Two Jamaicans have been named amongst 5 excellent Caribbean leaders honoured as 2026 Anthony N. Sabga Caribbean Excellence Award Laureates, recognising achievement in science, entrepreneurship, civic management and the humanities throughout the area.
The announcement was created from Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, throughout a stay regional broadcast unveiling this yr’s awardees, chosen from nominees throughout Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, the Organisation of Japanese Caribbean States and Trinidad and Tobago.
Now in its twenty first yr, the awards programme has recognised 66 Caribbean laureates and supplied greater than TT$32 million in help to people whose work advances regional improvement and international influence.
Professor Tannecia Stephenson — Science & Expertise (Joint Laureate)
Jamaican local weather scientist Professor Tannecia Stephenson was honoured within the Science & Expertise class, which was collectively awarded this yr.
Professor Stephenson, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology at The College of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, and Co-Director of the Local weather Research Group Mona, is broadly thought to be one of many Caribbean’s main local weather researchers.
Her work focuses on producing actionable local weather science that helps Caribbean governments perceive and reply to the impacts of local weather change. She has led landmark research assessing historic local weather traits throughout the area and helped develop digital platforms that make local weather knowledge accessible to policymakers.
An Intergovernmental Panel on Local weather Change (IPCC) Lead Writer, Stephenson has performed a key function in guaranteeing Caribbean priorities — together with rising sea ranges, warmth impacts and catastrophe resilience — are represented in international local weather negotiations and local weather finance discussions.
The awards panel additionally recognised her mentorship of rising Caribbean local weather scientists and her management in growing hurricane scenario-planning instruments that strengthen catastrophe preparedness throughout the area.
Dean Nevers — Entrepreneurship Laureate
Jamaican telecommunications engineer Dean M. Nevers, Founder and Chief Government Officer of Konnex Services Limited, acquired the award for Entrepreneurship.
A former Cable & Wi-fi engineer, Nevers constructed Konnex Providers right into a regional know-how firm working throughout ten Caribbean territories, delivering telecommunications, renewable vitality and industrial community options whereas using a whole lot of individuals.
Underneath his management, the corporate grew from a web loss in its first yr to annual revenues exceeding US$20 million, demonstrating the potential for Caribbean-owned infrastructure improvement inside the know-how sector.
Nevers has additionally championed gender range in engineering, implementing an organization mandate guaranteeing girls occupy half of administration positions. Via the Connecting Minds outreach programme, he gives technical coaching and management improvement alternatives for marginalised youth.
He beforehand acquired Jamaica’s Order of Distinction for sterling service to telecommunications and job creation, and was recognised by the awards panel for selling the imaginative and prescient that Caribbean nations can design, construct and handle their very own telecommunications infrastructure.
Fellow 2026 Caribbean Laureates
The remaining honourees kind a formidable cohort of pros whose achievements exemplify excellence throughout the broader Caribbean:
- Dr. Niven R. Narain (Guyana/United States) — Joint Science & Expertise Laureate, recognised for pioneering synthetic intelligence-driven drug discovery and advancing precision drugs analysis.
- Shamelle Rice (Barbados) — Public & Civic Contributions Laureate, honoured for founding Jabez Home, a charity supporting girls transitioning from intercourse work by way of vocational coaching, housing help and psychological well being providers.
- Sheena Rose (Barbados) — Arts & Letters Laureate, an internationally exhibited visible artist identified for work exploring class, race and id whereas mentoring rising Caribbean creatives.
Concerning the Anthony N. Sabga Awards
Established in 2005 by Trinidad and Tobago industrialist and philanthropist Dr. Anthony N. Sabga, founding father of the ANSA McAL Group, the awards have been created to have a good time Caribbean excellence and strengthen regional unity by recognising people whose work advantages Caribbean societies.
Administered by the ANSA McAL Foundation, the programme honours achievement in 4 classes:
- Arts & Letters
- Entrepreneurship
- Public & Civic Contributions
- Science & Expertise
Laureates are chosen by an unbiased Regional Eminent Individuals Panel, comprising distinguished Caribbean leaders who consider candidates from throughout the area. Every recipient receives a gold medal, quotation and a financial award valued at roughly TT$500,000 to help continued work benefiting the Caribbean.
Induction Ceremony Later This 12 months
All 5 honourees can be formally inducted into the Anthony N. Sabga Faculty of Laureates at a gala ceremony scheduled for later this yr, becoming a member of a distinguished group of Caribbean innovators, artists, scientists and civic leaders whose work continues to form the area’s future.
The 2026 cohort exemplifies the breadth of Caribbean excellence, highlighting the area’s rising affect in international conversations whereas advancing options tailor-made to Caribbean improvement.
