Carib Scope

分类： business

  • SpaceX Expected to Sponsor Commonwealth Business Forum, Elon Musk May Attend CHOGM in Antigua

    SpaceX Expected to Sponsor Commonwealth Business Forum, Elon Musk May Attend CHOGM in Antigua

    A high-profile new partnership is set to bring one of the world’s most recognizable aerospace firms into a key global diplomatic and business gathering, as Antigua and Barbuda closes in on a sponsorship deal with SpaceX for the 2026 Commonwealth Business Forum. Prime Minister Gaston Browne shared the update during an announcement Saturday, confirming that the Caribbean nation is in the final stages of formalizing the agreement with Elon Musk’s space and technology enterprise.

    Speaking on the progress of the partnership, Browne confirmed that SpaceX will rank among the top sponsors for the business forum, which is a core accompanying event of the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The high-level summit is scheduled to kick off in Antigua and Barbuda in November 2026, and the host government is framing the gathering as more than a routine diplomatic conference. Browne emphasized that the administration’s core goal is to draw long-term foreign investment, fresh capital, specialized skills, and cutting-edge technology to the small island nation, rather than just hosting a series of formal talks.

    One of the most anticipated possible outcomes of the new partnership is the attendance of SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk. Browne revealed that Musk has already signaled his availability to take part in the 2026 CHOGM, though the prime minister noted that his schedule has not been finalized and an official confirmation is still pending. “Potentially, Elon Musk has indicated that he is available, that he will participate, so we’re hoping that he’ll make it here,” Browne stated, framing Musk’s possible attendance as a major draw for the event.

    Beyond sponsorship and a potential Musk appearance, Browne outlined an unusual, attention-grabbing proposal tied to the partnership: SpaceX is set to provide a custom Cybertruck outfitted with SpaceX’s own Starlink satellite technology for official use during the summit. The vehicle could even be tapped to transport King Charles III during his attendance at the event, Browne added, noting that the plan is contingent on final approval.

  • Marriott Team Expected in Antigua to Examine Jolly Beach and Other Investments

    Marriott Team Expected in Antigua to Examine Jolly Beach and Other Investments

    During a recent Saturday appearance on the locally produced Browne and Browne Show, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has disclosed that a wave of global hospitality giants are actively pursuing potential investment opportunities in the Caribbean nation’s booming tourism sector, with Marriott International set to launch an on-site evaluation as early as next week.

    Browne confirmed that the U.S.-based hotel chain will dispatch a senior, high-stakes delegation to the country to conduct a detailed assessment of the iconic Jolly Beach resort property, along with several other prospective development sites across the island. Beyond the flagship Jolly Beach project, the prime minister outlined that the national government has launched a targeted initiative to pair large-scale international investment groups with local landowners and domestic enterprises that hold expansive beachfront parcels ideally positioned for luxury tourism development.

    As one example of this partnership framework, Browne noted that the locally based Edwards family controls a prime stretch of coastline adjacent to the Hawksbill resort area. If the family confirms the property is available for development, the government will facilitate an introduction between the family and the incoming Marriott delegation to explore mutually beneficial deal terms.

    Jolly Beach, a landmark coastal asset that has long drawn visitors to Antigua, has emerged as a hotly contested site for major hospitality transformation. In addition to Marriott’s looming inspection, Browne revealed that two other well-established global leisure brands — Spain’s Iberostar Group and France’s all-inclusive resort operator Club Med — have already submitted formal expressions of interest in redeveloping the property. Separately, a separate outside investor has tabled a bold proposal to convert the existing Jolly Beach resort into a premium Ritz-Carlton-branded property, one of the luxury hotel market’s most recognizable names.

    Responding to that high-end proposal, the prime minister confirmed that the Antiguan government delivered a formal counterproposal to the investor this past Friday. Officials now aim to wrap up preliminary negotiations and reach a final determination on whether a binding agreement can be finalized by the same week that Marriott’s team arrives on island for its site visits.

