCL each year, and he believes that over 100,000 lives have been touched or impacted by PowerGen’s 25-year sponsorship.

General Manager of PowerGen, Dr. Haydn Furlonge is proud of his company’s history with the game.

“PowerGen is a reliable and socially responsible long-term energy partner, committed to a greener, more sustainable T&T. In tandem with this vision is our mission to develop this nation and what better way than to support programmes such as the SSCL which directly impact the lives of young people. This league breathes life into our corporate citizenship mandate and we want to be an active partner in helping our nation’s youth to achieve their fullest potential.”

PowerGen now proudly sponsors the full lifecycle of cricket at every level with our partnership with our former cricket team captain, Samuel Badree’s BASE Academy which supports children ranging from 5 to 18 years of age, our longstanding sponsorship of the SSCL as well as our champion PowerGen cricket team. A full ecosystem of cricket proudly funded by PowerGen.

The “Western Wolves” Rio Claro West Secondary team after winning the Girls T20 Intercol in 2023

Powering

dreams for 25 years not out

Many national cricketers have played in the PowerGen Secondary Schools Cricket League and made successful careers for themselves. These include Kieron Pollard, Dwayne and Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Ganga, Ravi Rampaul, Lendl Simmons and Samuel Badree.

In 2023, the 25th year of PowerGen’s sponsorship saw a first-time double win for South Trinidad in the PowerGen Secondary Schools Cricket League (SSCL) as Rio Claro West Secondary School and Presentation College San Fernando won the InterCol T20 Girls and Boys titles respectively.

In the first full season since 2019, the Western Wolves of Rio Claro West Secondary beat all odds to defeat Holy Name Convent by six wickets and win their first PowerGen SSCL Girls T20 Intercol Open title.

The Boys’ title was taken by Presentation San Fernando Lions who did battle with Fatima College and sealed a fivewicket win, also their first ever in the SSCL. Both finals were played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

Keira Superville, team captain of Rio Claro Western Wolves, was thrilled but says the road to the win was far from easy for her team. Mrs. Simi Akaloo, the team’s manager and

CSR STORIES

a teacher at the school, praised the girls’ dedication and discipline even admitting that, “Nobody expected us to win, even some of our own people doubted”. Rio Claro is a humble agricultural community and with the high cost of good cricketing equipment, most girls can’t afford cricket shoes and play in their school sneakers.

Keira is grateful for PowerGen’s sponsorship of SSCL and hopes the partnership, “makes a half century”. She is pleased that the SSCL has many formats as it encourages the youth to push for national and international team inclusion. She looks forward to the increase in the number of Girls’ leagues.

Mrs. Akaloo says she is, “thankful to PowerGen for giving the girls a platform to showcase their talent”. She believes that rural government schools need more grassroots programmes to bring girls out and the raw talent needed to help fuel West Indies cricket.

While Cricket Coordinator for Presentation College San Fernando, Carlyle Jalim revealed that Presentation College – San Fernando was one of the participating schools when SSCL began 60 years ago. The school always strives to maintain a balance between academics and sport. Many who play sport at “Pres” obtained “ones” in CSEC as cricket motivates them to put the same amount of energy they put into the sport into academics to improve and excel.

The coach designed a physical training and skills development programme for the teams, which they followed, so when cricket season re-started, they were ready to play. The school has about 60 players playing in all formats of the game. Many are on the under-15 and under-19 national teams, so it is not hard to motivate others who want to play at the national level.

However, selection is just the start. Despite receiving the opportunity to showcase and develop their technical skill, cricketers need discipline, determination and focus. A strong support system is needed for success. The school is already planning fundraising for next year and have already started their training.

L to R: Dr. Haydn I. Furlonge, General Manager of PowerGen presents the Sponsorship package to Mr. Nigel Maraj, President of the SSCL

Powering dreams for 25 years not out

President of the League, Mr. Nigel Maraj revealed that future plans for the league include the formation of an SSCL Academy offering scholarships and development tours for the youth to play against different opponents in different conditions to make them better cricketers. He wants to see the development of viable full-time cricketing careers not just part-time hobbies, from which a comfortable living can be earned.

Presentation College San Fernando

The Western Wolves - Rio Claro West Secondary celebrate at the PowerGen SSCL Awards Ceremony

LET THE SUN IN!

Shell and NGC’s Re-Energize TnT is brightening

lives across communities

Shell Trinidad and Tobago (Shell), the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC) and students across Trinidad and Tobago are shining their light on a bright future as these STREAMers are working together to find innovative solutions to how we power up with reduced emissions and increased energy efficiency.

Welcome to ‘Re-Energize TnT’, a renewable energy programme, which aims to engage youth to build a greater awareness and deeper understanding of the value of renewable energy and the role it can play in the energy transition.

By working with schools Re-Energize TnT, is establishing a cadre of youth energy advocates who are trained and equipped to be champions of energy efficiency and renewable technologies.

It all begins with a learning exchange between the Re-Energize team and high-school students.

About the Programme

The Re-Energize TnT programme teaches students about the importance of energy conservation and efficiency, climate smart agriculture, solar and wind energy and electric vehicles, among other energy related topics.

They also participate in guided seminars on renewable energy and energy sustainability, are mentored and have an opportunity to receive financial grants to design clean energy initiatives for their communities. They are taught life skills such as presentation skills, stakeholder engagement, and the basics in community mobilization and advocacy, equipping them for the workforce of the future.

Ryssa Brathwaite, Shell’s Social Performance and Social Investment Advisor, says the project helps Shell deliver on its ambition to inspire, educate and energize young people on the importance of protecting the environment, conserving energy and being conscious enough to want to improve and make a positive impact in their communities. The RE Energize TnT programme will produce exceptional students who are poised to become advocates for renewable energy at home, at school and in their communities.

Student Advocates and a Net-Zero World

Collaboration, innovation and courage are at the heart of the Re-Energize TnT project. Shell and The NGC seek to create energy-conscious and energy-enthused students equipped to lead a clean energy future and create a netzero world.

Over the last two years, participating students came from Mayaro, Woodbrook, San Fernando and Moruga. The most recent cadre were selected from Couva and East Port of Spain. This means that the project would have actively engaged with students from six schools from across the nation.

Being from Trinidad there is an abundance of sunshine and an infinite number of bright, creative young persons,

that’s why Re-Energize TnT is teaching them how to turn on the heat and tune into ideas to generate power and find solutions for better energy efficiency.

With the National Gas Company Limited, Shell’s goal is to deliver on the purpose of providing more and cleaner energy, and advocate for energy efficiency, while having a positive impact on communities. Alongside the development of natural gas resources, Shell expects that solar will play a significant role in Trinidad and Tobago’s energy mix. Shell is collaborating with the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, BP and the NGC on a solar project that will support the country’s near-term goal of up to 10% renewable energy for power generation.

RENEW’s Energy Evolution

RENEW T&T was commissioned by Shell and NGC to deliver the Re-Energize TnT programme. Endorsed by the Ministry of Education, the three-year programme will conclude in December 2024.

RENEW T&T is a not-for-profit organization with a mission “to drive the energy revolution throughout the Caribbean, by pioneering sustainable renewable energy projects and models; promoting energy efficiency technology; and

supporting countries to implement transformational policies and regulations to increase renewable energy production and usage.”

Every year RENEW gives student enthusiasts an opportunity to be part of an Idea Incubator program where ideas are not only pooled, but where renewable energy solutions for communities are being tested and developed.

Participating students of the Re-Energize TnT programme from Woodbrook Secondary School and Mayaro Secondary School with Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, the Honourable Stuart Young, former Senior VP of Shell Trinidad and Tobago Mr. Eugene Okpere and programme partners from NGC and the Ministry of Education at the programme’s launch in 2022.

Winners of the first cohort of the Re-Energize TnT programme Mayaro Secondary School at the installation of the Solar PV Panels for their school library

The winning school also gets a solar PV system. To win the solar PV system, students from two schools are graded according to attendance, participation, in class assessments and performance in the Energy Saver Star Competition (Energy Audit). The school with the higher total score will receive the solar PV system and a challenge trophy.

Saving the Planet

To be selected to participate in the Idea Incubator, students are assessed on performance in an end of term test and a creative at home project assignment on renewable energy. The school with the top cumulative score gets invited to participate in the Idea Incubator. The Idea Incubator enables students to design and execute a Renewable Energy Community Project. Further prizes are awarded for students who receive the highest assessment scores, as well as students who demonstrate the most enthusiasm for the program. Sustained online social media support the project with webinars, segments, and info graphics about energy saving tools, the school's programme and community projects.

The graduates of the Re-Energize TnT project will be a cadre of young persons who are knowledgeable and skilled in efficient energy use; who become advocates for renewable energy and are willing to use initiatives towards sustainable community-based energy solutions. It is hoped that it will make the students more mindful and sensitive to the impacts of personal practices on the environment.

The best outcome will be a pool of young persons with the courage to challenge the status quo and take bold and innovative steps to help us make this country fit for our future in a net zero carbon world.

Students of the Mayaro Secondary School demonstrating the use of their Solar PV system which was installed at the school library and will enhance student learning and reduce the school’s electricity bills and carbon footprint.

Re Energize TnT facilitators from Shell Trinidad and Tobago, NGC, The Ministry of Education and Renew T&T at the launch of the solar PV system at Mayaro Secondary School

Participating students improved their understanding of issues related to energy efficiency and renewable energy with winning students receiving Association of Business Executives (ABE)accredited certificates.

CONSCIOUS LEADER

Climate Action is a moral and ethical imperative

An interview with sustainability activist

Rachel Welch-Phillips

CONSCIOUS LEADER

“Develop enough courage so that you can stand up for yourself and then stand up for somebody else. Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.”

You describe yourself as a passionate advocate of sustainability. Tell us what it means to be an advocate of sustainability and why should sustainability matter to youth in the region?

"The core is empathy – advocates must listen to and understand the perspectives and experiences of others. Today’s technology provides overwhelming access to information that allows millennials and beyond to understand different viewpoints and foster collaboration. It has united the world in the magnitude of the sustainability challenges we face and facilitated truly impactful action.

Sustainability is all about meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own.

I am of the view that for the first time in history, sustainable transformation of how we live as a human race is not a choice but a mandate for survival. No one feels that imperative more than today’s youth."

Trinidad and Tobago is in a vulnerable position to climate change. In 2018, in a ratification to its 2015 intent, the country has made a commitment under the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% by 2030. Is this target realistic? AND what is needed to realise this.

"Vulnerable is an understatement. As a small island state Trinidad and Tobago faces the imminent threats of sealevel rise which are many and significant. The reality is that nothing will change for the current generation even if we do reduce 15% of our emissions by 2030 – what is coming our way is as a result of past behaviour. So, unless we find a way to suck greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere at exponential rates, the damage is done – however we DO have a moral and ethical imperative to ensure that the way

Maya Angelou

we live today doesn’t compromise the world our children live in.

Trinidad and Tobago like much of the Caribbean is not a data-strong nation so progress towards the target can be difficult to transparently track. However, according to the First Biennial Update Report to the UNFCCC, 90% of our nation’s measurable greenhouse gas emissions are derived from two sectors: energy and industrial processes and product use. Our Paris commitment target is only feasible where targeted action is taken in these two sectors."

You hold a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Environmental Policy. What inspired you to pursue this course of study and how has that informed how you see the world.

"I have always held a deep love and care for the natural environment – this could be attributed to many things, but simple childhood pleasures like racing sticks with my brother in the river that flowed behind my Maraval home certainly fortified it. However, when I was around 12 years old that river was diverted and the hills around it sliced into to build an upper middle class townhouse community, and I was livid. This, coupled with a burning need to pursue justice at all costs (hence the law degree that followed!) led me to want to equip myself with all the information I could to be part of the solution to these infuriating problems.

The Bachelor of Arts Environmental Policy degree at Middlebury College, a liberal arts college in Vermont, brought together economics, political science, psychology, atmospheric physics, geology and even the arts to paint a wholistic picture of the magnitude of what is required to achieve sustainable transformation. The Master of Philosophy in Environmental Policy at the University of Cambridge then delved into the depths of regulatory and legislative frameworks (or lack thereof), spatial economic

Interview with Rachel Welch-Phillips (continued)

CONSCIOUS LEADER

limitations and macro geopolitical hurdles. The enormous complexity of the problem became truly apparent.

I made it my life’s purpose to be a part of the solutions."

Your studies seem to have taken you across borders. Is there a reason why you have chosen to live or work in other countries – and what have you learned from that experience.

