Regional Journalists Honoured with Inaugural UN SDG Champion Award at 37th CBU Media Awards

Journalists across the region were recognised for their reporting on sustainable development as the UN Sub-Regional Team for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean presented its inaugural SDG Champion Award at the 37th Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) Media Awards.

Delivering remarks at the awards ceremony in Guyana on August 19, 2026, Kenroy Roach, Head of Office for the UN Resident Coordinator's Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, thanked the CBU for the opportunity to partner on the new award and reflected on why the media matters in the final stretch toward the 2030 Agenda.

"The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were agreed by the world to improve lives, protect our planet and build a more peaceful and prosperous society," he said.

With 17 goals to cover, Mr Roach added, "there is no shortage of stories and certainly no shortage of work to do." He was equally direct on the timeline, noting that "with less than five years remaining for the achievement of the SDGs, the urgency is clear," and telling the audience that the media remains an important partner as the region looks towards 2030.

The winning entries reflected the breadth of that work. Starcom Network Inc took the SDG Champion Award for "Early Warning Systems: Bridging the Accessibility Gap" by Shantelle Legall-Gibson and Seigonie Mohammed (formerly of TTT News), an examination of how life-saving alerts can reach persons with disabilities, ensuring those most often left behind are not overlooked when it matters most. Starcom was recognised again for "Reindustrialisation and the Future of Barbados' Export Building Capacity For Sustainable Economic Growth," produced with the Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

The Nation Publishing Co earned the award for "Erosion Takes Toll At Worthing Beach" by Diara Springer, a story grounded in the coastal change reshaping shorelines along Barbados' south coast. A Special Mention went to the National Transformation Initiative for its "Interview with STARR Bajan – Janelle Skinner."