In a call blending urgency with optimism, the civil engineer who now runs the Caribbean Development Bank, Daniel Best, believes Caribbean engineers can be the architects of sweeping regional change — designing resilient futures in the face of climate threats, inequality and escalating infrastructure needs.
Delivering the feature speech at the Barbados Association of Professional Engineers’ annual Engineering Awards and Dinner at the Wyndham Grand, Sam Lord’s Castle, on Saturday night, the bank president stressed that the theme “Designing Our Future, Unlocking Our Potential” was far more than a slogan — it was “a call to action”.
He said: “It is a challenge to reimagine how we build, how we innovate and how we empower our region to thrive in an era defined by rapid change.”
Best noted the theme closely aligned with his vision for the CDB, explaining that it captures the bank’s intent to pioneer solutions to the Caribbean’s development challenges. “It encapsulates our drive to leverage technology and technological expertise to address the management of systems necessary to ensure delivery of the social, environmental and economic conditions that Caribbean people demand and rightfully deserve,” he said.
But he acknowledged the complexity, stating: “We face the convergence of global challenges, climate change, widening infrastructure gaps, socio-economic inequality and increasing threat of natural hazards.” He added that with every challenge comes opportunity for innovation, transformation and resilience, with engineers at the helm.
Highlighting several ongoing projects, Best, a veteran project manager and advisor in the private and public sectors, said: “The CDB is advancing climate-smart agriculture across the region through targeted, innovative interventions that build resilience and sustainability.” He noted that the initiative has already impacted Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Vincent and the Grenadines, with strategic investments in water management, soil health, data infrastructure and financial access.
“Together, these initiatives reflect CDB’s commitment to transforming Caribbean agriculture into a more adaptive, inclusive and future-ready sector,” he added.
Calling for stronger collaboration, Best said: “Engineers, government leaders and private sector partners must now work together to transform these initiatives into scalable solutions that secure our region’s future.”
On the issue of energy security, he suggested that “coordinated engineering solutions, bold policy reform and strategic investment” were required to build a secure, sustainable energy future for the region.
Reflecting on the region’s development goals, Best reaffirmed: “At CDB our commitment to sustainable development in our member countries including Barbados is unwavering. We have made considerable progress in areas such as economic stability, infrastructure investment and regional resilience.”
But he posed the critical question: “Are we as a region truly unlocking the true potential of our people, our industries and our resources?”
Best underscored: “We must recognise the crucial role that engineers play in shaping society. Engineers are not merely technical experts. They are visionaries.” Assuring: “You turn abstract problems into tangible lasting solutions.
“To meet this demand, we must reimagine how we educate and train the next generation. Firstly, we must strengthen our educational systems to nurture creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills from an early age.”
The CDB president suggested students should engage in “real projects”, whether in renewable energy, infrastructure development or digital innovation, noting that “capacity building is essential”. He also encouraged established engineers to continuously upgrade their knowledge.
In concluding his address, Best maintained: “At the CDB we do not see engineering as a cost. We see it as a critical investment.”
The post Engineers urged to lead Caribbean’s transformation appeared first on Barbados Today.