"As the daughter of a diplomat, I left Trinidad aged 8 years old and only returned at the start of 2021. Crossing borders became a way of life both for academic pursuits and pure leisure – I attended International Schools for primary and secondary education, went to universities on three different continents, made friends from every corner of the planet and learned four languages fluently. I am also an avid foodie often travelling purely for culinary exposures."

Tell us about your 2018 Lawyer of the Year Award, while working for an international law firm in London Bird & Bird. It seems your award was linked to your work in diversity and inclusion.

"During that time, I was practising law as a solicitor of England and Wales working at an international law firm in London. I absolutely loved it there. But it became very apparent very quickly that the legal profession in London was lacking in faces that looked like mine. Challenge accepted.

In 2017 I founded the first multi-cultural employee resource group at the firm called Embrace which was born of a desire to celebrate and quite literally embrace racial and cultural difference and evolved into a platform that provides opportunities to dissect stereotypes, break glass ceilings and shake up the status quo in a historically homogenous profession. Through social media campaigns, community outreach and a series of varied events, Embrace engaged with key stakeholders to improve representation, retention and attitudes to racial diversity within the legal profession. Embrace continues strong to this day!

I strongly believe that there are individual moments in your life that are truly definitional to your purpose. I will never forget the day I spoke about the path to law to secondary school students in Lambeth, South London (a predominantly non-white area). Afterward, a young black girl said to me, “I didn’t know lawyers in London could look like you – I thought they had to be white men”. Well, if there was ever a motivating moment in life, this was it. I proceeded to sign up for every mentorship, legal aid clinic and diversity event I could get my hands on – visibility is everything. As a young person it is hard to aspire to what you don’t see. It was those efforts that were recognised by the First 100 Years organisation in awarding me the 2018 Lawyer of the Year Award.

Embrace was also awarded Outstanding Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Network at the UK Diversity Legal Awards 2019."

In interpreting minorities and exclusion, would you say that youth face a particular kind of exclusion? Are we engaging enough with youth and leveraging their value in shaping our regional future?

"The simple answer to that in my opinion is No. It has been a stark reminder for me having lived abroad for so long how hierarchical our power structures in the Caribbean are. We live within societal structures where tenure often outweighs competence, age equates to wisdom and demands deference, and the energy and innovation of youth is undervalued and dismissed, often under the guise of “impertinence” . While there is a place for deference and discipline in society, this should not stifle inclusion.

Involving youth in decision-making cannot and should not be tokenised – it requires creating inclusive and safe spaces for their voices to be heard, respected and valued in order to be effective. This involves empowering youth of all backgrounds providing them knowledge, platforms, skills and resources to contribute to shaping their communities. It must be executed with a long-term lens - ongoing mentorship and access to opportunities must accompany the platform given."

Interview with Rachel Welch-Phillips (continued)

CONSCIOUS LEADER

Has the DEI agenda changed over the last 5 years? If so why? If not why?

"Well, let’s start with – what is the DEI agenda? Diversity equity and inclusion looks different in different spaces. As a lawyer in London my race and gender were always a minority. In the Caribbean this has not been the case. I am surrounded by mentors, leaders and advisors in my profession that look and sound like me. However, open conversations in the workplace around inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community for example were commonplace in corporate London and almost completely absent in corporate Trinidad & Tobago.

It is my view that the DEI agenda is essentially an equity gap analysis of a society’s treatment of different categories of people based on cultural norms, historical contexts, legal frameworks, socio-economic factors and levels of awareness around social justice. Nonetheless, every DEI agenda should centre on equal access, availability and opportunity for every human being to enjoy internationally accepted human rights."

How are you influencing DEI issues today?

"Visibility remains the name of the game – I continue to act as a mentor, both formally through programs such as the AMCHAM/IDB Women’s Mentorship Programme, as well as informally to friends, family and social network connections. Mentorship ensures you never (even inadvertently) pull the ladder up behind you on your way up the rungs.

I am also currently developing a non-profit organisation aimed at building a community of women where passion meets experience and potential is connected to access and opportunity. My hope is to encourage a pipeline of women to engender positive disruption and societal change.

In addition, as a new member of the ANSA McAL family, I am excited to contribute to the vast number of sustainability and social responsibility initiatives that are run across the Group. As Head of Legal and Compliance at ANSA Merchant Bank, I will be contributing to the development of the bank’s Natural Capital Hub to finance positive impact

on people and the planet. As a strongly purpose driven individual and an ambitious career woman, it is crucial for my purpose to be aligned with that of the organisation I work for. The ANSA Group has provided me with an incredible opportunity to pair my legal and corporate sustainability passions to do meaningful work. Watch this space!"

What do you think may the most pressing issues facing our youth; and what should be done about it.

"I believe the most pressing challenge facing our youth is one of a lack of HOPE. The current generation of youth were born into a world of undeniable climate science preaching inevitable disaster, multiple wars viewed first hand on smart phones, the worst global pandemic in over 100 years, and systemic resource depletion at a magnitude that feels unstoppable.

Interview with Rachel Welch-Phillips (continued)

Hope drives resilience, optimism and a sense of agency among youth but hope doesn’t grow on trees. In order to inspire hope in our youth we need to provide positive role models, foster a sense of belonging, offer opportunities for success, teach coping and resilience, encourage positive solution-oriented thinking, promote social justice, celebrate difference and encourage civic engagement all while mentoring and supporting them as they navigate unprecedented challenges. Sustainability in unattainable without empathy and youth involvement."

Driven as you are by the many societal issues that each need urgent action, what is that thing that keeps you awake at night and what keeps you focussed?

Instances of social injustice. Anything I see or hear that causes harm to someone or something undeservedly and feeling like I can do nothing about it really upsets me. Also, I have two toddlers. Maia is 4 and Levi is 2. They are the more frequent reason I am up at night :) My husband Ian is a renewable energy expert working on projects across the Caribbean, so we share a green soul. He is my soulmate in every respect. He keeps me focussed – and calm.

Cybercrimes and data breaches…

A data breach is a serious matter. Customers and clients will need answers and assurances. Our Communicating For Influence© (CFI) partners have been building crisis management capability for businesses and organisations across the Caribbean for over 15 years. We have successfully coached hundreds of leaders and spokespersons to manage media and primary stakeholders during periods of crisis. We can help you too. Contact our CFI Crisis Consultants for a quote.

 : coach@sheldondaniel.co.uk or donna@virtual-bizservices.com : +1.868.472.4777/+592.686.2031/+44.7824.498447 : https://www.cfi-workshops.com/

Rachel Welch-Phillips is Head of Legal and Compliance at ANSA Merchant Bank, a member of NextGen Board of IDB Country Office of Trinidad and Tobago, and Vice Chair of the ESG Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago.

Interview with Rachel Welch-Phillips (continued)

Emerging Lessons on Corporate Sustainability Reporting from the EU

By James Bourne

The CSR Directive and what it means for business

As ESG has become increasingly tied to financial metrics and performance, ‘corporate sustainability’ is in – and ‘non-financial’ is out.

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), a new piece of legislation from the European Union (EU), aims to ensure that all large companies in the EU will need to disclose data on the impact of their activities in a management report.

The CSRD was adopted by The European Council on November 28th of this year with a goal of ‘transparency on environmental, social affairs and governance matters becoming the norm for large firms.

What are the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requirements?

The management report needs to disclose both actual or potential impacts related to a company’s own operations, as well as across the value chain, including products, services, business relationships and supply chain. It needs to discuss any management or supervisory boards the company is utilising regarding matters of sustainability, and it needs to be wrapped up in a forward-looking, time-bound

manner and provide progress on achieving environmental targets.

Much like ESG reporting, there is also an obligation for ‘double materiality’, meaning sustainable activities of the company and sustainability activities affecting the company need to be reported. Reports need to be freely available.

Why has this come about?

The legislation aims to improve upon the current, NonFinancial Reporting Directive, (NFRD). The CSRD looks not only to introduce more detailed reporting requirements but puts it more in line with the EU’s climate goals and the European Green Deal, which includes no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 among other metrics.

More widely, the evolution of ESG has helped precipitate this legislation. The European Commission has argued that NFRD was no longer sufficient in terms of the needs and language in which many organisations were now speaking. As ESG has become increasingly tied to financial metrics and performance, ‘corporate sustainability’ is in – and ‘nonfinancial’ is out.

What standards will the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) use?

The CSRD will use the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), which were released in final form on July 31, 2023. The ESRS were developed by the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG), they are a set of common standards that the EFRAG say will “reduce reporting costs in the medium and long term, by avoiding the use of multiple voluntary standards as this is the case today.”

The key features of the ESRS include a double materiality component, reporting across a broad range of topics, and reporting on impacts, risks, and opportunities across the value chain. The ESRS are final, but they are subject to a two-month scrutiny period by the European Parliament and EU member states, who can only reject but not amend them.

What potential problems are there with CSRD?

Not everyone is happy with the legislation as proposed, with concerns from small business stakeholders. Luc Hendrickx, enterprise policy director at European

association SMEunited, has said that there is a potential disparity between SMEs and large enterprises with the former struggling against the time frames of the latter.

SME organisations, said Hendrickx, would ‘need sufficient time to raise awareness amongst their members on the new obligations, organise information sessions, train entrepreneurs and personnel, and develop tools.’ Hendrickx added that ‘some big companies [were] already cancelling their contracts with SMEs as they are not able to report.’

Tomas van der Heijden, co-founder and CEO of German startup Briink explained in a recent feature, many organisations will not so much find trouble in having the data, but collecting, organising and structuring it, and tying it back to the regulations. Sustainability data is ‘basically a large mess of unstructured documents.’

What do organisations need to do now?

To prepare, institutions should look to legal or professional services organisations who can assist. Getting the ball rolling with ESG reporting efforts – if not started already – will be beneficial. Deloitte, for example, has an ESG corporate reporting accelerator programme, while Marsh has a detailed ESG rating tool.

Existing reporting frameworks, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and CDP, are already aligned with the CSRD and its ESRS standards. The GRI has stated that “most larger companies, in the EU and elsewhere, already report with GRI and will be reassured that their current GRI-based reporting practices should best prepare them for the ESRS. The topics and requirements in the ESRS will be expanded over time; using the GRI Standards means companies can be ready to comply with future requirements.”

James Bourne is a journalist, editor and content specialist. Formerly of Packt (EiC Cloud) and Editor in Chief of TechForge Media, a publisher of online technology and business titles. He was named as one of the top 20 UK technology influencers by Tyto, 2019.

FEATURES

Rosalind Kainyah and Arlene Chow CFI Women influencing change

“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made” and in today’s world, some of the most important decision-making places are in the top 100 global financial institutions."

In July of this year, female leaders from the Energy Sector held their first Women-in-Energy Breakfast at the Brix Hotel on Thursday, as they hosted Ms. Rosalind Kainyah MBE who is a distinguished advisor on sustainability and socioeconomic impacts of business on society. The Breakfast was a collaboration between Donna Ramsammy and Sheldon Daniel, founders and consulting coaches of the popular Communicating For Influence (CFI) workshop series, and the Atlantic LNG Company.

Ms. Kainyah who was in Trinidad for a conference on ESG was special invitee at the gathering of some 25 executives and senior-level leaders from several companies including

NGC, Atlantic, BP, Nutrien, Kenson, Heritage, Proman and DeNovo. Also present at the exchange were Pt. Fortin Mayor Ms. Saleema McCree-Thomas and members of her office who were special guests of Atlantic.

Ms. Kainyah explored the opportunities for women in energy to lead the way in creating a regional voice in the global discussions and decisions that impacted the future of Caribbean peoples. She urged the gathering to leverage their place at the table to influence policy and action within the sector. She also described her mission as “simplifying sustainability for businesses”, stressing that “sustainability initiatives must be tied to an organisation’s core business to ensure longevity and impact”.

by Donna Ramsammy

Ms. Kainyah is an experienced professional non-executive director, chairing Governance, Remuneration, Nominations and Sustainability Board committees, and serves on Risk and Audit committees. She has over 30 years of international, legal, operational, executive and board experience in a variety of sectors, including energy, oil & gas, mining, infrastructure, private equity, financial services and manufacturing.

Kainyah has worked at a senior level for several international companies and organisations, including Linklaters, Anglo American, De Beers, Tullow Oil plc, the United Nations Environment Programme, University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Unit and ERM across Africa, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the South Pacific.

Last March, in recognition of International Women’s Day, Rosalind was among 21 women recognised by Reuters as leaders in the area of Sustainability, and who were “working to change the world of finance to better serve people and planet, inspiring the next generation of female leaders.” The agency also noted that “When it comes to high-level discussions on climate, studies show that women are significantly less likely than men to get a seat at the table”, despite the fact that women often shoulder the burden of climate inaction more than their male counterparts in society.

