The 20^th annual SALISES conference was held from May 7 to 10 at the Hilton Barbados, and was held under the theme, Rethinking Caribbean Futures: New Paradigms, Possibilities and Policies. The event brought together a wide cross-section of scholars, activists and development practitioners who discussed innovative and sustainable approaches to regional development. Dr Gervan Fearon, President and Vice Chancellor of Brock University opened the conference with a lecture on Future Competitiveness: Augmented Human Capital and Talent.

Over the three days, topics under the microscope included Climate Change and Sustainable Livelihoods; Crime, Violent Crime and the Prison System, as well as Digital Trade, and the Creative Economy. A crime symposium and an opening plenary from Dr. Justin Ram, Director of Economics at the Caribbean Development Bank, were also part of the conference schedule.

Prolific Barbadian band, Krosfyah, was celebrated for its three-decade contribution during the conference.

The band, featuring its first lead singer Edwin Yearwood, treated the audience gathered at the SALISES Distinguished Lecture to its catalogue of hits from yesteryear up to present day. The lecture was held on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 in the Walcott Warner Theatre of the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination.

For about half an hour, Krosfyah had academics, diplomats and lecture attendees dancing and grooving to the sounds of Wet Me, Pump Me Up, Nah Missing Me as well as slower tunes like Voice in My Head and Something Greater.

PHOTO: Director of SALISES Cave Hill, Dr. Don Marshall, presents Dr. Hilbourne Watson, Professor Emeritus of Bucknell University, with a token of appreciation. Professor Watson delivered the Sir Arthur Lewis Distinguished Lecture