    The flurry of investor interest in Antigua’s coastal tourism infrastructure comes as the Caribbean nation works to expand its luxury hospitality offering, attract new international visitor segments, and boost post-pandemic economic growth in its core tourism sector.

  • Tourism, among the sectors with the lowest employee turnover in the Dominican Republic

    Tourism, among the sectors with the lowest employee turnover in the Dominican Republic

    Across Latin America and the Caribbean, shifting labor dynamics have put employee retention at the forefront of business strategy, particularly as younger workers increasingly change roles more frequently than previous generations. In the Dominican Republic, two key sectors – technology and tourism – have emerged as standouts in maintaining stable workforces and reducing staff turnover. According to Natalia Vásquez, country manager for ManpowerGroup in the Dominican Republic, the tourism industry, which is a major driver of foreign direct investment and job creation in the country, currently holds an annual turnover rate between 25% and 30% – a figure lower than many other critical sectors of the Dominican economy. Vásquez explained that expanding tourism development projects across the country, from the southern regions to the Punta Bergantín development in Puerto Plata, are reshaping internal migration patterns by creating local employment opportunities for skilled workers. Instead of relocating to major urban centers to find work, talented individuals are now able to build careers in their home communities, which in turn creates long-term value for both employers and local economies. As Vásquez highlighted, the tourism value chain extends far beyond hotel staff, encompassing thousands of roles across food and beverage services, transportation, hospitality cleaning, and a wide range of supporting service industries that collectively sustain the sector’s growth. Despite these positive trends for tourism and technology, broader labor market challenges persist in the Dominican Republic. The country continues to grapple with high levels of informal employment, which stood at 54.1% during the first quarter of 2026, according to data from the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD). Of the 5.2 million people currently employed in the country, only 2.5 million hold formal, regulated positions. Sectoral data shows significant gaps in formalization across different industries: agriculture and construction, for example, only have 12% and 15% formal employment respectively, while other sectors such as manufacturing (70%) and education (96%) boast far higher rates of formal, regulated work. Industry analysts note that the success of the tourism and technology sectors in retaining staff offers a blueprint for other Dominican industries seeking to improve retention and formalize their workforces. By expanding local opportunities and aligning business growth with community development, these sectors have demonstrated that it is possible to reduce worker mobility even in a market characterized by high overall turnover.

  • Tax revenue from tourism triples: it amounts to RD$45 billion

    Tax revenue from tourism triples: it amounts to RD$45 billion

    At the 2026 Dominican Republic Hotel and Tourism Association (Asonahores) Trade Show, leading economist Nassim Alemany shared striking new data that highlights the rapidly expanding economic footprint of the Caribbean nation’s tourism sector. Over the past 10 years, total tax revenue generated directly and indirectly by tourism activity has tripled, climbing from roughly RD$15 billion a decade ago to more than RD$45 billion in 2025.

    Alemany’s analysis, first reported by local financial outlet El Dinero, accounts for a full range of levies tied to the tourism industry: from corporate and individual income taxes linked to tourism operations, to passenger service fees, and all other government charges collected from hotels, resorts, and tourism-related businesses.

    The economist emphasized that the strong performance of tourism tax collections extends far beyond the sector’s visible direct contributions to the national economy, offering clear evidence of its deep spillover benefits across multiple domestic industries. Post-pandemic growth trends have been particularly robust, with Alemany confirming that sector-linked tax revenue has been growing at a faster pace in the years following 2020 than it did in the pre-COVID era.

    Alemany attributed this rapid growth to two key factors: the ongoing expansion of the tourism industry itself, and its extensive interconnectedness with nearly every other segment of the Dominican economy. Unlike many narrow economic sectors, tourism does not operate in isolation. It relies heavily on inputs and services from a wide range of domestic industries, creating widespread economic activity and tax generation far outside hotels and restaurants.

    New data included in Alemany’s presentation underscores this cross-sector reach. In 2025 alone, the Dominican tourism sector spent an estimated RD$220 billion on purchases from domestic industries. Breaking down that spending, the commercial sector received the largest share at RD$68 billion, followed by manufacturing at RD$26 billion, construction at RD$22 billion, and transportation at RD$6.8 billion.