Kainyah told Reuters that she is motivated by three core beliefs. “Firstly, prosperous societies are achieved by pursuing justice and fairness for the marginalised. Secondly, by being good stewards of the environment and natural resources, we can meet our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own. Finally, she believes in the transformative power of businesses to be successful and profitable whilst acting on her first two beliefs.

Her advice to the top 100 global financial institutions was "to avoid tokenism! Go beyond quotas and targets and focus on women as decision-makers and active agents in the global economy." When asked: "how can financial institutions get there?" she advocated "creating a culture of respect, equality, and inclusion that values diversity of

FEATURES

thought and experience". The business sense (not that "one needs to make a business case for having half of the population equitably represented in any organisation"...) is simple: "In the words of the late Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made” and in today’s world, some of the most important decision-making places are in the top 100 global financial institutions."

At the Port of Spain Breakfast, specialist consultant in Strategic Communications and Ethical PR, Ms. Donna Ramsammy anchored an exchange of ideas on a number of topical issues including the future of hydrocarbon economies in the region, making ESG investments relevant to societal needs, and climate adaptation.

The women also honoured recently retired CEO of Heritage Ms. Arlene Chow who spoke passionately about the nature and quality of leadership needed for this phase of sector development.

Ms. Rosalind Kainyah MBE

Rosalind Kainyah and Arlene Chow CFI Women influencing change (continued)

FEATURES

In commenting on Atlantic’s involvement in the event, Toni Sirju-Ramnarine, former VP Corporate Operations & Transformation said, “This event was intended to take the discussion beyond the rhetoric of gender balance. It was about our work in the industry and creating the space for a real conversation about the developments in the sector and leading through the changes of climate impact, managing finite resources and bringing our perspectives to initiatives in ESG that need to be heard.”

Donna Ramsammy shared that the idea was actually seeded by Sheldon Daniel, who is also an Executive Coach with Myler-Campbell UK. She said, “This is an extension of the CFI training programmes. It is about creating intimate spaces for meaningful conversations, collaboration and cooperation among business leaders on important societal issues.”

Arlene Chow gave a moving speech on her experience in navigating roles within the sector, overcoming biases and the importance of resilience and collaboration as critical characteristics for success.

Arlene Chow – Sterling Stewardship

With over four decades of sterling contribution to the energy sector, the geologist and scientist Arlene Chow has had an exceptional leadership career in the industry. Prior to her retirement in 2023, she steered the state enterprise through its organizational rebuilding immediately after the closure of former Petrotrin.

The first and only woman in Trinidad and Tobago to head a national energy company, Arlene’s knowledge and significant contribution to the industry is shaped by an extensive career that began in 1982 as an Operations Geologist in Exploration and Production at Petrotrin, immediately after graduating with a B.Sc. (Hon) in Geology and Chemistry from the UWI, Mona, Jamaica. She quickly moved up the ranks to a Development Geologist, and Technical Specialist in Mapping and then Well information Systems, before moving on to energy major AMOCO Energy Company (T&T) Limited as Database Administrator, Gas Asset Management in 1998.

By 2000 she was promoted to the position of Head, Exploration & Production, Computer and information Systems prior to the company being acquired by BP plc. In 2001 Ms. Chow assumed the role of Subsurface Team Lead for Teak, Samaan Poui (TSP) in a historic recommissioning of a mature reservoir and ultimately sale of the asset. During that period, she developed Reservoir Management plans and a portfolio of prospects with a team of geoscientists and Engineers, to arrest field decline by applying new thinking and innovative technology to optimize performance for mature fields. This experience proved to be good preparation for her recent work at Heritage where she has led interventions in field decline and secondary recovery methods.

In 2005, bpTT appointed her Vice President Corporate Operations with responsibility for strategy, compliance and performance management for HSSE, Facilities Management and Information Technology and Services for Global operations, Infrastructure and Exploration & Production.

Ms. Arlene Chow

Rosalind Kainyah and Arlene Chow CFI Women influencing change (continued)

In 2009, Ms Chow moved to BP Alaska, first as North Slope Infrastructure manager, then as Head of Project Management and then to Area Operations Manager where she was accountable for leading 300 persons and 4 facilities in safety, compliance and operations efficiency. Her sterling performance in Alaska led her to the role of Chief of Staff for the Production Division, as Advisor and key support to the Executive Vice President’s Office in performance delivery in the areas of Standards/policies/processes, safety & operational risk.

On return to Trinidad in 2014, Ms. Chow was appointed to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Atlantic LNG, where she directed the organization through safe reliable and efficient operations, managing annual operating, production and capital expenditure budgets of over $300M USD annually and delivering revenues of over $1bn USD. She retired in 2018 from that position.

In 2019, then Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, the late Franklyn Khan had a vision for HPCL and urged Ms. Chow to come out of retirement to transition the organization to a profitable, lean and high-performing company. Initially committing to one year, she stayed for an additional three years to execute on a strategy to “Stabilize, Strengthen and Optimize” the company’s assets.

FEATURES

Distinguished by her low-keyed, straightforward and straight-talking management style, she is known to put the work and her people first. Throughout her career, she has maintained a deep commitment to her country, an unwavering connection to her home community of Sangre Grande, and a love for the simple life.

Speaking of her contribution to HPCL, chairman Michael Quamina said of Ms. Chow, “Arlene has been instrumental to the turnaround at Heritage. We have relied heavily on her industry knowledge and expertise in managing mature fields to actualize our vision for a viable and sustainable business. She has played a major role in shaping our plans for integrity upgrade and decommissioning of aging infrastructure, while at the same time leveraging technology and innovation to optimize production. She has delivered immense value to the company and, in doing so, has provided sterling service to the country as we seek to maximize value from our hydrocarbon resources.”

In September 2024, the CFI will hold its second Womenin-Energy Breakfast, bringing another international speaker into this influential circle of contributors to the energy sector.

Rosalind Kainyah and Arlene Chow CFI Women influencing change (continued)

The Guyana Energy Sector partners to empower youth in the Agriculture sector

In a significant leap towards agricultural development and youth empowerment, Guyana has unveiled the ambitious Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme (AIEP), backed by a substantial US$4.5 million investment. This forward-thinking initiative is set to revolutionise hydroponics farming in Regions Two, Five, and 10, benefitting more than 300 young people.

The AIEP’s funding is made possible through collaboration with ExxonMobil Guyana, the Greater Guyana Initiative, HESS Corporation, and CNOOC, reflecting a shared commitment to the nation’s progress. This project signifies a notable stride towards Guyana’s agriculture sector’s advancement, positioning itself as a key driver of national growth and development.

Guyana, like many nations, faces the dual challenge of climate change-induced extreme weather events and increasing food costs. A crucial element of the AIEP is the

by Donna Ramsammy

integration of youth, particularly those in Regions Two, Five, and 10, into the agricultural ecosystem. In President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s words, it’s about “unlocking an equal set of opportunities” for young people, empowering them to become active participants in their country’s growth and prosperity.

What sets the AIEP apart is its emphasis on holistic engagement. The programme not only aims to bolster the agricultural sector but also seeks to provide young participants with a comprehensive education in marketing, packaging, and promotion. These skills are intended to equip them for broader roles, where they are not just growers but also part-owners of their ventures and contributors to the success story of their respective facilities.

With a target of establishing Agri-innovation and entrepreneurship centres in Regions Two, Five, and 10 within a mere three to four months, Guyana is on the fast

track to achieving self-sufficiency in food production. The AIEP’s efforts extend beyond the physical realm, aiming to include all sections of society. A pioneering initiative is underway to create the world’s most innovative farms for people living with disabilities. By engaging diverse segments of the population, Guyana envisions a bright future where 50% of new farms are owned by youth and women by 2030.

Guyana’s partnership with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) heralds another significant development. The transformation of the Guyana School of Agriculture into the IICA Guyana Centre of Excellence is set to revolutionise agricultural education. This transformation is particularly focused on fostering innovation and resilience among young agriculturalists, preparing them for the evolving challenges and opportunities of the sector.

As a member of IICA, Guyana’s collaboration extends to offering training opportunities at the IICA headquarters in Costa Rica, benefiting the country’s youth and fostering regional cooperation. The partnership also involves the establishment of a ‘Situation Room,’ providing real-time data for evidence-based decision-making and proactive crop planning.

FEATURES

Guyana’s endeavours reflect a holistic approach to agricultural advancement and youth empowerment. With the modernisation of agricultural practices, the inclusion of diverse segments of society, and the support of international organisations, Guyana is poised for a bright future in the agricultural sector. As the nation continues on its path towards innovation and sustainability, it sends a clear message that the youth and women of Guyana are the key drivers of this progress.

According to a Kaiteur News article, Guyana continues to make good on its economic progress including a 12% growth in the agriculture sector. The article also highlighted the fact that the impact of the global food crisis was minimised for vulnerable families locally due to measures that the country has implemented for farmers, fishers and agro-processors. Those measures include emerging market opportunities.

CARICOM’s 25/25 agriculture initiative is focussed on a 25 percent food import substitution by 2025. This is supported by the FAO which is promoting climate-smart solutions and stronger policies that encourage new and inclusive agriculture food systems.

Is your organisation Incidents. Accidents. Fatalities… crisisready?

A crisis is understood as a sudden, unexpected event with unpredictable and undefined impacts and consequences which together, can threaten the enduring viability of an organization with potential long term adverse impact on its relationships with customers and stakeholders. Even with the best of health and safety plans, the worst can happen. Our Communicating For Influence© (CFI) partners can help you and your organisation communicate effectively when things go wrong. Contact our CFI Crisis Consultants for a quote.

 : coach@sheldondaniel.co.uk or donna@virtual-bizservices.com : +1.868.472.4777/+592.686.2031/+44.7824.498447 : https://www.cfi-workshops.com/

Source: Courtesy of the Guyana Chronicle of October 2023 and Kaiteur News of January 2023

The Guyana Energy Sector partners to empower youth in the Agriculture sector (continued)

Migrant Children are on the Move

UN warns of record number of child migrants in Latin America and Caribbean

by Michael Rios and Heather Chen

Children are migrating through Latin America and the Caribbean in record numbers, driven by gang violence, poverty, instability and climate change, the United Nations reported Wednesday.

In the first seven months of 2023, more than 60,000 children crossed the Darien Gap, a major migration route and treacherous stretch of jungle that connects South and Central America, more than any other year on record, said the UN’s Children Fund, UNICEF.

Younger children were making these dangerous journeys at an increasing rate, UNICEF added, with those under 11 years old now accounting for up to 91% of all children moving through key transit points in the region.

“More and more children are on the move, at an increasingly young age, often alone and from diverse countries of origin, including from as far away as Africa and Asia,” said Garry Conille, director of UNICEF Latin America and the Caribbean.

A Perilous Journey

“When they cross several countries and sometimes the entire region, disease and injury, family separation and abuse may plague their journeys and, even if they make it to their destination, their futures often remain at risk.”

Globally, children make up around 13 per cent of the migrant population, but they account for 25 per cent of people on the move in Latin America and the Caribbean – the highest proportion in the world.

“The unprecedented scale of the child migration crisis in Latin America and the Caribbean urgently requires a stronger humanitarian response as well as the expansion of safe and regular migration pathways for children and families to help protect their rights and their futures, no matter where they are from,” Conille said.

“Even if children make it to their destination, their futures often remain at risk.” The trek across the Darién Gap, a

Migrant children in the Darien Gap (St. Kitts-Nevis Observer)

Migrant Children are on the Move (continued)

stretch of remote, roadless, mountainous rainforest connecting South and Central America, is one of the most popular and perilous walks on earth. The 66-mile (106-kilometre) hike brings migrants from Colombia to Panama and is a crucial passage for those hoping to reach the United States and Canada.

In Pursuit of the Dream

Almost 250,000 people made the crossing in 2022, fuelled by economic and humanitarian disasters – nearly double the figures from the year before, and 20 times the annual average from 2010 to 2020.

The unprecedented movement of people in the Western Hemisphere has placed immense pressure on the Biden administration, which – despite rolling out a series of measures to stem migration – is still facing potentially thousands more people arriving at the US southern border

this fall, placing a politically delicate issue at the forefront on the cusp of a presidential election.

Already, border officials are seeing an increasing number of daily encounters at the border compared to earlier this summer. In July, the number of families apprehended at the border – one of the most vulnerable populations – nearly doubled compared to June, raising concerns within the Biden administration.

