Barbadians living abroad can use this space to share experiences, search for news about what is happening on the Rock.
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2,184 responses to “Diaspora Corner”
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Ode to Balan politicians.
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Negro Coney Island, just for the Bajan connection, who is related to Solomon Riley?
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/realestate/negro-coney-island-solomon-riley-hart-island-park.html
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75 years old and still look and sound good.
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All about that bass player.lol
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Cuban-Canadian.
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Caribbean sweetness,
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In my dreams. lol
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still dreaming.
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Keyla.
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Bajans getting ready.
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Fantastic.
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Forgetting your worries.
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Who here remembers Clarence Carter?
RIP
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Smooth.
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New connection.
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Hants,
What happened to the Whitney Houston imitator?
Did you fall two out. I don’t see you posting anything about her
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Warm greetings brother? -
@ The OG,
She is still my number one. I just haven’t been sharing. lol
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CIBC signs deal to sell Caribbean Division
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@Sargeant
What is your read of the acquisition? A case of this transaction validating an exit strategy by Canadian banks in the region?
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Validation, or desperation?
First Caribbean goes from a sub of a $130B group, to a $3B group. And to get the deal, they (CIBC) retain nearly a 25% ownership position.(Memories of SOL)
The H/O risk officers have pegged the Caribbean/LAm as “too risky”. Can’t be healthy operating under that cloud. Better off, yet one can only wonder if this is a prelude to another Butterfield flip. -
Northern captured the situation fully. This appears to be a renewed exit strategy and is likely to hold. In my judgment, the governments of the various territories had concerns about the previous attempt; however, Butterfield is well known in the region.
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Butterflied is well known in the northern Caribbean not so sure about in the south.
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This should be a great show.
https://barbadostoday.bb/2026/05/29/kaiso-icons-headline-ras-ileys-one-caribbean-concert/
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A wake-up shake
The CIBC-Butterfield matter
This article was written and submitted by Lionel Merritt, retired accountant and business advisor.
Have you ever been sleeping so soundly that someone trying to get your attention had to escalate their efforts?
First, they call your name in a normal voice. If you do not respond, they call louder. Then they shout. And if you still do not wake up, they grab you and shake you while calling your name.
Sometimes a wake-up call is not enough. Sometimes what is needed is a wake-up shake.
For many Barbadians, the recent announcement that Butterfield Bank is in the process of acquiring CIBC Caribbean’s operations in Barbados should not be viewed as merely another corporate transaction. It should be viewed as a wake-up shake.
Coming as it does on the heels of several recent business closures and a growing trend towards outsourcing key functions outside of Barbados, this development raises questions that should concern every Barbadian – not just customers of the affected banks.
The issue is bigger than banking. The issue is what these developments may be telling us about the business climate in Barbados.
Some time ago, I made a social media post asking how people felt about the fact that much of the backoffice work for major institutions operating in Barbados is now being performed outside of Barbados. Increasingly, customers call what appears to be a local customer service number only to discover they are speaking with someone in another country.
The responses were revealing. Many people viewed the issue through the lens of their personal experiences. If they received good service, they saw no problem. If they received poor service, they viewed outsourcing negatively.
But that misses the larger point. Whether a particular customer receives good or bad service is not the central issue. The bigger question is why these functions are being moved elsewhere in the first place, and what that means for employment, investment, and economic activity in Barbados.
Unfortunately, we often evaluate national issues based on personal convenience rather than broader economic implications.
The same thing appears to be happening with the Butterfield-CIBC announcement. If someone banks with CIBC, they are paying attention. If they bank elsewhere, many see it as none of their concern.
That is a mistake. Developments of this nature affect all of us.
Barbados prides itself on being an international business and financial centre. We frequently celebrate our ability to compete on the global stage. Some even say we punch above our weight. But there is an uncomfortable reality that comes with competing internationally.
If we want to play at the international level, we are judged by international standards.
Investors in Toronto, London, New York, and elsewhere do not evaluate businesses operating in Barbados using Barbadian benchmarks. They compare returns with opportunities around the world.
A profit level that appears healthy to us may be viewed as inadequate by international shareholders and analysts.
That reality matters. Barbados remains one of the most politically stable jurisdictions in the region. We have many strengths. But we also have a persistent challenge: the cost of doing business.
For years governments have introduced initiatives intended to improve competitiveness. Some have helped. Others have been largely cosmetic. Yet, the underlying issue remains.
Barbados is an expensive place in which to operate. Businesses exist to generate returns for investors. That is not a popular statement, but it is true.
Because of our labour history and social traditions, we sometimes behave as though businesses exist primarily to provide jobs, comfortable working conditions, and high wages. Those objectives are important. However, they are not the primary reason investors commit capital.
The investor in Canada, London, or New York is not chiefly concerned with whether Barbadians can afford the latest smartphone or enjoy a comfortable lifestyle.
The central question is much simpler: “What return am I receiving on the money I invested?”
When that return is deemed inadequate, investors act.
Operations are consolidated. Back-office functions are relocated. Investments are reduced. And sometimes companies leave altogether.
We have seen versions of this before. We saw it when Barclays exited the Caribbean banking market. We have seen it in the movement of various support services to lower-cost jurisdictions. And now we are seeing another significant change in our banking landscape.
These developments should concern us. Not because Barbados is in crisis.
Not because we are facing an emergency, but because they may be early warning signs.
Every business closure, every outsourcing decision, every reduction in local operations sends a signal – not only to policymakers but also to international investors watching from afar.
Analysts in Toronto, London, and on Wall Street pay attention to these trends. They look for patterns. They assess risk. They evaluate competitiveness. And so should we.
The Butterfield announcement, viewed alongside recent business closures and ongoing outsourcing trends, should prompt a serious national conversation.
Are we doing enough to remain competitive?
Are we making it attractive for businesses to invest, expand, and remain here?
Are we paying sufficient attention to productivity, efficiency, and the cost of doing business?
These are not questions for Government alone.
They are questions for employers, employees, trade unions, policymakers, regulators, and citizens alike.
Someone may be trying to wake us up. The shaking is not violent yet. The sirens are not blaring.
But prudent people do not wait for the emergency before paying attention to the warning signs.
This version shifts the focus from personal banking experiences to the broader economic implications and makes a stronger case that the acquisition should be viewed as a national business-climate issue rather than merely a banking story.
Source: Nation
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Things that occur behind the scenes with an unaware public.
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