    This surge in tax collection aligns with the growing overall weight of tourism in the Dominican Republic’s national GDP. Alemany’s calculations show that when combining the sector’s direct, indirect, and induced economic impacts, tourism contributes a total of 15.9% to the country’s annual gross domestic product. By comparison, its direct, on-site contribution alone stands at 8.3% of GDP, confirming that more than half of tourism’s total economic benefit comes from its ripple effects across other industries.

  • When will gas stations stop accepting card payments?

    When will gas stations stop accepting card payments?

    The National Association of Gasoline Retailers (Anadegas) is set to halt operations of the national vehicle identification electronic payment service at all 780 of its affiliated stations starting September 25, in a coordinated protest against what association leaders call unreasonably high operating costs that place an unsustainable financial strain on independent fuel station owners.

    Anadegas president Juan Elías Pérez says that retailers are currently forced to surrender 27% of their total gross profits just to cover fees for the electronic payment service, a burden he describes as financially impossible for most small business owners to absorb. According to Pérez, the shutdown decision was reached through a consensus vote across all of the association’s regional branches, and leadership at both the national and regional levels will continue holding strategic planning sessions right up until the planned September 25 shutdown date.

    Pérez acknowledged that ongoing mediation efforts from the Minister of Industry, Commerce and SMEs, as well as the Executive Director of Pro Consumidor, have been made to resolve the conflict, but he added that these good-faith efforts have not resulted in meaningful concessions from the other parties involved in the dispute. He also confirmed that the National Federation of Merchants and its leadership have publicly committed to full, unwavering support for the fuel retailers’ demands, with prominent business leader Iván García in attendance at the most recent meeting where the shutdown was formally approved.

    “Out of 34 countries evaluated, we are the ones who pay the highest fees for the Verifón service, and we refuse to accept this unfair arrangement from any party,” Pérez said in an interview. The Anadegas president is also calling on leaders from other commercial sectors that face similar exploitative fee structures with electronic payment systems to join the movement, including operators of hardware stores, auto parts retailers, appliance sellers, and independent small supermarkets.

    “Every sector that uses these services is stuck paying an abusive Verifón fee that siphons off money we earn through hard work,” Pérez added. Over the coming week leading up to the shutdown, Anadegas will roll out a national mobilization campaign, holding regional meetings to update station owners on the latest developments and coordinate on-the-ground actions for the September 25 shutdown. Pérez emphasized that broad, unanimous support for the protest exists across all 780 affiliated stations.

    “We are fully prepared and completely united. Support for disconnecting the service is massive across every one of our 780 stations,” he said. While the association remains firm on its plan to move forward with the shutdown, it has reiterated that it stays open to continuing dialogue with all parties to reach a resolution. Anadegas says it will only accept a solution that establishes fair operating conditions and fee structures that do not place an unsustainable financial burden on fuel retailers across the country.

  • Clothing and Footwear Prices Rise 6.6% in Antigua and Barbuda

    Clothing and Footwear Prices Rise 6.6% in Antigua and Barbuda

    New official inflation data from Antigua and Barbuda has revealed significant divergence in price trends for clothing and footwear, with apparel costs growing far faster than the nation’s overall inflation rate through July 2026. Published by the National Bureau of Statistics, a division of the country’s Ministry of Finance and Corporate Governance, the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report unpacks shifting consumer costs in the clothing and footwear sector over the 12-month period ending in July.

    Across the combined clothing and footwear category, the annual price increase hit 6.6% between July 2025 and July 2026. When broken down by subcategory, this aggregate figure masks a stark contrast: clothing prices have climbed sharply, while footwear has actually seen a modest annual decline. The standalone clothing index jumped 8.8% year-on-year, with the garments subsegment experiencing even more intense upward pressure, recording a 10.3% annual increase that puts noticeable strain on household budgets for everyday apparel.