Migrants in Guyana

Closer to home, the nearness of the Guyana/Venezuela border to Region One has meant that hundreds of migrants have set up makeshift homes and found other ways to settle in the Region. Guyana estimates well over 33,000 Venezuelan migrants are living in Guyana according to estimated figures from the international Organisation of Migration (IOM). Region One provides easy access by boat, with many persons entering as economic refugees. Many also come seeking medical help or opportunities for their children. Guyana has a significant track record in education, with students topping the regional CSEC and CXC exams each year.

“The growing number of migrants from Venezuela has really placed an increased burden and pressure on the resources, which the country has to address and to provide basic services to the community – health, education, housing, water, and a number of other services,” commented Robert Natiello, Regional Coordination Officer for the Caribbean and Chief of Mission in Guyana two years ago. Since then, the situation has worsened among rising tensions between Guyana and Venezuela on territorial claims.

Natiello said, “…unlike a number of other countries in the region, the government of Guyana has shown great leadership and great solidarity allowing persons to stay in the country and to integrate in country.”

(Reproduced in part from an article by CNN’s Michael Rios and Heather Chen)

Migrant children flood borders

Deadly journeys for the world's migrants

Integrating Autistic Persons Into the Mainstream

Activist and Commonwealth Awardee Maya Nanan sets a model of management and care

Maya Nanan was just 18 years old, when in 2022, she received a grant from the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, Youth Venture Programme in commemoration of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, being the first and only recipient from Trinidad and Tobago. Maya has been recognised for frontier work in creating opportunities for Autistic persons and for advocating for awareness and inclusion.

by Stefanie Gouveia

With this grant, Maya has created “Rahul’s Clubhouse”, an autism-friendly space for persons on the autism spectrum to engage in and access various educational and social programmes which will aid in their development. The autism centre, Rahul’s Clubhouse, provides a safe space for persons on the spectrum, as well as support services from a team of professional volunteers, family and friends.

Maya Nanan

Maya and ASFN volunteers at one of their charity events

YOUTH CHANGEMAKERS

Maya explains Autism as “A spectrum of conditions. The main characteristics are delayed speech development, challenges in social interactions and repetitive behaviours. Individuals on the spectrum will display different levels of these characteristics, so that no two individuals are the same.” Early signs of autism include not making eye contact, spinning, flapping of arms, twirling, repetitive behaviour, winding up, fidgeting, non-verbal by the time the child is 3 or 4 years, walking on tiptoes, and sensory issues. There are three levels of ASD described: Level 1 – requires support; Level 2 – requires substantial support and Level 3 – requires very substantial support.

Maya explains that some autistic persons in Trinidad & Tobago may be non-verbal and low functioning, which means that there is limited communication, and they need more support. Research and practise show that where there is early intervention and care, most autistic persons can learn to cope with their challenges. However, there is a significant lack of resources in the country – there are not enough qualified therapists and there are no programmes in place to integrate autistic persons into the public education system.

Rahul’s Clubhouse

Rahul’s Clubhouse is named after Maya’s brother who is on the autism spectrum and who benefits from her unreserved commitment and compassion. It caused her much pain as a child to see her brother denied basic opportunities and pleasures which she and most people took for granted. The simple routine of going to school or going to public spaces to socialise were not available to him.

Maya recognised that most neurotypical persons would not even stop to question if the basic rights they enjoyed were truly universal, as captured in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. “We’re only 1 year apart”, she explains. “Growing up he was discriminated against and turned away from several schools, he didn’t have a lot of opportunities like I did as a neurotypical person, and I wanted to include him.” She was determined to give him access to the kind of activities she was enjoying, and to break the stigma of autism.

But breaking the stigma required heightening awareness through public education and engagement of those caring and supporting autistic persons. It also meant being able to provide critical services that would aid in the integrative

Integrating Autistic Persons Into the Mainstream (continued)

Maya and Rahul at Support Autism

T&T's first ever 5K Run and Fun Walk

Maya working at the Rahul's Clubhouse outreach booth

YOUTH CHANGEMAKERS

process of bringing autistic persons into mainstream social life.

The centre supports a wide span of age groups, from 2 to 35 years old. Centred around activities that bring autistic persons together with friends and family, special attention is paid to lighting, loud music and sensory overload. But in addition to socialising, there are needs for physical and emotional care, as well as access to education. Integrating autistic persons into society so that they can live independently requires

a) educating autistic persons, b) creating support systems to help them become independent, and c) by providing opportunities for socialization; these are all being addressed at the centre.

There are a few people on staff, including one person on the spectrum who is also studying music. The centre has also worked assiduously at compliance by implementing safeguarding measures and policies. When setting up Rahul’s Clubhouse, a representative from the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, visited Maya and her team to assist with the creation of policies to meet international standards. Maya was 12 years old when she started Autism Siblings and Friends Network. At the time it comprised of her two close friends from school and her cousins. Today there are over 450 volunteers. But Maya knows that the volunteer model is not sustainable and is keen to involve corporate sponsors in the delivery of ongoing care and services at the centre.

Hope for the future

Rahul is Maya’s motivation. He was diagnosed at 9 years old. Today he is 19. Her family intervened with speech therapy, developmental therapy, and socialisation.

Therapy for autism locally is costly. A 45-minute session of therapy can cost about $300. In addition, such services are centralised in San Fernando and Port of Spain, thereby making accessibility a challenge for Autistic persons from rural areas. The shortage of therapists also means that the schedule of care required for meaningful rehabilitation is a real challenge.

Autism Siblings and Friends Network is now a fully registered non-profit organisation and is progressively implementing a programme of care and support. At core, are the training sessions aimed at educating carers, educators and youth volunteers about autism and training them to provide different interventions for persons with autism. Qualified speakers and medical professionals provide and share information regularly at talks at the centre. Professionals also provide information on legal matters and access to social services.

The grant from the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust helps in the provision of scheduled therapeutic services, as well as syllabus-based schooling. Maya also hopes to expand operating hours to six days per week from 9 am to 5 pm. She also hopes to grow the volunteer base to be able to adequately support many other persons who are currently on a waitlist. Alternative locations and transport are also important facets of accessibility.

What Maya needs now are solid corporate partnerships to provide much needed funding to get infrastructure in place and to attract qualified staff. She believes that over time, the Centre will be self-sufficient through a combination of scholarships and paying students as well as the support of committed philanthropists and sponsors.

Maya Nanan can be reached at siblingsandfriendsnetwork@gmail.com or 1868-346-3228

From left to right - Dr. Radica Mahase (Founder of Support Autism T&T), Maya Nanan (Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2023_24), Her Royal Highness Queen Camilla, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC (Commonwealth Secretary-General)

Budding Techpreneur’s Journey to the Silicone Forest

Shergaun Roserie uses his passion for STEM to create a more advanced Caribbean.

Being nominated, much less selected as a finalist for the esteemed Commonwealth Youth Awards, is a remarkable achievement in itself, but for Shergaun Roserie, he adds this to his many earned accolades. With a hunger for knowledge and a drive to succeed, among his many feats, his most notable accomplishments can be witnessed in his active commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal-8 – by front-end loading the learning system to create sustainable and equitable economic growth for all workers, irrespective of their background, race or gender, Shergaun’s visionary work in making technology mainstream and accessible, aims ultimately to prepare our region’s youth for the future of work.

by Stefanie Gouveia

Currently a mechanical engineer at Microsoft, Shergaun’s path to a career in STEM began to seamlessly unfold in 2016 at the age of 16, his first official introduction to engineering through the Student Program for Innovation in Science and Engineering (SPISE). A rigorous 4-week programme for skilled high school students, Shergaun and 4 other peers were assigned to the UWI Barbados campus to undertake an intensive curriculum of 8 university level courses. While difficult, the experience left him with a keen desire to further his STEM education and the realisation of the widespread influence and potential impact of STEM practitioners, “One practitioner in STEM could produce one solution, but that one solution can have a great impact on millions of people”.

First Global Robotics Competition

Shergaun Roserie

YOUTH CHANGEMAKERS

In 2017, Shergaun and 3 other students represented St. Lucia in the Global Robotics Challenge held in Washington DC. Despite performing well, the team observed the apparent digital disparity between themselves and their first-world opponents, particularly in their access to advanced technology and engineering processes. This awareness planted an idea to start a venture which would bear a mission to build an environment for learning and exposing students to STEM education. Shergaun went on to graduate from Sir Arthur Lewis College in 2019 and then to work for the Ministry of Education, championing the implementation of STEM initiatives in school’s curriculums. The experience underscored for Shergaun the significance of STEM education and its direct correlation to improvement on student’s lives and future careers, which, as he expressed, “gave me so much joy seeing the students being empowered and the doors that were opening for them.”

In 2020, his 2017 venture concept was born into Orbtronics, founded by himself and co-founder Keeghan Patrick.

Today, Orbtronics is an engineering company which offers software and hardware services for organizations along

with an Orbtronics Junior programme (ages 11-16) and Digital Literacy programme (ages 16-45), currently available to residents of St. Lucia, in the hope of empowering young people in STEM education and building a secure, well connected tech community across the Caribbean. As the STEM industry continues to evolve, its role is no longer confined to the classroom but an integrated element of everyday life, which is mirrored through Orbtronics’ teaching style. The programmes provide exposure to newer technologies like Chat GPT and systems for more project-based learning, creating unique teaching methods by incorporating different disciplines that curate a far more integrated approach to education delivery.

The Orbtronics Junior programme is a 3-week programme for students across the island, with a background in STEM, and which teaches the fundamental skills of robotics & programming. During either summer or winter break, students are given 10-12 days with instructors to learn about basic skills in programming, functions, conditional programming and more and closes with a final project. Shergaun shared on a previous cycle which taught on 4 major topic areas – AI, Designing, Programming and Digital Media. The students presented a business idea encompassing a marketing strategy and a revenue model.

Student Program for Innovation in Science and Engineering (SPISE) 2016 Class

Budding Techpreneur’s Journey to the Silicone Forest (continued)

YOUTH CHANGEMAKERS

The Digital Literacy programme is a bit less technical as it selects a community and hosts a 4-Saturday workshop accommodating persons working and out of school. Each Saturday covers 1-2 modules with topics ranging from data driven decision-making, AI, cybersecurity, along with business skills and life skills.

A central aspect of the programmes is the incorporation of varying subject areas which blend theory and a practical approach, to build skillsets that foster critical thinking and to equip youth with the tools for problem solving. Students can then transfer these learnings into the advancement of their communities. Shergaun is proud of his young graduates. He says of one, “A young female student, who participated in our first Orbtronics summer programme went on to do exceptional things for her community; hosting programming classes for her community and school. She is also a national awardee for a technology initiative and is currently furthering her education in biotechnology.” The programmes not only provide a foundational knowledge but act as a springboard to further learning and opportunities within the industry.

Aside from teaching, Orbtronics recognizes the role technology has in contributing to a better society in how it creates software and hardware solutions to address contemporary and critical societal issues. For example, an ongoing procurement issue faced in the Caribbean is the countless number of Government contracts that go unanswered or are unfairly assigned to suppliers due to nepotism, lack of resources or insufficient spread of information. RIFBID is a platform designed to adequately inform and aptly connect regional suppliers with Government proposals. The platform leverages AI technology to help SME’s match with the right tenders, provide guidance and templates for winning submissions and help suppliers create strong networks across the Caribbean.

Another critical issue is that of crime reduction. Crime detection is often thwarted by fear to report criminal actions or perpetrators. The company understands the need for and importance of community collaboration and participation in curbing crime. In St. Lucia, the WiPatrol platform serves as a notice board where reports and information on criminal

Orbtronics Digital Literacy Program

Orbtronics Digital Literacy Program

Orbtronics Digital Literacy Program

Orbtronics Digital Literacy Program

Budding Techpreneur’s Journey to the Silicone Forest (continued)

YOUTH CHANGEMAKERS

activity can be submitted anonymously, giving St. Lucians a voice and an active part in mitigating crime while also providing a sense of security.

So, what does the future for STEM in the Caribbean look like? Much like the iconic ‘Silicone Valley’, for Shergaun, it’s a growing, strongly connected “Silicone Forest”. His vision for the Silicone Forest is to embed an ecosystem for technology driven initiatives, not only through entrepreneurs but technologically apt persons contributing to its foundation and creating networks for regional sustainable tech businesses.

The region is teeming with highly skilled individuals and a growing digital economy which Orbtronics is taking advantage of by building linkages and beneficial partnerships regionally and internationally to craftily grow the digital landscape. Their educational programmes and the technology services puts the company well on the way as the premier regional technology hub that will eventually be a primary resource for talent for the market, inter-isle partnerships and job opportunities in the digital economy.

As he reflects, Shergaun’s core motivator remains the same, “When I work and make plans for Orbtronics, my thoughts are; I need to give back to my community and need to keep improving my country and my region”.

