Carib Scope

分类： business

  • C’bean growth slows amid global uncertainty, climate pressures — CDB Report

    C’bean growth slows amid global uncertainty, climate pressures — CDB Report

    BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Caribbean region delivered a muted economic performance in 2025, held back by a confluence of global instability, repeated climate disasters and long-running domestic structural obstacles, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has warned in its flagship annual report, the *Caribbean Economic Review and Outlook 2025-2026*.

    The analysis tracks economic activity across the CDB’s 19 borrowing member countries (BMCs), revealing a clear slowdown across most of the bloc. When Guyana’s rapidly expanding oil sector is excluded, regional growth decelerated to 0.6% in 2025, down from 1.4% recorded in 2024. Even with Guyana’s output included, aggregate regional growth fell to 4.7% from 8.3% in 2024, confirming the South American nation remains the single largest engine of overall regional expansion.

    A range of overlapping headwinds dragged on regional activity over the year. Heightened geopolitical friction, shifting international trade and tariff rules, softening global demand for exports and increasingly severe climate-related disruptions created a challenging operating environment for most economies. Tourism, a traditional core growth driver for many small island states, still contributed to expansion, but its pace of growth slowed noticeably across a number of service-exporting economies. Commodity-producing nations saw divergent results, with some posting modest gains and others struggling to maintain output.

    Suriname stood out among commodity exporters, logging moderate growth driven by fresh investment in its offshore energy sector. By contrast, Trinidad and Tobago posted zero growth, as both its energy and non-energy segments faced persistent weakness. Jamaica and Haiti both suffered severe economic disruption from climate events, most notably Hurricane Melissa, which slashed output and curbed tourist arrivals. Haiti’s economy extended its prolonged downturn, contracting for the seventh straight year as widespread ongoing insecurity continued to choke business activity and investment.

    Against the broader slowdown, several key economic indicators showed limited bright spots. Labour market conditions held broadly steady across most of the region, with unemployment falling in a majority of reporting BMCs. That said, long-standing inequities in employment outcomes for young people and women remain unaddressed, and several sectors are now grappling with acute labour shortages. Inflationary pressures also eased across the bloc in 2025, pulled down by falling global commodity prices, though price growth still remains above pre-pandemic levels in most Caribbean economies.

    Fiscal performance across the region was uneven, the report confirmed. Excluding Guyana, the aggregate regional primary surplus narrowed from 1.6% of GDP in 2024 to 1.3% of GDP in 2025, a shift driven by slower tax revenue growth and mounting spending pressures. Sovereign debt levels also remain worryingly high across much of the region: nine BMCs now report central government debt-to-GDP ratios above the 60% threshold widely seen as a marker of fiscal vulnerability.

    The region’s financial sector, by comparison, remains on solid footing, the report noted. Adequate capital buffers, high levels of liquidity, accelerating credit growth and ongoing regulatory reforms have kept the financial system broadly stable despite broader economic headwinds.

    Looking forward to 2026, the CDB projects the region will see only a mild uptick in growth. Excluding Guyana, regional expansion is forecast to remain subdued at just 1.1%, while aggregate growth including Guyana is expected to climb to 6.2% – a rise almost entirely tied to continued rapid expansion in Guyana’s oil sector.

    Crucially, the outlook remains vulnerable to a wide range of downside risks that could derail even this modest projected growth. These include a deeper slowdown in the global economy, escalating geopolitical tensions, volatile commodity prices, more frequent and severe climate shocks, and persistent fiscal fragility in many small economies.

    “While the Caribbean continues to demonstrate resilience in the face of repeated shocks, the region’s growth prospects remain constrained by external uncertainty, climate-related shocks, and longstanding structural challenges,” said Christine Dawson, CDB’s Acting Director of Economics. “Strengthening institutions, accelerating structural reforms, and improving project execution will be critical to unlocking higher, more inclusive, and more sustainable growth across the region.”