    In a counter to the clothing sector’s growth, footwear prices pulled back 2.3% over the same 12-month window, according to the CPI’s detailed tables. That annual trend does not tell the full story of short-term price movement, however: between June and July 2026, both clothing and footwear recorded notable one-month price hikes. The combined clothing and footwear index rose 5.4% month-on-month, with clothing gaining 5.1% and footwear seeing a far steeper 6.5% jump in July alone.

    Notably, the 8.8% annual growth in clothing prices significantly outpaces Antigua and Barbuda’s overall headline inflation rate, which stood at 4.4% in July 2026. The disparity means that consumers are shouldering disproportionate cost increases when purchasing apparel compared to the broader basket of goods and services measured for national inflation tracking. The CPI data offers policymakers and market analysts clear insight into where the most acute consumer price pressures are building in the small island nation’s current economy.

  • Housing Rents Rise 2% as Utility Costs Push Living Expenses Higher in Antigua and Barbuda

    Housing Rents Rise 2% as Utility Costs Push Living Expenses Higher in Antigua and Barbuda

    New official data from Antigua and Barbuda’s statistical authorities has revealed a sustained upward trend in housing-related costs through July 2026, with steep jumps in utility prices outpacing even notable rental growth to squeeze household budgets across the island nation.

    The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, published by the country’s National Bureau of Statistics, shows that the Actual Rentals for Housing index rose by 2% over the 12-month period ending in July 2026. This rental growth was part of a much larger increase across the full housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels category, which notched a 7.6% year-on-year surge by mid-2026.

    What stands out most in the new data is the dramatic gap between rental growth and the escalation of essential utility costs. Over the same 12-month window, the electricity price index skyrocketed by 42.9%, while the broader energy index recorded a 20.6% annual increase. The Statistics Division emphasized that these hikes carry outsized weight for local households, as housing and utility services count among the most non-negotiable monthly expenses for all residents.

    These housing-related price jumps are not an isolated trend, but rather a key contributor to a broader nationwide rise in consumer prices. Headline inflation across Antigua and Barbuda hit 4.4% in July 2026, and core inflation – which strips out volatile food and energy prices to measure underlying price growth – reached 4.1% over the same period.

    Taken together, the figures paint a clear picture of uneven cost pressure on Antigua and Barbuda’s households: while rental growth has remained relatively moderate, skyrocketing electricity and energy costs have created substantial financial strain for consumers across the country.

  • Restaurant and Hotel Prices Rise 6.5% in Antigua and Barbuda

    Restaurant and Hotel Prices Rise 6.5% in Antigua and Barbuda

    New inflation data published by Antigua and Barbuda’s official statistics agency shows that the island nation is navigating broad-based price pressures across its economy in July 2026, with sharp disparities in cost increases across different consumer categories. The National Bureau of Statistics, operating under the country’s Ministry of Finance and Corporate Governance, released the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, which pegged the annual headline inflation rate at 4.4% for July. This marks a widespread increase in the cost of living for both local consumers and international visitors to the Caribbean nation. One of the most notable overperforming categories in terms of price growth is hospitality: restaurant and hotel prices rose 6.5% year-on-year, outpacing the overall headline inflation rate by more than two percentage points. This acceleration in hospitality costs hits directly at Antigua and Barbuda’s key tourism industry, which relies heavily on competitive pricing to attract international visitors. The higher hospitality prices are far from an isolated trend. Multiple other core consumer categories saw even steeper price increases than the headline inflation rate. Clothing and footwear prices climbed 6.6% annually, while the closely watched housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels category recorded a 7.6% year-on-year jump. Most striking of all is the surge in communication services, which saw prices skyrocket by 23.1% over the 12-month period. The only major category bucking the inflationary trend is food, where the CPI index actually fell by 0.8% year-on-year, providing a small amount of relief for household budgets. This mixed picture of price changes underscores that the burden of inflation is not evenly distributed, with costs rising far faster for some essential goods and services than others. As a benchmark for tracking changes in household cost of living, the CPI measures average price shifts for a fixed basket of commonly purchased goods and services, making the July 2026 data a key indicator of the current economic pressures facing Antigua and Barbuda.

