What happens in the Pacific Ocean can affect our daily lives here in Barbados. With this very strong El Niño, we must prepare for greater heat, the risk of less rainfall and more pressure on our water supply. That is why I have asked the Barbados Water Authority to establish an initial $2 million revolving fund to help households purchase water tanks and repay over time through their water bills. Let us take practical steps now. Conserve water, follow the advisories and look out for each another, especially those who need a helping hand. As I always say, many hands make light work. Join the Barbados Labour Party family this weekend for our Annual Conference as we reflect on the work of the BLP-led administration, its record of service and the priorities shaping our nation’s future.

Christiane, you have helped the world see people and places it might otherwise have overlooked. You have told stories of courage and achievement, exposed injustice and asked difficult questions that demanded answers. I have valued our conversations, from COVID-19 to the climate crisis, and the professionalism, respect and sense of urgency you brought to them. For small countries like ours, these are matters of lives and livelihoods. You helped ensure that our voices were heard and our concerns taken seriously. As you prepare to leave @CNN, I congratulate you on an extraordinary contribution to journalism. Thank you for your commitment to truth, for the people whose stories you have carried and for the many lives your work has touched. I salute you, @amanpour , and look forward to the stories you will continue to tell. This is yet another occasion for us Caribbean people when June will be too soon!