  • BEL Heads to High Court Over Severance Dispute

    BEL Heads to High Court Over Severance Dispute

    A years-long ambiguity surrounding severance compensation at one of Belize’s most critical utility providers is set for judicial clarification, as Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) confirmed this week it will bring the dispute before the nation’s High Court. The decision comes in the wake of a landmark recent ruling from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), a ruling that has reshaped how severance claims are evaluated across the region. In an official statement released Friday, BEL emphasized that its core priority throughout the process remains upholding fair and equitable treatment for every current and former worker with outstanding severance claims. To eliminate confusion over how the CCJ’s regional ruling intersects with domestic labor legislation in Belize, the utility company is seeking formal judicial guidance from the High Court. BEL legal teams will submit a curated selection of representative existing severance cases to the court, providing context that will help justices outline a clear, consistent precedent for how the CCJ decision and local labor laws should be applied to BEL’s unique operational and contractual context. Company leadership stressed that the overarching goal of the legal action is not to avoid paying rightful compensation, but to establish full transparency, solid legal certainty, and a standardized framework that can be used to resolve both pending and future severance claims efficiently. Even as it moves forward with the judicial process, BEL reiterated that employee and former employee well-being remains its top priority, and that the company will maintain open, constructive dialogue with all relevant stakeholders through every step of the proceedings. The move to the High Court comes amid renewed public pressure from former BEL workers: earlier this week, members of the advocacy group Belize Energy Workers for Justice organized a midday picket outside BEL’s corporate headquarters, publicly demanding immediate resolution of their unpaid severance claims. This report is adapted from a transcribed evening television news broadcast published online, with original Kriol language statements transcribed per standard spelling conventions for accessibility.

  • BelCan Bridge Progress Forces Roadside Relocations

    BelCan Bridge Progress Forces Roadside Relocations

    A long-awaited infrastructure project is advancing in Belize, but its ripple effects are creating uncertainty for dozens of small business owners and transport operators whose livelihoods depend on their high-traffic roadside locations. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing (MIDH) has moved forward with pre-construction preparations for the full replacement of the aging BelCan Bridge, a key crossing that serves daily commuter and commercial traffic across Haulover Creek. To avoid total gridlock in the city during the multi-year construction period, MIDH has planned the installation of a temporary bypass bridge, a solution that requires clearing a large stretch of public highway reserve for construction access and the new bridge route.

    Chief Engineer Evondale Moody explained in an interview with local outlet News Five that the government has already finalized a construction contract with Cisco Construction Limited for the full bridge replacement project. The temporary structure will stretch from the Phillip Goldson Highway, across Haulover Creek, to Evergreen Street adjacent to the Belize Water Services (BWS) compound, utilizing vacant government-owned land behind Save U Supermarket for the northern approach. Work on both the temporary bridge and site preparation for the permanent new bridge is scheduled to kick off simultaneously on May 4, requiring the immediate relocation of all unauthorized businesses and operators parked on the public road reserve between the highway and Central American Boulevard.

    “We need to hand the construction site over cleared to the contractor to keep the project on schedule,” Moody noted. “All taxi operators parked along the Phillip Goldson Highway reserve, as well as the car dealers operating on Central American Boulevard in front of Save U Supermarket, must vacate the area to make room for pre-construction layout work for the permanent bridge.”

    The order to relocate by May 4 has split local operators, with many expressing deep concern over the threat to their income. At least five independent car dealers currently display their inventory on the targeted stretch of land, and multiple operators told reporters they have no alternative location to park their vehicles, putting their ability to attract walk-in customers at severe risk. Roadside food vendors and taxi dispatch operators who rely on the high-visibility location for daily business have also raised alarms that the move could cut off their core customer base.

    Not all affected operators are pushing back against the order, however. Nelson Zayden, a car dealer who has operated at the site since 2017 and ran a business near the Hope Center for more than a decade before that, says he accepts the relocation as a necessary part of public development. “We got informal notice many months ago, and the official two-week deadline to move by May 4 is fine with me,” Zayden explained. “To be honest, we never had formal permission to be here anyway; the city council just let us set up. We’ll move, and we’ll adapt – we can shift more of our sales to online advertising to keep customers coming.”

    One local staple, Tony’s Barbeque, will be able to keep most of its current location, but will still need to make adjustments. The popular food stand has operated near the existing overpass for years, but its overhanging storage shed currently blocks the planned pedestrian pathway that will connect users of the temporary bridge to the overpass stairs. The shed will need to be removed to clear the footpath, Moody confirmed.

    The most consequential detail for many affected operators is that the relocation is expected to be permanent. Moody confirmed that once construction of the new permanent BelCan Bridge is completed in 2028, the area will not be open for the return of informal roadside businesses. MIDH has also confirmed it will provide financial compensation to two long-established small businesses that are required to permanently relocate as part of the project, though details of those compensation packages have not been released to the public. Reporting for News Five, Paul Lopez contributed to this report.