  • One Communications developing interior coverage plans; financial viability a key factor

    One Communications developing interior coverage plans; financial viability a key factor

    On Friday, September 11, 2026, One Communications — the rebranded former GTT telecommunications provider in Guyana — revealed key details of its long-planned network expansion into the country’s low-population hinterland regions, highlighting financial sustainability as the core barrier to widespread rollout. CEO Abraham Smith shared updates on the firm’s strategy during an official press briefing, noting that the full three-year investment roadmap covering 2027 through 2029 will be finalized by the middle of 2027. At this stage, he declined to specify an exact number of underserved communities that will gain access to the provider’s services, as internal planning is still ongoing.

    Right now, many remote hinterland communities located close to Guyana’s border with Venezuela, including the small settlement of Imbotero, remain almost entirely disconnected from coverage offered by the country’s major telecom firms. Local residents who can afford satellite service rely on Starlink for basic internet access, while even reliable mobile phone service remains out of reach for most. Responding to questions from Demerara Waves Online News, Smith confirmed that national security considerations are factored into the company’s expansion planning, but said that any project must ultimately pencil out financially to move forward. To unlock expansion in commercially unviable areas, he proposed a public-private partnership model, where targeted projects could be developed jointly with the Guyanese government rather than relying solely on the company’s regular capital allocation.

    “In a competitive market landscape, we have to carefully assess funding structures and projected returns on every investment we make,” Smith explained. “We are open to collaborating with the current administration on one-off dedicated projects to extend service, but for our standard capital planning process, financial and operational factors have to take priority.”

    Currently, One Communications and other major local providers are waiting on the Guyanese government to finalize timelines for activating the long-planned universal service obligation fund. This fund is designed to collect contributions from telecom operators to finance service rollout in low-density regions where commercial returns are too low to attract private investment on its own. Smith noted that the Telecommunications Agency is currently working to operationalize the fund, and referred questions about specific timelines to the regulatory body. As of the briefing, no active projects are utilizing the fund, and the company has not set aside contributions in an escrow account, pending the fund’s formal launch. “We are simply waiting for the fund to get up and running,” Smith confirmed.

    The update comes just over a week after Guyanese President Irfaan Ali publicly criticized the country’s top telecom providers — including One Communications, Digicel, and ENet — for failing to invest sufficiently in hinterland connectivity. Speaking at the launch of Amerindian Heritage Month on September 2, Ali expressed clear dissatisfaction with the current pace of expansion. “We are unhappy with Digicel, GT&T (now One Communications), ENet and every other service provider,” the President stated. “They need to invest far more in the hinterland. They have to close the digital and communication divide, and I am calling on them to follow through on these investments.”

    For its part, One Communications highlighted recent progress it has already made in network upgrades across Guyana. Company officials confirmed that the firm has invested $25 million to expand and upgrade mobile, fixed, and subsea infrastructure across the country. To date, 35 existing cell sites have been upgraded to support 4G LTE technology, bringing faster internet speeds to subscribers spanning a wide swathe of the country: from Moleson Creek in Corentyne on the eastern edge, to Anna Regina in Essequibo on the west, to Linden in the southeast, as well as multiple interior communities. Looking forward, Smith confirmed that the company will cease all new 2G and 3G network development in Guyana, shifting its full focus to modern 4G and next-generation infrastructure going forward.

  • Vacancy: Sales and Marketing Manager, Grenada Distillers Limited

    Vacancy: Sales and Marketing Manager, Grenada Distillers Limited

    One of Grenada’s prominent spirit producers, Grenada Distillers Limited, has launched an open recruitment search for a strategic, creative and experienced professional to fill the key position of Sales and Marketing Manager on its core growth-focused team.