If you’re interested in collaborating or learning more about Shergaun Roserie and Orbtronics visit: Orbtronics.co Or contact: info@orbtronicsltd.com or shergaun@orbtronicsltd.com

Orbtronics Junior Program

Orbtronics Junior Program

Orbtronics Junior Program

Orbtronics Junior Program

Budding Techpreneur’s Journey to the Silicone Forest (continued)

Di Cawna Library

Empowering Communities and Restoring Hope

She was an avid reader of the Baby Sitters Club series and a teen babysitter herself. At sixteen she started a summer camp and began tutoring children in her neighborhood. Little did she know then that she would later become a community icon and advocate for literacy. Books and literature have governed her thinking and way of being all of her life. And sharing that passion has been a lifelong commitment. Rachael McDonald is a pioneer and advocate for changing community dynamics through a common, shared interest in books.

In the heart of Jamaica, amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life, there lies a beacon of hope – Di Cawna Library. This isn't just any ordinary library; it's a symbol of resilience, community empowerment, and a testament to the transformative power of books and the persistence of one woman – Rachael McDonald.

From its humble beginnings as a simple idea sparked from a casual conversation, Di Cawna Library, designed as a sustainable literacy project, has grown into a lifeline for countless individuals, particularly the youth, in underserved communities across Jamaica.

by Rebekah Amoroso

Rachael McDonald is a trained educator and early childhood specialist, and who didn’t deliberate on how best to make reading an intervention in the education value chain – particularly in communities where there was no easy access to a library or in communities where books outside of the school curriculum were seen as an unaffordable luxury.

The first such library is located at the corner of Duff and Moore Streets in Rose Town, in the middle of Jamaica’s capital city, giving the project the name - Di Cawna Library. Initially established to support objectives of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by supporting and promoting access to quality education for both adults and children, while building sustainable and peaceful communities, today, just under 2 years later, the project has since launched its sixth community Cawna Library and twenty three scaled down versions in primary schools across Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs).

Rachael McDonald

YOUTH CHANGEMAKERS

The Caribbean concept of Di Cawna

To understand the genesis and value of Di Cawna Library, would require a quick dive into Caribbean culture and its relationship to di cawna (the corner). Attitudes and customs are shaped by our social spaces, and the corner is a traditional gathering space in every territory. Street crusades, parties, sports, political commentary are things that have become associated with the corners – as the indisputable platform of the common man. Small grocery items and even lollies and local sweets can be bought at the corner shop. On the corner we would also have the village sages, the community wisemen and arbiters, playing dominoes or cards while brokering or ‘reasoning’ solutions to community problems and challenges. Or the storytellers of things past or mystical – much like the Griot in Trinidadian folklore.

However, in more recent years, with the continued flow of Western culture and criminal influences, The Corner has overtime become associated with things more nefarious and notorious such as gangs, guns and drugs. Mothers would warn their children about hanging out on the corner and even on occasion share ‘lix’ when their children were found flouting those warnings.

Reclaiming Di Cawna space

By reclaiming the corner with Di Cawna Library, Rachael MacDonald has inadvertently reclaimed the corner as a social space for communities. Community members are

free to come by any time, day or night, to select books for reading, and once they are finished, they can simply exchange them for others. The notion of a library where the community members themselves can be the librarians also reintroduces the traditional sense of each one caring and being responsible for all; thereby dismantling factions and personal differences with hope. It’s a hope that children and people can leverage literacy to break the cycle of poverty and community violence, to achieve their full potential as meaningful contributors to a better Jamaica, a better Caribbean.

Rachael has seen grown men relinquish their benches reserved for drinking and smoking for Di Cawna Library and their own social space. In an ironic twist, the revered corner and the tough men on the corner have become nurturers, facilitators, and promoters of books, reading and the transfer of knowledge; they have become the catalysts for change.

Di Cawna Library was created out of a street ‘reasoning’ in the Rose Town community. There was a shared concern about uplifting the community and improving the quality of life of their children. Getting them on the right track post pandemic entailed fostering a love of books. This is how the idea was sparked.

Di Cawna Library is no sophisticated set-up. It is more of an organic, authentic space, pulling together scraps and bits from the community to make room for reading and

Elder in the community reading with children at Di Cawna Library

Founder of Di Cawna Library, Rachael McDonald speaking with a resident at the library

Di Cawna Library (continued)

YOUTH CHANGEMAKERS

ideas exchange. Old refrigerators which would usually end up in waterways creating flooding and mosquito breeding sites, are repurposed into book cupboards. So too are old wooden pallets for tables and benches, and sheets of zinc which create shelter from rain and sun. The library also serves as a community centre for educating and providing information on health issues, environment and social services.

Everyone can see there is a noticeable change in and across the communities with Di Cawna Library – not just in what happens on the Di Cawna but how the community relates. Today Di Cawna Library is more than a library, it is a place for musical expression and spoken word activity – and importantly, a safe space for toddlers to the aged. Today, there are thousands of titles ranging from novels, biographies and self-help texts and picture and story books. Teachers volunteer to do remedial reading sessions, volunteers come in and do read-alouds; the community comes together to initiate projects like beach clean-ups and kitchen gardens and culture shows. This has inspired Rachael and others to build on the concept of the library as a sustainable and inclusive means of healing, strengthening and empowering community.

Challenges

However, the road to success was not without its challenges. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought to light the harsh realities faced by many communities, exacerbating existing issues such as the digital divide and socio-economic disparities.

In the face of adversity, Rachael and her team refused to be deterred. But in the midst of the challeneges, the true spirit of community resilience shone through.

In areas designated as Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs), they engaged with community members, listening to their needs and working together to address them. The result? The birth of the Cawna Library – not just one, but multiple community libraries, each serving as a sanctuary of knowledge and opportunity.

These libraries, equipped with essentials such as books, texts, and even Wi-Fi, have become more than just a place to read – they are hubs of empowerment and transformation. Through initiatives such as community outreach programs, remedial classes, and youth clubs, the Cawna Libraries are catalysts of change, empowering individuals to chart a new course for their futures.

But perhaps what sets the Cawna Library concept apart, is its grassroots approach to change. Rather than imposing solutions from the top down, it commands meeting people where they are, respecting their unique circumstances, and empowering them to drive change from within. This bottom-up approach has not only fostered a sense of ownership and pride within the community but has also led to sustainable, long-term impact.

From Rose Town to Treasure Beach, the ripple effects of the Cawna Library are evident. Benches once occupied by individuals engaging in harmful activities are now spaces for community gatherings and learning. In Treasure Beach, where education was once a distant dream for many, children now have access to resources that ignite their passion for learning and unlock their potential.

But perhaps the true measure of success lies in the stories of transformation – the 13-year-old boy who learns to read for the first time, the youth who discovers a love for learning through superhero-themed activities, and the community members who come together to build a brighter future for generations to come.

In the end, Di Cawna Library is more than just a physical space – it's a symbol of hope, resilience, and the power of community-driven change. As we navigate the challenges of our time, Di Cawna Library is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, light can still shine through, illuminating the path to a better tomorrow.

Di Cawna Library (continued)

A Different Kind of Me

One young man’s journey in defying the odds set against him and empowering troubled youth.

Joshua Hercules is a born go-getter in a pursuit for growth and change, embodying a fearlessness to take on anything that comes his way. Currently at the South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA), Joshua works as a Nutrition and Dietetic Aid, as well as co-owner to an expanding agricultural business with his wife selling local crops, A&J Produce. In the middle of managing a demanding career life and prioritising his family, Joshua also runs a dynamic NGO, Reach Them Before We Lose Them, targeted at high-risk youths in need of guidance and redirection from environments stricken with crime and violence. But what commonality could Joshua share with these troubled youths? His transformative journey of abandoning a life once enthralled by vice and violence to forge a more purpose-driven path begins with an impetuous yes, that would later become an inspiration to thousands.

Parting from a Life of Crime & a Rediscovery of Faith

In 2015, the thrill of the streets called Joshua, giving him an insatiable taste for excitement and an addiction to the rebellious lifestyle. From the age of 16, his days flitted by with battling neighbouring gangs, wreaking havoc throughout the community, and excessive partying, and building his notoriety as a ‘troublemaker’. This earned him unquestionable respect from his peers, and a position of authority in his gang.

“I was something of a leader figure. If I said we were giving trouble tonight, that was the plan. There was no second guessing.”

Being a member of the gang exposed Joshua to unrestricted quantities of marijuana and alcohol and though his parents made desperate attempts to steer him in the opposite direction, the lifestyle of power and fast money consumed him. His mother, however, drew on her faith throughout this phase of Joshua’s life and prayed fervently for the conversion of her lost son.

Joshua Hercules

YOUTH CHANGEMAKERS

The night of New Years Eve 2015 was a turning point for him. Joshua had plans of hosting a big party, where he and his friends would drink and smoke to bring in the New Year together. There was a supplementary plot to celebrate with a specific young lady. While Joshua was waiting for his guests to arrive, a local church group approached him at home and extended an invitation to attend their service that night. Without hesitation, Joshua declined the offer. The group leader, however, shared, “We met a young lady on the way here, who accepted our invitation to come to the service”. That was enough to influence a change in his decision, this was the girl he had his sights on. He immediately reversed his decision. He thought, “If that young girl could search for her salvation, why shouldn’t he?”. So he went to church!

“You know that feeling when you know this is the place, you’re supposed to be…when I went to the service, I felt a presence hug me as soon as I entered. From there, I gradually started changing. That’s when the Lord delivered me from marijuana and the vices I struggled with.” From that moment onward, Joshua’s ministry and career took off in a different direction. Enter a different Joshua – “a whole new me”

Life After Building 'Reach Them Before We Lose Them'

Joshua enrolled at MIC Institute of Technology in 2016 for a 2-year programme in Food Preparation and Culinary Arts with the goal of eventually working in Trinidad’s public health sector. While furthering his education, Joshua continued to practice his newfound faith, regularly attending church retreats, creating an online platform in 2017, giving motivational speeches offline and online and sharing his story for those willing to listen. While a student at MIC in 2017, Joshua would host private sessions during lunch, with no less than 50 students – typically those enrolled in the Helping You Prepare for Employment (HYPE) programme - who were deemed high risk and referred to by the court. During the lunchtime sessions, Joshua would give witness to his faith through inspirational talks, displaying its transformative influence on him and acting as evidence that they could also change the trajectory of their lives.

“They were facing trials that a lot of people don’t experience or know about… but I knew because I was in it.” Joshua wanted to share the truth with them on a relatable level;

A Different Kind of Me (continued)

Joshua Hercules giving a motivational speech to trainees at the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), Point Fortin, during the Reach Them Before We Lose Them school tour

A Different Kind of Me (continued)

YOUTH CHANGEMAKERS

that despite their circumstances, if they wanted better for themselves, it was possible because he was a walking testimony with a shared background. “Yes, I was involved in gang activity, yes guns were heavily present in my community, but I found a solution to get out of it. It may not be the solution for you but alternatives do exist.” All these factors- his passion for helping others, giving motivational talks, regularly interacting with students- were all integral elements for the foundation of what was to come.

At a church camp in 2016 the seed for Reach Them Before We Lose Them was planted, which came to fruition in 2018. Joshua said, “The Holy Spirit said to me that I would be speaking to thousands of people, and as time went on, specifically in 2018, I found myself doing the work and being invited to speak at different schools and events”.

The non-profit organisation focuses on providing motivational and character development sessions for atrisk youth. Being known as a ‘bad boy’ had its benefits as principals and teachers privy to Joshua’s past reputation were in shock of his transformation after watching his social

media videos and desperately wanted him to visit their schools to speak to their youth. As his message of faith and change spread throughout the school communities, the NGO was able to do various school tours across the country, hosting free seminars and community events for young at-risk students facing struggles similar to Joshua.

Joshua noted that from his direct exposure to gangs, a contributing factor to gang activity is the music the youth are listening to and its messaging, particularly Trinibad dancehall. Many of the young people are hearing the lyrics of struggle and pain, not as warnings but as manual for creating that glamorized yet severely dangerous lifestyle.

Apart from Joshua’s efforts of reaching the young people through his NGO, he also urges those with power and authority to be responsible when choosing influencers and their placement of influencers as role models for the youth. “A thorough evaluation should be implemented during the selection process. There are many persons being deemed as influencers, going into schools, and speaking on issues that they have never been through.”

Joshua Hercules with students from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), Point Lisas during the NGO's school tour

YOUTH CHANGEMAKERS

A Different Kind of Me (continued)

The Good Hustler

Alongside his passion for ministering and helping at-risk youth, Joshua has also dedicated time and effort into pursuing a career path in the health and agricultural sector.