  • Markoesaproject moet impuls geven aan nationale landbouwproductie

    Markoesaproject moet impuls geven aan nationale landbouwproductie

    On April 24, Suriname’s President Jennifer Simons launched the transformative Markoesa (Passion Fruit) Outgrowers Project in Groningen, Saramacca, kicking off a national initiative designed to strengthen domestic agricultural output and drive inclusive economic development across the South American nation.

    At the launch event, President Simons planted the first passion fruit vine to mark the project’s start, emphasizing that expanding local agricultural production remains a core pillar of Suriname’s long-term economic growth strategy. She framed the initiative as a landmark step in the country’s new national development direction, which centers on increasing meaningful participation of local Surinamese residents in domestic production sectors.

    The project, developed through a partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (LVV) and the Suriname Labour Intelligence Platform, is specifically designed to advance two key national priorities: poverty reduction and job creation. President Simons noted that sustainable poverty alleviation can only be achieved when communities are given accessible opportunities to generate their own independent incomes. By creating new formal jobs and encouraging small-scale agribusiness entrepreneurship, the passion fruit project directly advances these goals, she said.

    In her remarks, the president extended particular encouragement to young Surinamese to explore careers and business opportunities in the agricultural sector. “Food security is a permanent national need. The agricultural sector will always remain vital, and it offers real, sustainable opportunities to build a stable income,” Simons stated, according to official remarks from the Suriname Communication Service. She also expressed public appreciation for the farmers who have already joined the project, and called on more Surinamese to consider entering the agribusiness space.

    To expand access to the sector for new entrants, the Surinamese government is currently working with LVV to develop frameworks that will make unused agricultural land available to aspiring farmers who do not yet own their own plots. For current project participants, who already hold land rights, the initiative provides targeted guidance and training to help them maximize productivity on their existing parcels. President Simons also emphasized that strict oversight will be enforced to ensure productive use of all allocated land: “If allocated land is left unplanted, the contract will be terminated so that other aspiring producers can get the opportunity to use it,” she clarified.

    Beyond passion fruit cultivation, the Surinamese government plans to scale this outgrower model to other high-potential agricultural products in the coming months. President Simons linked the push for expanded local production to the country’s rapidly growing oil and gas sector, noting that as domestic demand for food rises alongside broader economic growth, it is critical that Surinamese producers capture the benefits of this increased demand. She warned that failing to scale up local output would lead to greater reliance on food imports and higher consumer prices for domestic households. At the same time, Simons highlighted untapped export opportunities for Surinamese agricultural products, particularly in regional Caribbean markets.

    The passion fruit outgrower project will eventually be expanded to other districts across Suriname, according to government plans. Beyond hands-on agricultural training, the initiative provides participating farmers with a key guarantee: a secured market outlet for their harvest, ensuring they can reliably generate income from their production.

  • BEL Heads to Court Over Severance Fight

    BEL Heads to Court Over Severance Fight

    A contentious conflict over unequal severance payout practices at Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) is set for a judicial resolution, after the state-linked utility confirmed this week it will ask the nation’s High Court to clarify binding legal standards for its severance obligations.

    In an official public statement released April 24, 2026, BEL announced it had initiated legal proceedings to seek declaratory relief from the court, alongside formal guidance on how recent unrelated labor rulings should be interpreted and applied to the company’s ongoing severance disputes. The utility emphasized that its decision to turn to the judiciary is rooted in a commitment to upholding legal compliance, transparent process, and equitable outcomes for all parties involved.

    “By obtaining clear direction from the court, we aim to build a consistent, predictable framework that will resolve current claims and guide how we address all future severance requests,” the statement read.

    The legal action caps weeks of growing tension between BEL and its former workforce, which escalated sharply last week when internal documents were leaked to the public. The released records revealed that senior company executives received substantial exit packages when they left the firm, while rank-and-file former workers were granted far smaller payouts or denied severance entirely in some cases.

    This revelation amplified long-simmering criticism from labor advocates and former employees, who have repeatedly raised alarms about unequal treatment and inconsistent application of severance policies across different employee tiers at BEL. What began as scattered individual claims has now evolved into a high-profile dispute that tests the company’s commitment to workplace fairness, and will ultimately set a legal precedent for severance practices across Belize’s utility sector.

  • World Trade Centre Georgetown says US must return to CBERA’s duty free regime

    World Trade Centre Georgetown says US must return to CBERA’s duty free regime

    As the 56th annual Global Business Forum and General Assembly of the World Trade Centers Association convenes in Philadelphia this week, trade representatives from small and developing economies are pressing for a reversal of recent US tariff policies that have disproportionately harmed export-reliant regions across the Caribbean and Africa. At the center of this advocacy is the World Trade Centre Georgetown (WTCG), which is leading a regional push to reinstate the full duty-free provisions of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), the longstanding trade framework that governed CARICOM-US trade relations before the current US administration introduced new import tariffs.

