Carry Code opens sixth OD conference in Kingston with AI, Melissa recovery focus

The Caribbean Center for Organization Development Excellence Limited (Carry Code) opened its sixth annual Organization Development Conference on Monday, 23 June 2026, at the Summit Hotel in Kingston. The two-day gathering, marking 20 years of Carry Code and staged with the Caribbean OD Network, carried the theme “Human Hearts, Digital Minds: Harmonizing Transformation — Bridging Social Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence for Regenerative Sustainable Change.”

Television and radio host Althea McKenzie led the opening programme, with planning committee chair Richard Ro welcoming delegates from across the Caribbean and beyond. Archbishop Kenneth Richards of Kingston offered the opening prayer and urged that technological progress serve human dignity. Andrew Leley of the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica, speaking for president Patrick Hilton, said strong organisations are built through leadership, learning, and people-centred change.

Petra Anne Williamson of the Human Resources Management Association of Jamaica urged attendees to plan workplaces beyond 2030 using data and vision. Carry Code chairman and CEO Ilsa Duverie described organisation development as a movement rooted in participation and dignity, and called for regenerative leadership that pairs technology with wisdom and faith.

Organisational psychologist Dr Corinne McDonald outlined Carry Code’s “Beyond Relief” initiative, arguing that Hurricane Melissa exposed long-standing gaps in psychosocial recovery, especially in St Elizabeth. She said physical rebuilding without healing teachers, children, and community leaders would not hold, and proposed pilot work aligned with the government’s rebuild, resilience, and resurgence framework.

Senior Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay of the Jamaica Constabulary Force broadened national security beyond crime to include energy, health, climate, food, and economic security after Melissa disabled much of the power grid within hours. She cited the JCF’s “force for good” transformation and Commissioner Kevin Blake’s front-line response in western parishes.

University of Technology Jamaica President Dr Kevin Brown said organisations face speed, complexity, trust, and meaning pressures, and warned that AI amplifies organisational intelligence but cannot create it where cultures are fragmented. He outlined five readiness pillars: strategic clarity, data maturity, workforce agility, ethical infrastructure, and leadership courage.

Sandals Resorts International corporate HR director Ryan Matthew said belief recovers before infrastructure, describing rapid employee grants, emotional wellness outreach, care packages, and temporary redeployment after Melissa affected more than 6,000 team members.

An afternoon panel moderated by Professor Neville Ying featured Gina Williams of Jamaica Public Service, Samantha Charles of the Victoria Mutual Foundation, Dr David White of UTech, and UTech students on AI, crisis recovery, and community trust. Virtual presenter Leslie Lee Fuk of Trinidad urged Caribbean organisations to move from tool trials to strategy, policy, and workforce-wide AI literacy. Actor and lecturer Owen “Blakka” Ellis closed day one with reflections on Jamaican resilience and mental wellness.

Delegates were reminded that day two would include round-table sessions and workshops on regenerative leadership, emotional intelligence, and storytelling for human-centred transformation.