From October 15-17, 2025, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) with the support of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) hosted a regional meeting entitled: Addressing the Commercial Determinants of NCDs in Caribbean SIDS: Protecting NCD policymaking from conflicts of interest and undue influence.
The goal of the 3-day meeting was to increase regional capacity to protect NCD policymaking from conflicts of interest and undue influence by actors with vested commercial interests. Over seventy participants convened in Barbados from twelve CARICOM countries representing Ministries of Health, Trade, Education, Agriculture, Sports, and Attorney General Offices; civil society advocates; regional organisations including PAHO, Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Organisation Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, the CARICOM Secretariat, and the University of the West Indies; and the private sector.
The meeting represents a major regional milestone in sensitising key NCD stakeholders about key concepts and regional experiences in addressing the commercial determinants of health and critically, advancing collective action towards the development of strategies and tools to support the management of conflict of interest, prevention of undue influence and overall improvement of NCD governance in Caribbean SIDS.
Dr. Kenneth Connell, HCC President, Dr. Amalia del Riego, WHO/PAHO Representative at the Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries and Mrs. Piedad Huerta (VIRTUAL) Director, ad interim, PAHO/WHO Subregional Program Coordination for the Caribbean provided welcoming remarks and were followed by Senator Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott Senior Minister, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Barbados – who officially opened the meeting. The strong high level political support was underscored on Day 2 when The Honourable Colin Jordan, Minister of Labour, Social Security & the Third Sector opened the day’s proceedings.
Highlights from the meeting include:
Remarks from Senator Dr The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott Senior Minister, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Barbados
“The commercial determinants of health are among the most powerful and complex drivers of disease in our time,” he warned. “If left unchecked, they will continue to erode the health gains we have made. The path forward requires courage, collaboration, and clarity of purpose”
“Governments and health institutions must establish and enforce strong conflict of interest safeguards. For tobacco, full exclusion from policy processes, as required under Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC, must remain non-negotiable. For alcohol, given its inherent risks, engagement in policy development should also be limited. As it relates to engagement with the food industry, this will require caution with transparency and independent oversight to prevent undue influences”
Related media:
- Barbados today: Caribbean urged to confront corporate power driving NCD crisis, says Walcott
- Starcom Network: Minister of Health says increased protection of NCD policies against commercial interests
- BGIS: Health Minister To SIDS: Place Public Health Over Profit
- Social Media: Health Minister Senator Dr Jerome Walcott is calling on SIDS leaders to push back against big industries whose products drive non-communicable diseases
Remarks from The Honourable Colin Jordan, Minister of Labour, Social Security & the Third Sector
“Honesty and collaboration across all sectors are essential in tackling the region’s worsening non-communicable disease (NCD) crisis”
“We have to push the message that people must come before profit, but that people coming before profit does not mean that people and profit are mutually exclusive. We are able to find that model that will allow everybody to earn a living and people to be as healthy as possible”
Related media:
- Starcom Network: Minister of Labour urges NGO’s and the public and private sectors to collaborate to address NCD crisis
- CBC: Honesty and decisive action needed to tackle NCD crisis
- Nation News: Invest in health of workers, says minister
Caribbean debut of the WHO Publication: WHO Economic and Commercial Determinants of Health in Small Island Developing States: Noncommunicable diseases, mental health conditions and injuries and violence
Hearing from global and regional experts.
Professor Jeff Collin
Professor of Global Health Policy, Global Public Health Unit, Social Policy, School of Social & Political Science, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Dr. Fabio da Silva Gomes
Nutrition and Physical Activity Advisor, PAHO
Sharing of Caribbean experiences and solutions from the public sector, civil society (including people living with NCDs and young people) and the private sector.
Spotlight on The Bahamas Health Promotion and Wellness Bill, 2025
The Bill contains robust conflict of interest safeguards and has been applauded as a global best practice!
Other related media:
- Starcom Network: The Healthy Caribbean Coalition cautions that the region is facing a NCD crisis threatening the livelihood of the youth
- HCC Media Release: HCC and PAHO Sensitise Regional Stakeholders on Commercial Determinants of NCDs in the Caribbean SIDS and Protecting NCD policymaking from Conflicts of Interest and Undue Influence
Next steps will focus on the co-development of tailored tools to support the management of conflict of interest within Ministries of Health and in health influencing ministries and within civil society organisations. If you are interested in connecting with HCC and our partners on this work please reach out to us via email at hcc@healthycaribbean.org subject ‘Conflict of Interest’.