  • Grenada Building & Loan Association Notice of AGM 2026

    Grenada Building & Loan Association Notice of AGM 2026

    Grenada Building & Loan Association (GBLA) has officially issued a public notice detailing the logistics and agenda for its upcoming 97th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of shareholders, set to take place on Wednesday, 13 May 2026. In a flexible arrangement designed to accommodate diverse shareholder needs, the meeting will operate as a hybrid event, combining in-person attendance at the Presbyterian Church located on Grand Etang Road in St. George’s with a parallel virtual session hosted via the Zoom video conferencing platform. The meeting is scheduled to kick off promptly at 4:30 pm local time.

    Full login and access details for virtual participants will be distributed to registered attendees in advance of the meeting date, per the association’s planning. Any shareholder seeking additional clarifications or further information about the AGM, registration processes, or event logistics is encouraged to reach out to GBLA’s administrative office through multiple contact channels: phone at 473440-2108, WhatsApp at 459-2103, or email at [email protected].

    The official AGM agenda covers a full suite of routine and critical governance items for the association. The meeting will open with an invocation, followed by the first formal order of business: confirming the official minutes from the 96th AGM, which was held on 2 April 2025. Next, attendees will receive and review the association’s annual statement of accounts for the 12-month period ending 31 December 2025, alongside the annual report from GBLA’s board of directors.

    Per GBLA’s internal governing rules, the meeting will proceed with board elections. Rule 18 (a) and Rule 8 of the association’s bylaws require that a subset of directors retire by rotation, and eligible candidates will stand for election to fill these rotating seats. Per accompanying notes to the notice, incumbent directors John Miller and Adrian Francis, who are completing their rotation-mandated terms, have confirmed their eligibility and have put themselves forward for re-election. Beyond board member elections, the agenda also includes votes to elect a new association President and Vice-President, approve the appointment of one or more independent auditors, and grant the board of directors authority to set the auditors’ remuneration. The meeting will close with a discussion of any other general matters that are relevant to the association’s operations and membership.

    To ensure transparency and compliance with GBLA’s Rule 32, all eligible shareholders may request access to copies of the audited annual statement of accounts, balance sheet, and related supporting documents no later than seven days prior to the meeting date. Requests can be submitted directly to the Acting Secretary/Manager Coline Joseph, either in person at the GBLA office or via email. This public notice was issued by Coline Joseph in her capacity as Secretary/Manager (Acting) of GBLA.

