Wayne Caines, president of the Bermuda Electric Light Company, has been appointed chairman of the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation, a key regional association for energy providers.

Mr Caines’ appointment was confirmed at Carilec’s 37th annual meeting, held on May 20 in Willemstad, Curaçao. He succeeds Roger Blackman, the managing director of the Barbados Light & Power Company, who served as chairman since January 2023.

“As the new Carilec chairman and Belco president, I'm honoured to follow my predecessor's strong leadership,” said Mr Caines. “My island utility experience gives me insight into our common challenges — regulatory uncertainty, high costs, grid modernisation and the utility death spiral.”

He added: “I'll prioritise using our collective expertise to strengthen regional advocacy while collaborating with governments, regulators and academia. By uniting our voices and talent, we'll create comprehensive solutions and build a resilient, sustainable Caribbean energy future.”

Mr Caines brings significant public and private sector experience to the role, having served as a Cabinet minister and as a Member of Parliament. He has also served as Carilec’s vice-chairman for the past two years.

Mr Blackman, the outgoing chair, praised Mr Caines in his final remarks: “We need bold, collaborative and future-focused leadership ... I offer my warmest congratulations and unwavering support to Mr Caines. May your tenure be guided by wisdom, strengthened by unity and inspired by the same spirit of collaboration that has brought us this far.”

Among other board changes, Ruth Forbes, the president and CEO of FortisTCI in the Turks and Caicos Islands, was named the first female vice-chairman. New directors also include Leroy Abraham of Grenlec, and new associate members include Gianni Moreno of Hitachi Energy and Hugo Hodge of HKT Energy.

The new board takes office as Carilec members grapple with climate threats, fuel volatility and a push towards grid innovation, the press release stated.