Twelve Honoured at Caribbean Posh Awards
Twelve Caribbean women were recognised at the 10th Caribbean POSH Weekend Awards held aboard Ocean 7 at Peter Island, celebrating leadership across public service, tourism, sustainability, media and community development. The awards highlighted regional talent including BVI Tourist Board’s Lynette Harrigan and acknowledged organisers who overcame significant obstacles to stage the milestone event.
Twelve women from across the Caribbean were honoured at the 10th Caribbean POSH Weekend Awards, a milestone event held aboard Ocean 7 at Peter Island that celebrated female leadership, innovation and service across the region. The 2026 ICON Woman honourees named at the ceremony included the Honourable Cora Richardson-Hodge, Premier of Anguilla; Dr Legena Henry, founder and CEO of Rum & Sargassum; Dona Regis-Prosper, Secretary-General and CEO of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation; Jennifer Matarangas-King, commissioner of the U.S.
Virgin Islands Department of Tourism; Hilma Roebuck, owner and operating manager of 101.3 ROEFM WEVI; and Lynette Harrigan, MBE, Niche Marketing and Tourism Liaison Manager with the BVI Tourist Board. According to JTV Channel 55, each woman was recognised for contributions spanning public service, tourism, sustainability, entrepreneurship, media and community development.
Six additional awards were presented during the 10th edition, with winners determined through a combination of public voting and expert judging. Virgin Islands received the Entrepreneurial Excellence Award. Virgin Islands, was presented with the Sports Excellence Award. Maarten took the Community & Culture Award, while Shanda Webster-Glasgow — originally from St.
Maarten and now residing in the British Virgin Islands — earned the Culinary Excellence Award. The Empowerment Award went to Saelese Haynes of Trinidad and Tobago. For BVI residents, the presence of Lynette Harrigan among the ICON honourees and Shanda Webster-Glasgow’s recognition underline the territory’s role in regional tourism, culture and hospitality.
Hosting the awards aboard Peter Island also provided a high-profile moment for local tourism operators and service providers, drawing attention to the BVI as a setting for regional gatherings and celebrations of Caribbean leadership. Brin described staging the 10th anniversary as the organisation’s greatest challenge to date.
Venues declined, financial support was limited and there were moments when postponement seemed the easier option, she said. Brin added that perseverance, faith and the backing of partners, volunteers and the Caribbean POSH community made the celebration possible, giving the anniversary added meaning.
The ICON Woman Awards continue to honour Caribbean women breaking barriers and inspiring future leaders, reinforcing the region’s commitment to empowering female-driven innovation and service across multiple sectors. Virgin Islands News Online reported on the event and its honourees.
Primary source: VINO