  • Grenada recognised as regional leader in fiscal planning

    Grenada recognised as regional leader in fiscal planning

    Against a backdrop of rising global economic, climate and geopolitical uncertainty, small island economies across the Caribbean are prioritizing robust fiscal governance to sustain growth and resilience. At the forefront of this regional movement is Grenada’s innovative Medium-Term Fiscal Framework (MTFF), which has been selected as a centerpiece model for the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre’s (CARTAC) ongoing regional capacity-building initiative. Designed as the government’s core fiscal planning instrument, the MTFF operates on a three-year rolling cycle that guides public expenditure strategy, sovereign debt management, and broad macroeconomic stabilization, embedding a disciplined, forward-looking culture into national fiscal policy decision-making. Recent macroeconomic performance has underscored the effectiveness of this framework. In its April 2026 World Economic Outlook report, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated that Grenada’s real gross domestic product expanded by 4.4% in 2025, and projects steady 3.1% growth for both 2026 and 2027. This places Grenada among the fastest-growing economies in the Caribbean, a track record that the IMF attributes in large part to the consistent, disciplined fiscal approach anchored by the MTFF. Building on this strong economic momentum, Grenada is set to host an in-person regional fiscal policy workshop from April 27 to 30, 2026. The gathering will bring together senior fiscal policy analysts and technical fiscal officers from 13 Caribbean jurisdictions, with a shared goal of strengthening regional institutional capacity, entrenching cross-border fiscal discipline, and upgrading regional fiscal risk management frameworks. Over the four-day event, participants will work directly with international fiscal experts, conduct a hands-on case study of Grenada’s operational MTFF, and exchange actionable lessons across countries on fiscal planning, macroeconomic forecasting, and systemic risk assessment. The upcoming workshop builds on a recent CARTAC technical assistance mission to Grenada, held from March 25 to April 1 this year. During that mission, technical teams focused specifically on integrating the IMF’s Fiscal Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT) into Grenada’s national budgeting processes, and deepening the analytical rigor of the country’s existing fiscal risk management systems. Working in close collaboration with specialists from the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD), the Macroeconomic Policy Unit (MPU) within Grenada’s Ministry of Finance advanced key updates to the MTFF through intensive, on-the-ground technical collaboration. Chevanne Britton-Telesford, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Grenada’s Ministry of Finance, emphasized the framework’s central role in protecting the country’s economic stability and advancing long-term inclusive development. “The MTFF is a critical tool guiding fiscal decision-making in Grenada, ensuring that the economy remains resilient in the face of increasing economic, climate, and geopolitical uncertainties,” Britton-Telesford said. “By providing a clear and structured approach to budgeting, the framework strengthens accountability and reinforces a people-centred approach to public finance management. It ensures that we balance economic sustainability with long-term nation-building, while advancing our national development priorities and supporting the personal development and well-being of every Grenadian.” As member states of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) work collectively to upgrade their own medium-term fiscal planning systems, Grenada’s successful implementation of the MTFF highlights the tangible value of coordinated, risk-informed policymaking for small open economies. Through sustained technical collaboration with regional and international partners, and a firm commitment to deepening regional economic integration, Grenada is actively contributing to the adoption of harmonized, evidence-based fiscal practices across the ECCU, and supporting the build-out of collective economic resilience for all member states. Today, Grenada continues to strengthen its institutional capacity to anticipate, quantify, and mitigate a broad range of fiscal risks, while improving the credibility of its fiscal projections and policy decisions. This progress has earned international recognition: IMF Executive Directors recently praised Grenada for its effective navigation of elevated global uncertainties, noting that the country’s proactive fiscal governance has been key to its sustained economic momentum. Ultimately, this ongoing work to refine the MTFF and share its lessons across the region does more than strengthen Grenada’s own economic foundations. It equips the government to plan responsibly for the future, deliver sustained social and economic benefits to all Grenadian citizens, and set a benchmark for effective fiscal management across small island developing states. Reported by the Ministry of Finance, Grenada. Disclaimer: NOW Grenada is not responsible for the opinions, statements or media content presented by contributors. In case of abuse, click here to report.

  • Four Points by Sheraton hotel commissioned

    Four Points by Sheraton hotel commissioned

    On Thursday evening, Guyanese President Irfaan Ali officially opened the newly constructed Four Points by Sheraton Georgetown, located at Houston Yards along Heroes Highway, marking a major milestone for the South American nation’s rapidly growing tourism and hospitality industry, according to official reports from Guyana’s Department of Public Information.

    Developed with a total investment exceeding $30 million US dollars, the 172-room property takes a unique approach to luxury hospitality: it blends the global service and operational standards of the Marriott International brand with intentional, immersive incorporation of Guyanese cultural heritage across every area of the property.

    Indigenous Amerindian craftwork is a core design feature throughout the hotel, appearing in everything from guest room bedside lampshades and lobby furniture to custom wall art for every floor and the striking backdrop of the main reception area. The on-site restaurant draws inspiration from traditional Guyanese culinary traditions and native spices, while all interior finishing and architectural selections were chosen specifically to highlight the country’s people, cultural customs, and abundant natural ecosystems.

    In his inauguration address, President Ali explained that Guyanese identity is woven into even the smallest details of the property. “When you go in the rooms, you will see black shades that represent Guyana, represent nature, forest, represent sustainability, resilience,” he said. “You will find in every section of the hotel… pieces of Guyana that inspires you and make you …feel a sense of pride as a Guyanese.”

    The president extended public gratitude to the project’s international and domestic investors, noting that their decision to commit capital to Guyana has earned them goodwill among the Guyanese public. He emphasized that the new hotel could not have come at a more critical moment, as the country is seeing a sharp surge in regional and local interest for major events, with bookings already confirmed for a series of high-profile gatherings in the coming weeks—headlined by the annual GT Challenge.

    Across 2026 alone, Guyana is scheduled to host 11 national and international conferences alongside six major sporting events. “We are now positioning Guyana to be a premier hosting destination because we now have greater capacity and capability,” President Ali stated. “And the confidence of the private sector is igniting greater confidence at the policy level to the extent that we are going after larger opportunities.”