Currently at SWRHA, as a nutrition and dietetic aid, he is responsible for the preparation and provision of healthy meals based on patients’ dietary needs. Joshua shared, “I’ve always wanted to work in the hospital and food availability should be seen as the engine of our country. When we can cultivate natural resources and provide nourishing food sources to our society, especially to those in need, we can better sustain human life.” Joshua also expressed his excitement regarding a few new and upcoming projects that he will be spearheading in 2024.

A & J Produce, his second business, is co-owned by his wife and himself. The business started in 2020 during Covid-19, with the purchase of a car, acquiring produce from the market – mostly greens such as lettuce, patchoi, calaloo, and driving around in the hopes of getting a sale. In the beginning, a large portion of sales came from customers who wanted to provide food for family members that were unable to leave their homes during the pandemic

but over time, their customer base grew, and they’ve settled in a 20x10 tent at Corinth Hill, San Fernando where people now stop by and purchase their crops.

Joshua’s persistence and drive to mobilize the multiple parts needed to successfully build his business speaks volumes to his character but he continues to credit his faith and trust in God as the foundation to his achievements. In 2020 while the business was gradually growing Joshua felt the Lord leading him to shoot a video for A & J Produce and upload it onto his platform, “I felt moved to make a video on A & J Produce, promoting our mission and our different offerings. Within the span of three days, the video had around 200k views on Facebook.”

While Joshua enjoys the visible progression of A&J Produce presently, he doesn’t forget the hardships of the earlier days of the business. “Finding motivation was a challenge.” He says. “The lines to enter the markets were long and hard. We had to get there at 11pm and wait until 6 am , no sleeping and they’d have a line of 100 cars and not all entered”. Shopping for produce would finish around 8am and then Joshua would head back to San Fernando to pack out the produce and start selling on the side of the road.

Joshua Hercules and his wife standing in front of the A&J Produce fruit and vegetable stall

A Different Kind of Me (continued)

YOUTH CHANGEMAKERS

Joshua’s Message to the Youth

When asked what advice Joshua would leave for young aspiring entrepreneurs, he gave three critical principles that have helped him in his success:

• Continue to follow that dream- every business starts from a genuine dream and once you have a desire to create it, the journey has already begun.

• Don’t procrastinate. Don’t be afraid to do the lows, the small tasks, before you achieve the highs.

• Cultivate a strong foundation of guiding principles such as discipline, faith, perseverance. These will be what you go back to when things get hard.

At the young age of 24, Joshua has big plans for his future. He shared his anticipation for the unveiling of the SWRHA project and all the benefits that will be reaped, his desire

for A & J Produce to continue its current operations, and hopefully expand its reach, by venturing to more parts of Trinidad and to eventually growing its own produce. Reach Them Before We Lose Them is hoping to create more programmes and offerings for at-risk youth and widening its services by offering character development sessions for businesses and their staff and also build more partnerships with sponsors.

When Joshua looks back on his life and thinks of where he would be now if he didn’t change his ways, he is thankful for all those who have been a part of his journey-his wife, family, pastors, teachers, but most importantly, for the divine encounter. He gives praises to God’s hand in his life.

To find out more about Joshua Hercules, visit his Facebook page @Joshua Hercules

Avoid CEO & Board Blunders…

: coach@sheldondaniel.co.uk or donna@virtual-bizservices.com : +1.868.472.4777/+592.686.2031/+44.7824.498447 : https://www.cfi-workshops.com/ Public speaking may not be your forte. You would much rather spend time sorting strategy and just running your business. But there may be that crucial townhall, conference, presentation – or that unexpected media interview. It’s easy when you’re prepared. Our Communicating For Influence© (CFI) partners have trained CEOs across several industries to be naturals at public speaking. Learn tips and techniques that will help you master those moments. Contact our CFI Crisis Consultants for a quote. Is your organisation crisisready?

Barbados

SNAPSHOTS

Sagicor and the Deaf Heart Project go Tech

In December, Sagicor financial services purchased and donated several laptop computers, noise-cancelling headphones, and other pieces of electronic equipment to assist with the organisation’s training and outreach programmes.

This donation represented Sagicor’s principal contribution to the DHP, as part of the 2022 edition of the former’s

Republic Bank Barbados. Making a difference in energy conservation

This year, Scarred Not Shattered (SNS) and Supreme Counselling for Personal Development (SCPD) were welcomed into the Republic Bank’s Power to Make a Difference (PMAD) programme at a launch on April 2.

Managing Director and CEO of Republic Bank (Barbados) Anthony Clerk stated that the two organizations were chosen specifically because of the work they do and the support they offered to at-risk groups.

While Scarred Not Shattered assists individuals who experienced instances of abuse and domestic violence,

new annual Helping Hands initiative. Also included in the programme were sign language workshops for Sagicor team members, and financial management for entrepreneurs in the deaf community. Sagicor also provided $3,000 in backto-school vouchers for students at the Irving Wilson school for the start of the January 2023 school term. According to DHP Founder Che Greenidge the equipment will be utilised in the training and development of the deaf community in Barbados, by creating opportunities for skills training and other programmes aimed at facilitating their growth and progression.

In September of last year, Sagicor embarked on a new, annual, corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, Helping Hands, a programme that saw the company making a commitment to uplift three non-governmental organisations (NGO’s). The Deaf Heart Project in Barbados; Servol Life Centres, Trinidad and Tobago; and Lake Health and Wellbeing in St. Kitts and Nevis were the winners chosen to receive support from the insurer.

Supreme Counselling for Personal Development focuses on crisis intervention and offers a range of support services and programmes.

Other organizations which would continue to benefit from the bank’s assistance included SickKids Caribbean; Transplant Links Community; Barbados Adventure Race; Diabetes & Hypertension Association of Barbados; the St. Ambrose School; Barbados Environmental Conservation Trust; Barbados Diabetes Foundation and the One Tree For Every Bajan initiative.

Guyana

CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Sponsors National Schools’ Table Tennis Championships

CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited (CPGL) has partnered with the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) to sponsor the first nationwide National Schools’ Table Tennis championship in Guyana.

The collaboration is the culmination of months of discussion and planning for the execution of a truly national sporting activity.

The Championship is set to roll out in all ten Administrative Regions of Guyana. This initiative is expected to significantly enhance the sport of Table Tennis by:

• Providing opportunities for new talent to have an active platform to showcase their skills.

• Representing their schools, while re-establishing the Schools' Championships as a basis for the GTTA’s development thrust by having players actively participate in table tennis activities on a recreational and competitive basis.

• Developing an active framework for school competitions through School Leagues, and linkage of players to clubs in regional hubs.

• Serving as a catalyst for creating a talent identification, development and incubation systems for the recruitment, training orientation, development and teaching of life-long skills which will positively enhance the profile and marketability of the sport, impact higher performances and sustainability of the sport at the national and international level.

GRFU teams up with Trophy Stall for Sevens tournament

Popular businessman Ramesh Sunich has once again collaborated with the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) to host a much-anticipated tournament at the weekend.

Sunich, through the household name of his company, Trophy Stall, has donated the trophies and medals for the GRFU/Trophy Stall Sevens tournament, set for Saturday, April 29, at the National Park.

During a brief meeting this week, Sunich handed over the prizes to Public Relations Officer of the GRFU, Godfrey Broomes.

The businessman, who is a long-standing sponsor of Guyana’s Rugby and other sport associations, took time out to encourage other business owners, to take seriously their corporate social responsibility. He noted that his continued contribution to sport in Guyana is a key factor in his success and recognition of his business.

The rugby tournament will be contested by Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ruggers, Guyana Falcons and Panthers. The GDF ruggers will aim to remain unbeaten after winning the last Sevens tournament a month back. Falcons won the Sevens tourney in February, while Panthers were runnerup in both.

(Source: Guyana News Room)

SNAPSHOTS

KGM Security gifts another new home to staff

KGM Security Services Inc. continues its year-end tradition of bringing smiles to its staff in a very tangible manner. It donated a new home to Ronaldo Layne, who has been with the company for seven years.

KGM constructed the three-bedroom home for the father of two at La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara, for over G$7M.

Jamaica

KGM Director Hansraj Singh highlighted that the company is highly committed to its corporate social responsibility and supporting its staff’s personal development.

The new home was given to Ronaldo Layne, who has been with the company for seven years. “We are about giving back, and what better way to give back to one of our own who goes beyond the call of duty. We have always kept the Christmas tradition of helping those in need, which is our way of showing appreciation,” Singh stated.

Two years ago, KGM did the same for another staff. Layne was ecstatic and thanked his superiors for what he called a “life-changing” moment for him and his family. His wife, Shevonne Layne, stated that they will move out from where they currently rent as soon as the necessary utilities are installed in the area.

(Source: News Room)

RUBIS Campers Build Self-Confidence and Relationship Skills

Aimed at boosting STEAM learning and fostering confidence, Rubis Energy Jamaica Limited launched a summer camp for over 100 participants, titled ‘Envisioning a New World in August of 2023. Campers who were between the ages of six and twelve, spoke enthusiastically of how the camp helped them by giving them tools and techniques to overcome shyness and be more assertive. The programme immersed children in STEAM subjects and included dancing and art as forms of self-expression. The Jamaica Environment Trust and Dispute Resolution Foundation also provided skills training.

Michel Malatino and Siona of RUBIS Energy with participants of RUBiS’ Envisioning a New World summer camp, at the St Benedict’s Primary School in St Andrew on August 24, 2023 Guyana

The Digicel Group wins global Social Contribution Award for work in Haiti

Digicel Group emerged as the winner of the Social Contribution Award at the 2022 staging of the World Communication Awards.

The Social Contribution Award celebrates the service provider demonstrating the greatest positive impact on the market it seeks to address. Digicel’s award submission showcased the extensive work the Digicel Haiti Foundation has done in the field of education throughout the nation, building 188 schools, resulting in more than 100,000 Haitian children accessing education in a Digicel-built school each day.

Started in 2007, under the patronage of Digicel Founder and Chairman, Denis O’Brien, the Foundation in Haiti

strives to ensure that communities have a better future by supporting community-based activities, with a particular emphasis on those improving access to and quality of early childhood and primary school education.

Oliver Coughlan, Digicel Group CEO said, “The work we do in Haiti is very near and dear to all our hearts; it’s a country populated by people full of potential, but plagued by numerous challenges. Winning this award is testament to the phenomenal work done by the Digicel Haiti Foundation team to empower the children of Haiti to reach their full potential by educating the nation so no one gets left behind.”

NCB’s socially responsible IPO provides fund-raising opportunities for Jamaican communities

Capital Markets Limited (NCBCM) announced that it will co-broker Jamaica’s first social initial public offering (IPO), Project STAR, and waive all associated fees, enabling Jamaicans to seamlessly participate in this historic event. According to the company, this move firmly underscores its commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, as every participant will have an equal opportunity to partake in this inaugural IPO.

“The introduction of NCBCM’s GoIPO in facilitating ‘contributions’ through the Jamaica Social Stock Exchange marks a significant milestone for Jamaica’s charity, social enterprise, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. By offering fund-raising opportunities that promote broader accessibility and inclusivity, it has revolutionized the way

Jamaicans can engage with social investments,” Project STAR Project Lead Saffrey Brown.

The Project STAR social IPO aims to address long-standing social challenges faced by Jamaica, particularly those most likely to contribute to crime and violence.

CEO of NCB Capital Markets Limited Steven Gooden shared his excitement about the launch of the IPO, noting: “Project STAR is committed to making a significant difference in social issues, and so NCBCM is delighted to support a forward-thinking strategy for social intervention. This signifies a historic milestone for Jamaica, and we feel privileged to be involved in this endeavour.”

(Source: The Jamaica Observer)

SNAPSHOTS

Trinidad and Tobago

KFC Plants seedlings to mark Corpus Christi celebrations

In June, to mark the Corpus Christi Feast Day, customers visiting any KFC restaurant received complimentary seedlings which the fast-food chain hopes will inspire individuals to reconnect with nature and foster a sense

Proman launched its first charitable entity, the Proman Foundation, on Monday. Proman said the foundation will create a new structure and embed an employee-led approach to the company’s long-term community engagement, skills development and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes in TT.

of responsibility for the environment, and encourage customers to embrace a spirit of renewal and growth.

Roger Rambharose, Vice-President of KFC and Pizza Hut also stated, "At KFC, we are committed to making a difference in the lives of our customers and the world we all share. '"By sharing these seedlings, we hope to inspire our customers to embrace the concept of growing as much of our food as we can. We believe that every plant represents a step towards a sustainable and thriving future for all."

