Two Jamaicans have been named among five outstanding Caribbean leaders honoured as 2026 Anthony N. Sabga Caribbean Excellence Award Laureates, recognising achievement in science, entrepreneurship, civic leadership and the arts across the region.
The announcement was made from Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, during a live regional broadcast unveiling this year’s awardees, selected from nominees across Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and Trinidad and Tobago.
Now in its 21st year, the awards programme has recognised 66 Caribbean laureates and provided more than TT$32 million in support to individuals whose work advances regional development and global impact.
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Professor Tannecia Stephenson — Science & Technology (Joint Laureate)
Jamaican climate scientist Professor Tannecia Stephenson was honoured in the Science & Technology category, which was jointly awarded this year.
Professor Stephenson, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, and Co-Director of the Climate Studies Group Mona, is widely regarded as one of the Caribbean’s leading climate researchers.
Her work focuses on producing actionable climate science that helps Caribbean governments understand and respond to the impacts of climate change. She has led landmark studies assessing historical climate trends across the region and helped develop digital platforms that make climate data accessible to policymakers.
An Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Lead Author, Stephenson has played a key role in ensuring Caribbean priorities — including rising sea levels, heat impacts and disaster resilience — are represented in global climate negotiations and climate finance discussions.
The awards panel also recognised her mentorship of emerging Caribbean climate scientists and her leadership in developing hurricane scenario-planning tools that strengthen disaster preparedness across the region.
Dean Nevers — Entrepreneurship Laureate
Jamaican telecommunications engineer Dean M. Nevers, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Konnex Services Limited, received the award for Entrepreneurship.
A former Cable & Wireless engineer, Nevers built Konnex Services into a regional technology company operating across ten Caribbean territories, delivering telecommunications, renewable energy and industrial network solutions while employing hundreds of people.
Under his leadership, the company grew from a net loss in its first year to annual revenues exceeding US$20 million, demonstrating the potential for Caribbean-owned infrastructure development within the technology sector.
Nevers has also championed gender diversity in engineering, implementing a company mandate ensuring women occupy half of management positions. Through the Connecting Minds outreach programme, he provides technical training and leadership development opportunities for marginalised youth.
He previously received Jamaica’s Order of Distinction for sterling service to telecommunications and job creation, and was recognised by the awards panel for promoting the vision that Caribbean nations can design, build and manage their own telecommunications infrastructure.
Fellow 2026 Caribbean Laureates
The remaining honourees form an impressive cohort of professionals whose achievements exemplify excellence across the wider Caribbean:
- Dr. Niven R. Narain (Guyana/United States) — Joint Science & Technology Laureate, recognised for pioneering artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery and advancing precision medicine research.
- Shamelle Rice (Barbados) — Public & Civic Contributions Laureate, honoured for founding Jabez House, a charity supporting women transitioning from sex work through vocational training, housing assistance and mental health services.
- Sheena Rose (Barbados) — Arts & Letters Laureate, an internationally exhibited visual artist known for work exploring class, race and identity while mentoring emerging Caribbean creatives.
About the Anthony N. Sabga Awards
Established in 2005 by Trinidad and Tobago industrialist and philanthropist Dr. Anthony N. Sabga, founder of the ANSA McAL Group, the awards were created to celebrate Caribbean excellence and strengthen regional unity by recognising individuals whose work benefits Caribbean societies.
Administered by the ANSA McAL Foundation, the programme honours achievement in four categories:
- Arts & Letters
- Entrepreneurship
- Public & Civic Contributions
- Science & Technology
Laureates are selected by an independent Regional Eminent Persons Panel, comprising distinguished Caribbean leaders who evaluate candidates from across the region. Each recipient receives a gold medal, citation and a monetary award valued at approximately TT$500,000 to support continued work benefiting the Caribbean.
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Induction Ceremony Later This Year
All five honourees will be formally inducted into the Anthony N. Sabga College of Laureates at a gala ceremony scheduled for later this year, joining a distinguished group of Caribbean innovators, artists, scientists and civic leaders whose work continues to shape the region’s future.
The 2026 cohort exemplifies the breadth of Caribbean excellence, highlighting the region’s growing influence in global conversations while advancing solutions tailored to Caribbean development.