    Beyond expanding the country’s hospitality capacity to draw more visitors and events, the Four Points by Sheraton project has already delivered widespread economic benefits to local Guyanese workers and businesses, the president noted. Long before the hotel welcomed its first guest, the construction phase created hundreds of local jobs across a wide range of trades, including engineers, masons, carpenters, welders, electricians, plumbers, painters, heavy machinery operators, truck drivers, security staff, landscapers, cleaners, and site supervisors. Local domestic suppliers also saw major gains from the project, with contracts for cement, steel, furniture, building fixtures, fuel, and on-site construction catering all going to Guyanese businesses.

    Now that the hotel is fully operational, it will continue to generate long-term employment and economic spin-offs for local communities, supporting the government’s broader goal of building a diversified, visitor-focused tourism economy as one pillar of the country’s ongoing growth.

  • Kooyman hosts Home Fest at Kendal Hill location this weekend

    Kooyman hosts Home Fest at Kendal Hill location this weekend

    Kooyman, Barbados’ leading one-stop destination for building supplies, hardware, and home improvement products, is gearing up to launch its most anticipated in-person consumer event of the year—Kooyman Home Fest—scheduled to take place on April 25 and 26 at the retailer’s flagship Christ Church megastore.

    Marking the company’s first in-store experiential event tailored to inspire casual homeowners, passionate do-it-yourself (DIY) hobbyists, professional contracting teams, and local families, the two-day expo is completely free for all attendees. Beyond exclusive, event-only discounts on a wide range of home goods, the gathering will pack in actionable home improvement tips, live product demonstrations, and previews of cutting-edge home product innovations.

    The 10,000+ square foot Kendal Hill location will be completely reimagined as an interactive learning hub, with dedicated zones covering every core home category: from kitchen upgrades and bathroom renovations to interior paint, custom home decor, professional-grade tools, and outdoor living essentials. Unlike traditional trade shows that focus solely on pushing product sales, Kooyman Home Fest is designed to be a go-to source for actionable, expert-led guidance for attendees at every skill level. All activities, workshops, and complimentary in-store refreshments are open to the public at no cost.

    For members of Kooyman’s loyalty program Fun Miles, the event adds extra opportunities to win big. Any member who spends $100 or more during Home Fest will be automatically entered into the event’s Shop & Win promotion, with a grand prize of a full four-piece residential sofa set. Secondary prizes include a $500 Kooyman gift card, 10,000 Fun Miles points, branded Kooyman cooler bags, portable foldable Kooyman grills, a Milwaukee wireless jobsite radio, and wellness vouchers from local partner The Chakra Spa Barbados that cover a manicure-pedicure package and a 30-minute massage. Loyalty members will also be able to earn bonus points for event purchases and spin an in-store Spin-to-Win wheel for instant small prizes. Consumers who have not yet joined the program can sign up for free either via the official Kooyman mobile app or on-site at the event to unlock these perks immediately.

    Arlene Floro, Kooyman’s Marketing Officer, highlighted the unique value the event brings to Barbados’ local home improvement industry by facilitating cross-sector collaboration between global brands and local creators. “We’ve brought together major international names including Moen, Milwaukee Tools, Rust-Oleum, Bissell, O-Cedar, and Umbra alongside our in-house expert team, top local DIY influencer and entrepreneur Christian “ByKrishtun” Gibbs, the team behind Bajan Blend Egan Layne, wellness provider The Chakra Spa Barbados, interior designer Anna-Lysa Nicholls of Annalysed Interiors, and Chef Marvin Applewhaite,” Floro explained. “This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for both vendors and attendees—everyone gets to see how cross-industry exchange sharpens skills and drives growth, which is exactly what Barbados’ home sector needs right now.”

    Organizers project the event will draw hundreds of attendees spanning first-time homebuyers, long-time homeowners, DIY lovers, professional contractors, interior designers, and home decor enthusiasts. The packed schedule of hands-on workshops covers dozens of high-demand skills, including wall panel installation, wallpaper application, blind fitting, shelf mounting, kitchen cabinet assembly, tile laying, furniture painting, bathroom plumbing upgrades, drain maintenance, interior styling, outdoor space design, modern cleaning technology, custom closet planning, cocktail mixing, outdoor grilling techniques, and professional tool use with Milwaukee experts.

    Beyond deals, workshops, and giveaways, the weekend will also feature live music to keep the atmosphere lively for attendees. While one grand prize winner will walk away with the top sofa set prize, event organizers note that every attendee will leave with new skills, inspiration, and access to exclusive discounts, making the event a win for everyone. For a full schedule of Home Fest activities, consumers can visit the official Kooyman website at kooyman.bb or check the Kooyman Barbados page on Facebook and Instagram.