In keeping with its focus on the environment, Rambharose promised that the next event will be a hike to Lady Chancellor Hill next week to plant 1,500 trees, adding that in all, over 5000 trees are expected to be planted before the end of the year by the company. (Source: Loop News)

The foundation will begin with an initial investment of US$1.65 million for 2022-2023. Proman said with this allocation, it will continue to build partnerships with local and global programme partners to deliver highimpact initiatives.

Claus Cronberger, Proman Trinidad’s executive director and chairman of the Proman Foundation said, "We are extremely proud to launch the Proman Foundation, which builds on our longstanding commitment to community support and development across TT. The foundation enables our team to increase targeted support to initiatives

delivering measurable and lasting impact, which are closely aligned with Proman’s core sustainability commitments. Most importantly, our employees will be at the heart of the foundation, actively engaged in every step of the process, from nominating, screening and assessing each partnership, to volunteering their efforts to support the programmes that are delivering meaningful change within our communities.”

(Source: The Newsday)

SNAPSHOTS

Associated Brand signs MoA with Habitat for Humanity

Associated Brands Industries Ltd (ABIL) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with NGO Habitat for Humanity Trinidad and Tobago (Habitat TT), which is aimed at neighbourhood revitalization, disaster resiliency and the provision of shelter access to the most vulnerable.

In a statement ABIL said the MoA between ABIL and Habitat TT was signed on April 27, 2023. Via the partnership, ABIL has pledged to invest a total of TT$1 million over a threeyear period which will enable housing solutions through repairs, community projects and training of community members with a focus on disaster mitigation and building resilient communities.

ABIL Group CEO/Deputy Chairman Nicholas Lok Jack said: “As part of our mission to achieve social sustainability, ABIL has pledged to empower our communities and employees through this effort. We are pleased to support the important work of Habitat for Humanity which continuously impact and improve livelihoods through their community work.”

(Source: Loop News)

Trinidad and Tobago

Collaborating for Innovations and Solutions for Sustainability

Sanda Ojiambo Former Assistant General Secretary – UN Global Compact

Dear Participants of the UN Global Compact,

Today’s great challenges – climate change, conflict, widening inequalities, socio-economic and geopolitical changes – intensify, while the confluence of social, technological, political and economic megatrends generates unprecedented complexity, uncertainty and disruption.

We face an expanding list of bigger, more critical decisions and equally critical opportunities demanding our attention. The consequences of action, or inaction, are greater than ever.

Over the last few years, I have heard time and again from business leaders seeking to leverage the private sector's strengths to solve problems and drive transformative change. The global, regional and local convenings of the UN Global Compact have provided opportunities for sharing cross-cutting solutions and breakthroughs on diverse challenges, including climate action, renewable energy and living wage.

Innovations and solutions are within reach. Collectively, we must move at a speed, scale and scope that ensures sustainable results for the challenges we face.

Twenty-five years ago, then Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on the private sector to form a global compact for business and bring a human face to the global market. Since then, the Global Compact has grown to a participant base of more than 20,000 companies. Our ambition is to continue on a solid growth and delivery trajectory, especially when the private sector is needed now more than ever.

Shaping Agendas

2023 marked the mid-point of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The setbacks to progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were widely acknowledged. This reality check emphasized the need for all stakeholders—businesses, Governments, civil society and the United Nations—to work harder and smarter together.

In response, the UN Global Compact launched the Forward Faster initiative. This initiative focuses on five key action areas – gender equality, climate action, living wage, finance & investment and water resilience which represent critical multipliers to accelerate progress through private sector actions across all 17 SDGs. It’s a seven-year push to 2030 that all participants should join.

Collaborating for Innovations and Solutions for Sustainability (continued)

Addressing Critical Issues

Progress on the SDGs is intertwined with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact—human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption. Throughout 2023, the UN Global Compact and its participants addressed critical issues at key gatherings on these topics, demonstrating that principled and value-based business actions result in real financial and sustainability value for business.

After the 12th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights, which took stock of 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we remain committed to equipping companies with tools for ongoing human rights due diligence processes.

Post COP28, clear signals on renewables, adaptation and finance emerged. We are ready to build bridges between business and policymakers revising their climate action plans which should serve as investment roadmaps for the private sector.

Following the 10th session of the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption, where we co-hosted the gathering’s first Private Sector Forum, we continue our work to stamp out corruption, energized by the support of the 190 Governments that resolved to strengthen business integrity and work with the private sector following our Call-to-Action which was signed by 500 companies.

Looking Ahead

In 2024, the UN Global Compact will continue to serve as a platform for companies to lead, learn, connect, advocate and report. By providing actionable guidance on how to apply the Ten Principles in business operations, our focus will be on accountability, delivery, ambition, and mobilization. This includes a reinvigorated effort to deliver a Communication on Progress platform for participants.

With the establishment of our regional hubs in Abuja, Bangkok, Copenhagen, Dubai and Panama City, we will work closer with participating companies and Global Compact Networks. Looking ahead, we want more businesses, coalitions and partnerships to drive actions at the local and regional scales and scopes needed for transformation.

The Summit of the Future this September will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance cooperation on critical challenges and address gaps in global governance. It will reaffirm existing commitments, including to the SDGs, and move towards a reinvigorated multilateral system.

We are poised to bring the private sector into important conversations prior to, and during the Summit. Safeguarding the future, addressing short-termism and turbocharging the SDGs are all in the interest of responsible business.

Let’s leverage the power of 20,000 companies together for the private sector-led opportunities that we must seize and advance. I encourage all participants to engage with our global, regional and local platforms and programmes.

Being Part of the UN Global Compact

Being part of the UN Global Compact means advancing the voice of the private sector as a key contributor to the SDGs on global platforms. It means engaging the private sector in key transitions of energy, climate, food systems, education, digital connectivity and jobs. It means building powerful regional platforms to advance regional priorities.

Looking at some of the places where we worked in 2023, it means advancing renewable energy in Europe and business-led biodiversity conservation in the Amazon. It means working across industries to fight gender discrimination and upskill women in the workplace in Sri Lanka and helping SMEs in Ukraine rebuild their businesses despite the ongoing war. It means a public-private partnership for sustainable transport in Nigeria. In the United States, it means harnessing the private sector to ensure that companies and their global supply chains have the resources and support to fully integrate the SDGs and Ten Principles into their operations.

Growing stronger companies and more resilient economies worldwide is what it looks like to be part of the UN Global Compact. This is a glimpse of the future we all want. In 2024, let’s be brave and more ambitious than ever.

Whistleblowers and Regulators….

Customers and shareholders are demanding more from organisations. Transparency, compliance and fair practice are essentials of good governance. When organisations fail to act with transparency, they can become subject to activist exposure with serious risk to reputation. Reputation Risk Management is part of any sensible business risk planning process. Make sure you have the right support in place if something does blow up. Contact our CFI Crisis Consultants for a quote.

 : coach@sheldondaniel.co.uk or donna@virtual-bizservices.com : +1.868.472.4777/+592.686.2031/+44.7824.498447 : https://www.cfi-workshops.com/

No Compromise

Understanding today’s Youth, their World, their Work, and the Importance to Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is often defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”1 In a similar vein, it can be said that the well-being of young people is critically important in shaping the future of the world. More than 90% of the global youth population resides in the developing world, where the impact of global decision making has often been felt the hardest.2 In 2015 the world’s leaders came together to create the Sustainable Development Goals as a promise to “secure the rights and well-being of everyone on a healthy, thriving planet”.

While governments have largely failed to make a discernable dent in the progress of the 17 goals, with a weak global economy, rising global conflicts, and the climate crisis placing the attainment of the goals further in jeopardy, young people are being touted as the “torchbearers of the 2030 Agenda”, not only as beneficiaries of the policies but as partners, participants and drivers of its implementation and success.

Currently half of the world’s population is under the age of 30, meaning that this is the largest generation of young people in history. The United Nations estimates that the population of the youth between the ages of 15-24 has risen by 67% since 1965 and is growing at a much faster rate than the total population3. Despite this, young people are often overlooked or undervalued when it comes to the decisions made around issues that, arguably, will have the greatest impact on their peer group, given that they will likely have several years to deal with the ramifications of other, older generations’ decisions.

Empowering the youth is an important factor in not only the success of the sustainable goals but in the progress of humankind. Young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than other adults, with a 15% global youth unemployment rate4, the opportunities available often being temporary and informal, with poor working conditions. Even

1 “Sustainable Development.” EUR, eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/glossary/sustainable-development.html

2 “Youth.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/en/global-issues/youth#:

3 “Youth - United Nations Sustainable Development.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/youth/.

4 “World Youth Unemployment Rate 1991-2024.” MacroTrends, www.macrotrends.net/countries/WLD/world/youth-unemploymentrate

By Saarah Khan

in developed countries where young people should have better access to gainful employment opportunities, they are not adequately represented by senior and executive leadership at their places of work.

The corporate world has faced challenges in engaging and retaining younger employees, largely because young people are often not involved in the decision-making arena of the workplace. The average age of directors in the S&P 500 companies is 635. This is quite evidently not reflective of the customer base or the employee base. The creation of avenues and support for youth development initiatives, especially in the corporate world through, for example, mentorship and outreach programmes are beneficial not only to the young people themselves, but to the companies who support these initiatives as it would provide a more inclusive environment and greater opportunity for innovation. Capacity Canada’s Gen Z on Boards6 program is a great example that trains, mentors, and matches young people with Boards that directly serve the community, with at least one student creating their own non-profit organisation at the age of 21, with the knowledge gained through the program.

Investing in young people, especially in marginalised and minority communities is essential in building the inclusive partnerships required to address the global sustainability challenges.

The potential of this generation is often demonstrated in exemplary ways once they are given the opportunity to be active stakeholders in building the communities to which they belong. One example of this is the innovation by a group of teenagers in Ukraine, who after identifying the need for alternative power sources after attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure, set up a solar charging station, with knowledge they gained by participating in the global youth innovation program, UPSHIFT.

Similarly, a seed funding and entrepreneurship program funded in a joint effort between UNICEF and Institut Européen de Coopération et de Développement enabled 23-year-old Leen from Syria to develop a medical app that allows patients to have access to daily medical advice and to easily schedule medical appointments. When asked how the program has helped Syrian youth, she stated “We deserve this support because we’re a creative community that only needs guidance to reach our full potential.”7

Research conducted by Tufts University suggested that youth civic engagement is a critical part of community development as they “have unique perspectives on local issues, they often bring new ideas to the table, and they can be an inexhaustible source of energy and passion for social change.”8 However, these decision-making spaces are often inaccessible to this demographic, youth being severely underrepresented in the majority of political sphere, with the average global age of parliamentarians as 53. Given that the most online age group is the exact demographic defined by the UN as “youth”, it is no surprise that we have seen social media utilised as an element of social change and grassroots movement by young people in order to effect change, increase awareness and challenge the status quo.

5 “On the Board but Aging Out.” Korn Ferry, Korn Ferry, 10 Aug. 2022, www.kornferry.com/insights/this-week-in-leadership/ mandatory-retirement-age-board-directors

6 “Gen Z on Boards.” Capacity Canada, 31 Aug. 2023, capacitycanada.ca/boards-embracing-the-vision-of-youth/.

7 “The Changemakers: 10 Youth Building Peace in Their Communities.” UNICEF Canada: For Every Child, www.unicef.ca/en/blog/ changemakers-10-youth-building-peace-their-communities.

8 “Why Is Youth Civic Engagement Important?” CIRCLE, circle.tufts.edu/understanding-youth-civic-engagement/why-it-important

No Compromise (continued)

Perhaps the most widely known example of this is that of Greta Thunberg, who at the age of 15 staged her first protest and thus began the #SchoolStrike4ClimateChange which sparked global interest on the issue of climate change and global warming, resulting in the largest climate strike ever, as almost 4 million people around the world participated. Many young activists have followed her example, such as Licypriya Kangujam9, who at the age of 10 has enacted change India by advocating for climate action and who’s protests have resulted in new air pollution regulations in five Indian states. She is not an anomaly as a 2021 study by Edelman10 shows that 70% of Gen Z are involved in a social or political cause. Yolian Ogbu, a member of the youth led Zero Hour movement, wrote in a 2019 article that “young people across the world are coming together to recreate and redefine people power and governance”11.

From climate change action to challenging social inequalities, young people are demanding action and taking charge. They are organizing marches, walkouts, protests, campaigns, leading non-profits, lobbying governments, and challenging norms in every aspect of society.

Today’s youth understand that the actions of generations before them have had a profound effect on the life that they now must live, across all social, environmental and economic aspects. And they also understand that they have no choice but to act and innovate to make their world better for their generation and beyond. It is therefore imperative for other, older generations to give this younger generation the opportunity and the space to be true torchbearers, partners, and drivers of positive change.