    The successful candidate will take ownership of driving the company’s brand expansion and revenue growth, with a core mandate to identify untapped marketing opportunities, roll out data-backed sales and marketing strategies, boost brand visibility, deepen customer engagement and extend the company’s footprint across existing and new markets.

    As the department head, the incoming manager will oversee all daily operations of the combined sales and marketing teams, with a focus on meeting and exceeding pre-set performance and operational targets. Key responsibilities include continuous market, competitor and industry trend monitoring to align brand strategies with evolving consumer demands, managing all external and internal corporate communications to ensure consistent, on-brand messaging across all channels, and nurturing long-term media relationships through press release distribution, interview coordination and promotion of company-led initiatives.

    Beyond core communications, the role requires oversight of all marketing collateral, campaign development and digital content creation to ensure alignment with overall brand guidelines and strategic communication plans. The manager will also be responsible for developing, implementing and refining formal sales and marketing frameworks and policies, conducting regular reviews of the department’s annual budget, and managing product distribution networks by setting clear sales targets and scheduling workflows for team members.

    Additional duties include ongoing sales performance tracking, demand forecasting, iterative adjustment of sales and advertising strategies, regular evaluation of marketing tactic effectiveness to optimize conversion, and systematic market research to identify emerging trends, analyze consumer needs and uncover new growth opportunities. The role also calls for compiling and analyzing market data to refine promotional plans that drive both profitability and brand recognition, building and leveraging strategic industry partnerships to create added value for the business, and nurturing customer relationships through regular in-person engagement to understand needs and identify new business opportunities.

    The successful candidate will also be tasked with expanding the company’s customer database, exploring new export market opportunities in collaboration with the General Manager, overseeing the planning and execution of new product launch campaigns and corporate events, upholding consistent brand standards across all marketing, communication and advertising assets, collaborating closely with production and other cross-functional departments to ensure cohesive operational strategies and high customer satisfaction, supporting the General Manager in developing the annual sales budget, and preparing monthly department performance reports for senior leadership.

    People leadership is also a core requirement of the role: the incoming manager will be expected to lead through hands-on engagement, motivate team members, deliver ongoing training and professional development to upskill the sales and marketing teams, conduct regular performance reviews for all department staff, and adhere to all company policies covering workplace safety, good manufacturing practices (GMP) and food safety management system requirements. The role also requires flexibility to take on any additional relevant duties assigned by senior management.

    To be considered for the position, candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing or a related field. Required knowledge includes deep expertise in core sales and marketing principles, proficiency in web-based marketing and social media strategy, hands-on experience with multiple digital marketing tactics, and competency in sales forecasting, data analysis and professional report writing. Desired skills include advanced computer literacy, strong project management capabilities, the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects while adhering to tight deadlines, sharp analytical, organizational and creative thinking skills, exceptional written, verbal and presentation communication skills, proven leadership, motivation and sales abilities, strong decision-making competency, excellent interpersonal and customer service skills, and robust time management and strategic planning capabilities.

    Candidates are required to have a minimum of five years of professional experience in sales or marketing, at least three years of experience in a formal managerial position, and prior experience leading sales or marketing teams.

    The role comes with specific physical demands: candidates must be willing to work extended hours, with occasional work required on weekends and public holidays to meet deadlines or attend company events. The role involves regular travel across the company’s manufacturing facility to monitor project progress, including access to production areas that require mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety goggles, gloves, safety boots and respirators for specific zones, so candidates must be able to wear required PPE comfortably to perform job functions safely.

    Interested applicants are required to submit a complete application package including a cover letter, curriculum vitae (in either Word or PDF format), and contact details for three professional business references, preferably from past employers. All applications must be submitted via email to [email protected] with the subject line “Sales and Marketing”. The closing deadline for applications is 23 September 2026, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for subsequent interview stages. This recruitment process is being managed exclusively by J’s HR Consultancy.

    This posting was published via NOW Grenada, which notes that it is not responsible for the content, opinions or statements included in contributor-provided recruitment listings. Users can report abusive content via the platform’s official reporting channel.