🚨One of the biggest institutional decisions in CARICOM this decade just happened, and most of the region barely noticed.
On July 7, 2026, in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, CARICOM admitted its eighth associate member.
This is not a footnote. It is a signal about where the Caribbean's centre of gravity is shifting.
Jamaica has lost one of its great builders of sport, and the Caribbean has lost a man whose work gave all of us reason to stand taller.
Stephen “Franno” Francis helped turn talent into discipline, promise into excellence, and Caribbean speed into a language the world could not ignore. We saw the athletes flying down the track, carrying Jamaica and the region with them. Behind those moments were the early mornings, the hard truths, the science, the standards and the belief of a coach who helped make greatness possible.
Barbados, too, felt his hand through our own Sada Williams, whose journey at MVP helped carry her to historic heights for our country. For so many boys and girls across the Caribbean, his work proved that small islands can still shake the world.
On behalf of the Government and people of Barbados, I extend deepest condolences to his family, the MVP family, his athletes, the people of Jamaica, and all across the Caribbean who mourn him with gratitude.
May he rest in peace, and may his legacy continue to run in every young athlete who dares to believe.
Every tweet, every post, every story, every interview, every article shapes how people perceive you.
It allows you to figure out who your people are and aren't which is a good thing.
Tell your stories.
Share about your values.
Find those who are aligned with you.
This year Larry Fink wrote that “If we want more people to share in future growth, we have to make long-term investing easier, broader, and more accessible.”
He also said “It simply means a critical part of the solution is bringing more people into the capital markets—so they can share in the growth already taking place, not just watch it from the sidelines."
This aligns with my 2014 suggestion at the annual Jamaica Stock Exchange Conference to create an investment vehicle accessible to the Jamaican Diaspora in order to make it easer to pool our capital and invest back home.
The dream has since expanded beyond just Jamaica.
That dream is now a reality. @BlueMahoeCap is finally ready.
Every human being is worthy by the mere fact of having been willed, created, and loved by God. There is no situation that causes the Lord to turn His gaze away from us. It is a consoling truth that accompanies us at all times and reminds us that His merciful love always outweighs whatever good or evil we may have done. #ApostolicJourney
https://t.co/W0PUAtuB92
Also, our telecommunications companies have to figure out this “no electricity, no cell service” problem.
I would think after a massive hurricane last year they would have fixed all these issues in preparation for another hurricane season.
#Update: I am confirming receipt of a preliminary report regarding the All-Island outage experienced on Friday June 5th, 2026.
Ministry's Summary Findings Thus Far Based on the Report:
The system behaviour strongly suggests a failure or delayed operation of the primary protection scheme at Hunts Bay and the Rockfort lines resulting in:
* Extended fault duration,
* Escalation of the disturbance, and
* Wider propagation of system instability
I must state categorically that the findings suggest a situation that is completely untenable and unacceptable. The reports suggest the same old findings as in previous instances regarding system failures. In 2026, with improved technologies and greater experience, we should not be exposed or be vulnerable to the challenges we experienced a in 2006, approximately 20 years ago.
I am meeting with my team at the ministry and will provide a more comprehensive report in a statement to the parliament later this week. I have also received reports of additional outages since the restoration on Saturday morning across the island. The Ministry remains in constant dialogue with the utility provider and will continue to provide updates to the public as they become available. We await the findings from the Office of Utilities Regulator (OUR).
The Jamaican people are sick and tired of this and quite frankly SO AM I!
Omar Artan didn’t just make the #FIFAWorldCup, he made history as the first Somali referee to get there, and as #Africa’s best. That milestone stands no matter what. So sorry to see this, Omar. You reached the summit of your profession and inspired a generation back home just by getting there, and being kept off the pitch you earned doesn’t change that. This won’t be the end of your story on the world stage. The world stands with you as one family, wishing you resilience now and many more major finals to come. Solidarity. #Somalia