9 “10 Youth Changemakers from around the World: Youth Changemakers, Mapped.” 10 Youth Changemakers from around the World | Youth Changemakers, Mapped., www.climateculture.earth/5-minute-reads/10-youth-changemakers-from-around-the-world.

10 “Unleashing the Power of Gen Z.” Edelman, www.edelman.com/insights/unleashing-power-gen-z.

11 Ogbu, Yolian. “Why 2019 Was the Year of the Protest.” I, i-d.vice.com/en/article/a35bak/2019-protest-year-youth-movementszero-hour.

Youth and AI

To create a future with AI where human wellbeing and happiness take centre stage, we must collaborate internationally with young people because they will be the main users of AI in 2050.

By Jarrel De Matas

United Nations ‘A Future with AI – Voices of Global Youth’ Final Report 2022

As indicated by the United Nations 2022 report, youth input involving artificial intelligence (AI) technology is critically important given that young people will be the ones whose lives are most impacted by such technology in the future. The report surveyed two hundred and fifty-four young people from thirty-six countries. Key findings from the report reveal an overwhelmingly positive perception of AI and robots among youth (93.2 percent), with more than two-thirds (68 percent) stating they generally trust AI, and approximately 80 percent saying they interact with AI multiple times a day.

The favorable attitudes toward AI expressed in the 2022 UN report prove that the landscape is primed for young people to seize the opportunities provided by emerging technologies.

When ChatGPT burst onto the scene in November 2022, sectors involved in education, the arts, law, and medicine were particularly at their wit’s end with trying to grasp the potential impacts on job security. In some aspects, ChatGPT

was considered nothing more than a glorified chatbot, the kind you might have encountered as an automated pop-up after accessing a website.

In other aspects, however, ChatGPT is much more advanced. The Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF) model used by ChatGPT is what makes it unique. Since the GPT-3 version emerged in November 2022, more advanced versions such as GPT-4 have been developed which unlike its predecessor is multimodal –capable of analysing images and voice in addition to text. The evolution of each successive GPT version is a testament to how rapid the developments in technology occur.

Just two months after the launch of ChatGPT, the number of active users amounted to 100 million, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. To put this into context, it took TikTok approximately nine months after its global launch to reach 100 million users and Instagram two and a half years.

With the current state of new technologies developing and evolving at such a rapid pace, empowering users to adapt these technologies to their daily lives and prospective careers is crucial. As indicated by the UN report, youth development can only be sufficiently approached alongside investments in digitisation that place young people at the center.

A Perilous Journey

Because the way of doing business now and in the future must necessarily involve the use of AI technology to ensure organizational sustainability and relevance, organisations will increasingly find themselves pressed for talent acquisition and retention as it relates specifically to tech skills.

Businesses should interweave in their strategic plan a way to leverage youth involvement in AI operations and the development of AI applications. Given that young people are viewed as ‘digital natives’ and therefore naturally predisposed to navigating technological systems, businesses can maximize their clientele outreach through chatbots that offer 24/7 customer support. Customer engagement can also be improved through Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). Immersive experiences that enable customers to ‘visit’ virtual showrooms and preview what products might look like in their homes or offices, will improve the product experience.

With the promise of an ever-evolving digital economy, businesses that can keep up with evolving technological trends will be in a prime position to gain a competitive advantage. Currently underway in Silicon Valley, California is an ambitious AI startup called Induced AI. Founded by teenagers Aryan Sharma and Ayush Pathak, Induced AI has secured an investment of USD 2.3 million to achieve its mission of assisting businesses with automating workflows to streamline operations. The platform enables businesses to input their workflows which are converted into code and thereafter executed remotely.

On a broader level, businesses that create a space for young people to exercise their technological know-how through such things as participation in focus groups, product testing, and consultation will empower the next generation of entrepreneurs to start and grow their own businesses.

Youth change-making through digital upskilling

Although young people are considered ‘digital natives’, there must be a concerted effort to develop their digital skills to ensure business operations are sustainable in the long run. Beyond the popularity of artificial intelligence is a pressing need to integrate youth development into the increasing drive toward a digital economy.

In 2019 the World Economic Forum estimated that by 2022 at least 133 million new roles generated as a result of the new division of labour between humans and algorithms. As a result, there has been, and continues to be, a high demand for technical skills such as programming and app development to match the advances in emerging technologies.

Digital upskilling specifically has been identified in a collaborative report by PwC, UNICEF, and Generation

Unlimited as a crucial marker of how well economies transition to meet the global demands of climate change. The recommendations for implementing a skills roadmap include the creation of a national digital skills verification trust to centrally track credentials based on national skillsmapping frameworks. The roadmap also recommends developing a skills forum to improve information-sharing among key stakeholders. Such a forum could bring government stakeholders, skills service providers, industry leaders, and others to share information and best practices related to digital upskilling. The forum can further contribute to youth development through support with job searching, career guidance, and entrepreneurship training.

Opportunities for digital upskilling provided to young people will be of crucial importance to achieving the broader goals of national development. Gone are the days when brick-and-

mortar institutions. During the time it takes the development of a national skills roadmap, individuals can pursue skills training offered through a partnership between the Commonwealth Secretariat and global digital skills provider Simplilearn. The self-paced e-learning courses target youth between the ages of 15 and 29 in Commonwealth member

countries. The 2,000 courses developed in partnership with leading tech industry experts such as IBM, Microsoft, Google, and Meta are free of charge. Each learner receives a globally recognised certificate for the courses which fall within the areas of artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, cybersecurity, and software development.

AI Transformation in the Caribbean

The rapid development and integration of artificial intelligence should not be feared but leveraged. When it comes to young people, the leveraging of AI systems proves fertile ground for the encouragement of youth entrepreneurship.

The splash made at the end of November 2022 by ChatGPT and parent company OpenAI was a signal of just how sudden developments in the tech world can unfold. Opportunistic young people globally have already been at the forefront of AI-leveraged entrepreneurship.

The domain extension, .ai, is a hot property. In 2021, Anguilla generated approximately USD 7.4 million in domain registrations. The island which has traditionally depended on tourism is expected to generate over USD 30 million in revenue this year alone through sales of its domain extension, .ai, which it has sold to individuals and businesses looking to register websites since the 1990s. The overseas British territory in the Caribbean may have gotten lucky because its domain address just happened to coincide with the rise of artificial intelligence. Still, that

revenue from the sale of domains to artificial intelligence companies is expected to amount to almost 10% of the island’s total GDP is a sign that the digital market is primed for agile economies to seize the opportunities available.

Tech experts are already referring to the rise of AI as creating a new industrial revolution. Young people especially are poised to benefit from this revolution the most. The increasing accessibility and usage of generative AI

As generative AI, such as the model used by ChatGPT, becomes more accessible and widely used, there will be a growing demand for professionals who can design, develop, train, test, deploy, and maintain generative AI systems and applications. Asking AI applications the right questions and “prompt engineering” will be a crucial skill. Additionally, there will be new roles for content creators, curators, editors, reviewers, and validators who can use generative AI tools to produce high-quality and original content.

All hands on deck

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago cannot be relied upon to solely address the technological needs of young people. An ‘all hands on deck’ approach must be adopted to ensure that young people are provided with opportunities to become technologically savvy in the first instance. Maintaining talent is also important. Finally, there is a need for measures that resolve any disparities that may arise in access and connectivity which can potentially widen the gap between those who have and those who do not. It’s called digital inclusion.

As outlined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs), digital inclusion for youth can be encouraged through a national ICTs Young Leaders Programme. This proposed Youth Strategy is grouped under three areas of action: Empower, Engage, and Participate. Each of these areas relies on multilevel stakeholder engagement. As part of supporting youth empowerment, the ITU recommends ICT-related youth programs, campaigns, initiatives, and activities that build communities of future leaders.

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Thereafter, young people can be engaged through internships that integrate them into the national workforce in a capacity that encourages them to contribute their ideas to the development of business operations. For this to be as widely implemented as possible, private sector organisations need to be on board with the creation of recruitment pathways for talented and qualified young professionals. To encourage youth participation in the decision-making process, the ITU recommends the consultation of young people to give feedback on how technologies can be utilised to help future generations achieve their full potential.

Similar work such as the recently concluded DIA Summit 2023 in Trinidad and Tobago by The Trust for the Americas, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS), is needed. Hosted by CARIRI (The Caribbean Industrial Research Institute), the local implementing partner of the DIA Youth Innovation Lab in Trinidad and Tobago (DIA Lab TT), the two-day event was themed “Innovative Future Generations” and consisted of four panel discussions.

While platforms for dialogue are necessary, the dialogue must lead to actionable measures. For example, a more comprehensive initiative that also involved The Trust of the Americas was the JET (Jamaican Youth through Empowerment & Training) project. In collaboration with Citibeats, the JET project connects youth with employment and income opportunities, develops and implements digital and soft skills training programmes, and conducts labour market assessment of the demand and supply of digital skills.

Data insights provided by the JET project revealed that the most demanded digital skills are Programming, Web and App development, Artificial Intelligence and Social Media Management. A similar data-driven assessment of digital, entrepreneurial, and soft skills is required as part of an allhands-on-deck approach that is suited to the needs of youth in T&T.

In Need of a National AI strategy

Back to the UN Final Report which I mentioned at the beginning, the top concern of AI technology expressed by the majority of youth was “unemployment as a result of AI”. The concern underscored that the advancement of AI technology brings opportunities as well as risks to young people. The concern of unemployment will affect young people who are not given equal opportunities to achieve digital inclusion. One possible way to mitigate the effects of a digital divide in Trinidad and Tobago is to consider integrating tech education earlier in schools, as early as the primary level.

A national AI literacy programme would go a long way to ensuring a sustainable workforce in an ever-changing labour landscape. It is not enough to prepare youth, and future generations, for careers in the development and use of emerging technologies. Young people must also be educated holistically about the ethical and legal aspects and implications of AI usage.

Currently underway in the United Arab Emirates is an initiative called the National Digital Talent Incubator Program. This program is part of the country’s broader effort to develop nationwide proficiency in AI technology that allows future Emeratis to become future ready. Through partnership with educational institutions, internship opportunities for students will allow them to learn from leaders in Artificial Intelligence, Cloud, Open Banking, and Robotics.

In the Caribbean region, Jamaica launched its Amber Heart Coding Academy in 2021 to help cultivate local talent in the field of information and communication technology (ICT).

The Amber Heart Academy is the product of a collaboration between the Government of Jamaica and the Amber Group – a global technology company. Woven into the corporate social responsibility of the Amber Group is a concerted attempt to provide skills training in technologies such as Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, Mobile Application Development

and Web Application Development. The one-year residential training program culminates in a government-recognised NCTVET (National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training) certification. The collaborative endeavour in Jamaica provides a model for Trinidad and Tobago, particularly given that any investment into artificial intelligence, robotics, or other emerging technologies was noticeably left out of the 2023-2024 Budget Statement by T&T Minister of Finance Colm Imbert.

In 2022, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that Digicel Jamaica would partner with the Amber Group to co-sponsor the National Coding in Schools Programme which sets out to develop students’ digital literacy at an early age, from grade levels one through thirteen. The programme will also provide teachers with resources and training to enhance their own coding literacy and technical proficiency. Holness described coding as a foundational literacy that will allow future generations to function in Jamaica’s modern society. The intention behind Jamaica’s National Coding in

Schools Programme seems to be a global trend. In India, a national programme is underway called ‘Responsible AI for Youth’ which enables government school students in the subcontinent to become AI Ready. This programme is part of India’s overarching governmental drive toward national e-governance. The program themes include AI in Agriculture, Healthcare, Education, Environment & Clean Energy, Transportation, Rural Development, Law & Justice, and Smart Cities. At the end of the programme, participants are asked to submit an innovative AI solution in a 120-second video.

Activities such as these that educate as well as get young people excited about AI and other emerging technologies must be accompanied by a job market that provides meaningful employment opportunities. In this way, the ‘digital pipeline’ created through digital skills training that can then lead to meaningful employment will ensure that students are kept engaged.

Conclusion

As stated by Eric Parrado, Chief Economist and General Manager of the Research Department at the International Development Bank, AI has transformative power for the Caribbean given the region’s higher threshold for growth. Anguilla has already been capitalising on this potential through sales of its .ai domain. Jamaica is positioning itself to become the Silicon Valley of the Caribbean as it prepares to transition into a digital economy. Any digital strategy, however, has to place young people at the center because it is ultimately they who will form the pool of employable talent for tech companies.

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