By Barbara Arrindell
Earlier this week the nation celebrated son of the soil Dwayne Simon’s most recent accomplishment. He has been appointed as a communications specialist for the United Nations Office for Project Services and will be attached to the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Environment.
As a former guest on the Big Issues we’ve gotten to know Dwayne the professional, but I thought it would be interesting to find out more about Dwayne the man.
Dwayne Simon loves people and loves the development of Antigua and Barbuda. He is passionate about communication and enjoys nature. He is family oriented and loves giving back to the community.
Dwayne is a dreamer, a visionary, and believes that we can make the world/Antigua and Barbuda a better place if we are committed to excellence and collaboration.
Dwayne is a thought leader who enjoys healthy and stimulating discussions. His professional background includes communication, entrepreneurship, education and technology.
Barbara: How has your love for the development of Antigua and Barbuda influenced your career choices?
Dwayne: My love for the development of Antigua and Barbuda led me to start my career in education. Empowering young people is the most foundational and impactful way that we can create sustainable change. I then transitioned from being a lecturer to a head of department.
This was aligned with my passion for enabling positive change through policy and innovative initiatives. Once I became a consultant, this allowed me to serve Antigua and Barbuda on a broader scale. This specifically included a focus on vulnerable groups, women empowerment, youth, and the environment.
Barbara: Tell us about Dwayne the nature lover?
Dwayne: I think we sometimes underestimate the power of nature. We are a part of nature, so when we immerse ourselves in nature, it has a grounding and healing effect. Antigua and Barbuda is such a beautiful place.
The tranquil views, fresh air, and peaceful ambience is excellent for our mental and physical health. It does not matter what challenges I face during the week, when I start hiking on the trail, or spending time in the water, any stress or worries start to dissipate.
Barbara: You describe yourself as a thought leader. What does that mean? Give us examples of that in your life.
Dwayne: Thinking is my hobby. I spend a lot of time thinking about processes, philosophy, human nature and psychology. I disagree with the use of the phrase “overthinking”. I think that there are constructive ways to think and destructive/harmful ways to think. I know it sounds intense, but I think about thought constructs and how to more effectively think.
Furthermore, I think about how to improve the systems that can make our lives better. I also like to evaluate the merit of various ideas and contrast them. For example, what if there was a government bus service that served the East Bus Station in the evenings? I say “evening” so that we do not interfere with the income of the existing private bus drivers. Could this allow persons that live in those routes to take up employment options that finish in the evening?
Also, the bus fare would help to cover the cost of the venture and create employment. What impact would this have on the economy? Can this help to develop the social landscape of St John’s in the evening? Some persons complain about not having a variety of options in the evening. Barbados has effectively used a similar transportation model for years. What best practices can we learn from them to reduce implementation setbacks?
Another idea that I like to map out is the use of a mobile app that integrates all government services. You could request items such as your Medical Benefits card, Social Security card, Driver’s Licence, police report, and tax information.
You can also make payments for these government services right on the app. Any national updates can also be shared with all residents right through the app. It can include a calendar of events that shows all important deadlines and events. We will add a directory of all government agencies and an AI chatbot that answers any questions about Antigua and Barbuda.
We can even add components of participatory democracy. For example, if we were thinking about renaming “Mount Obama”, a poll could be launched that allows all citizens to give their feedback through the app.
These are just a few features that I decided to share, but the potential is very extensive.
Barbara: Final question: what impact can we expect your appointment as a communications specialist for the United Nations Office for Project Services to have on the nation of Antigua and Barbuda?
Dwayne: I will support the coordination of communications around Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) implementation, with a key focus on the energy transition and just transition.
I’ll provide key technical support to influence behaviour change of stakeholders through communication and outreach strategies and campaigns. These stakeholders include workers affected by the transition, private sector interest groups, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the youth, members of vulnerable groups, and small medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs).
Transparency and effective communication will enable the public and relevant stakeholders to gain a clear picture of national climate actions and encourage buy-in, support and collaboration around national priorities.
The position directly contributes to the achievement of just transition commitments of the NDC and aligns with the Action for Climate Empowerment’s (ACE) six elements – climate change education and public awareness, training, public participation, public access to information, and international cooperation.
