Our Generation’s Legacy To Be Built Together — Part 2

By Hon. E. P. Chet Greene

September 13 2026 | Featured Story

As promised last week, in this week’s column I will continue to enumerate the benefits of hosting this years Commonwealth Heads Of GovernmentMeeting (CHOGM) here in our beloved 268, Antigua and Barbuda.

Security is the bedrock of any successful CHOGM. The Royal Police Force, the Defence Force, the Fire and Ambulance services and our intelligence agencies will undergo rigorous training, equipment upgrades and inter-agency coordination exercises. Surveillance systems will be enhanced. Border control protocols will be modernized. Cybersecurity units will be established or strengthened.

Critics may ask: what use are these after the delegates leave? The answer is everything. A safer Antigua and Barbuda is a more attractive destination for investors and tourists alike. Faster emergency response times save lives. Modernized policing builds public trust. Cybersecurity protects our banking system and personal data. The security infrastructure built for CHOGM is not a temporary shield. It is a permanent fortress that will guard our citizens for years to come.

The practice of hosting such a high profile event sharpens our crisis management muscles. If we can secure multiple heads of state simultaneously, we can handle hurricanes, public health emergencies and civil contingencies with far greater competence. That is resilience in its truest form.

Admittedly, our digital readiness has lagged and with CHOGM comes much needed improvement. Upgraded fibre-optic networks tending to 5G readiness, real-time translation services and robust cyber defences. The summit has already resulted in the creation of a centralized digital portal for accreditation, scheduling and information dissemination. This was created by local talent and can be repurposed for national e-government services.

Our young software developers, IT professionals and entrepreneurs should see CHOGM as their Olympic Games. They are now called upon to build, test and maintain these systems. The experience they gain will be portable to global tech firms.

These systems can enable telemedicine, online education and digital financial services for communities like Barbuda and our rural villages. This is not about a one week event; it is about a digital ecosystem that endures.

We are on the frontlines of climate change. Rising seas, stronger hurricanes and coral bleaching are existential threats. CHOGM gives us a pulpit to demand action from the world’s largest emitters; an opportunity to demonstrate, not just lecture.

Imagine us showcasing our sargassum to fertilizer projects, our rainwater harvesting systems, our marine protected areas and real examples of our green energy ambitions. Imagine a global audience of world leaders being presented with Barbuda as a model for nature based tourism and conservation. These are not hypotheticals; they are existing initiatives that need global visibility and CHOGM 2026 provides just that.

By hosting a “green conscious CHOGM”, we attract climate finance from international funds and bilateral donors. We position ourselves as a laboratory for small island resilience, attracting research partnerships and eco-investments. We also send a message to our own people that sustainability is not a foreign concept; it is our birthright and our future.

In the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), we have often played a supportive role. CHOGM elevates us to a lead role, not just regionally but globally. We join a select group of small states that have hosted this prestigious gathering. Our diplomatic corps will gain priceless experience in protocol, negotiation and multilateral coordination.

This stature translates into practical influence. When we speak at the United Nations, our words carry more weight because we have proven we can convene the world. When we seek development assistance, our partners know we have the capacity to manage complex projects.

When we advocate for SIDS (Small Island Developing States) interests, we do so as a nation that has walked the walk.

The inescapable truth is that CHOGM’s benefits are not automatic. They depend entirely on our collective preparation, participation and performance.

The time is now to forge meaningful and lasting partnerships between government, private sector and civil society, translated and understood as a national assignment for every citizen and resident. We are all ambassadors. Greet visitors with patience and warmth. Keep your neighborhoods tidy. Learn a few phrases in French, Swahili, or Hindi. Volunteer at the airport, the venues, or the cultural festivals. Above all, take pride because this is our country, our moment on the global stage.

To our youth, this is your inheritance. Participate in the Youth Forum. Submit your projects. Network relentlessly. The relationships you build in 2026 will shape your careers for decades.

CHOGM 2026 is not a burden. It is a privilege. It is not a cost. It is an investment. It is not a government event. It is a national movement.

When the last plane departs and the world’s leaders return to their capitals, they will carry with them an impression of us. Will they remember a chaotic, unprepared host or a graceful, efficient and warm nation? The choice is ours and it is made every day between now and that historic four days of meetings. What we do in our planning meetings, in our classrooms, in our businesses and in our homes will impact our delivery of CHOGM.

Let our efforts not be for just for one week but for a generation. Let us show the Commonwealth, the wider global audience and ourselves too, just what Antigua and Barbuda truly means: resilience, hospitality, ambition and unity.

The world is coming. Let us be ready. Together.