Carib Scope

分类： business

  • Port Workers See Pay Raises, Benefits and New Equipment Under Reforms

    Port Workers See Pay Raises, Benefits and New Equipment Under Reforms

    Significant operational and labor reforms at the Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority are yielding substantial benefits for its workforce, marked by enhanced compensation packages, upgraded infrastructure, and improved industrial relations. The revelations were made by Senator Mary Claire Hurst, Chair of the Port Authority, during her address to the Upper House as part of the 2026 Budget Debate.

    Senator Hurst detailed a comprehensive strategy focused on fortifying working conditions while simultaneously boosting the efficiency of this vital national economic gateway. A cornerstone of this initiative is the introduction of inclusive paternity and maternity benefits for all employees, complemented by comprehensive group health insurance and an expanded suite of workplace perks.

    Compensation has seen a notable uplift, with port workers receiving a substantial 13 percent salary increase. This financial enhancement coincides with a positive shift in labor dynamics. Senator Hurst highlighted the consolidation of previously divided union representation into a single entity, a move that has drastically streamlined negotiation processes and accelerated decision-making. “The transition from two unions to a unified body has markedly improved the pace and ease of our operations,” she stated.

    Beyond human capital, the modernization drive includes major capital investment in equipment. The Authority has procured a new, state-of-the-art crane to replace antiquated machinery that was over two decades old and increasingly expensive to maintain. Hurst contrasted the exorbitant upkeep costs of the outdated infrastructure with the efficiency and reliability of the new investment.

    Crediting the port’s strong performance and growing capacity to its dedicated staff, Hurst emphasized management’s renewed commitment to supporting its workforce. This support is deemed essential as the port experiences increasing cargo volumes and expanding economic activity. “Our staff is our greatest asset; without them, our achievements would be impossible,” she affirmed to senators.

    The synergistic effect of improved labor conditions and modernized equipment is strategically positioning the Port Authority to effectively handle rising demand fueled by robust construction projects, a resurgent tourism sector, and expanding regional trade networks.

  • 4,600 vehicles imported into Antigua in 2025

    4,600 vehicles imported into Antigua in 2025

    Antigua and Barbuda’s strategic seaport has achieved unprecedented cargo handling performance, marking its most robust operational period in recorded history. Senator Mary Claire Hurst, Chair of the Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority, revealed these groundbreaking developments during the 2026 Budget Debate in the Upper House.

    The port’s remarkable growth trajectory demonstrates substantial increases across multiple cargo categories. Container volumes, measured in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), have shown consistent annual growth, climbing from approximately 19,000 TEUs in 2023 to nearly 21,000 in 2024, and reaching beyond 23,000 TEUs in 2025—representing a notable nine percent year-to-date increase.

    Construction materials have emerged as a primary growth driver, with cement imports surging from 65,796 tonnes in 2024 to over 80,000 tonnes in 2025. Even more dramatically, aggregate, sand and stone imports witnessed an extraordinary 150 percent expansion during the same period.

    The automotive sector similarly demonstrated vigorous activity, with vehicle imports escalating from 1,429 units in 2021 to more than 4,600 units in 2025, indicating strengthened consumer purchasing power and commercial vitality.

    Senator Hurst identified several major national initiatives as key contributors to this cargo expansion, including the Booby Alley Housing Project, airport runway enhancements, cruise port modernization, and numerous hotel development projects. ‘The economic activity starts right there at the port,’ Hurst emphasized, highlighting the facility’s fundamental role in national development.

    Beyond domestic growth, the port has established itself as an emerging regional transshipment hub, strategically positioning Antigua and Barbuda within Eastern Caribbean logistics networks. Goods are now routinely routed through St. John’s Harbour for distribution to neighboring territories including St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Barbados.

    This transformed operational capacity underscores the port’s critical importance to the nation’s trade infrastructure, construction sector, and tourism economy, ultimately establishing Antigua and Barbuda as a pivotal logistics gateway within the Eastern Caribbean region.

  • Grenada and WIPO host Caribbean Creative Industries Music Forum

    Grenada and WIPO host Caribbean Creative Industries Music Forum

    Grenada served as the strategic epicenter for regional music innovation from December 9-11, hosting the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Caribbean Creative Industries Music Forum. Under the thematic banner “Amplifying Caribbean Music as a Global Gateway,” the event convened music industry stakeholders, government representatives, and international experts to architect a transformative framework for the sector’s future.

    The tripartite forum, jointly organized by WIPO and Grenada’s Ministries of Legal Affairs, Labour and Consumer Affairs, and Tourism, Creative Economy and Culture, assembled facilitators from five continents to address the digital revolution’s impact on musical creation and distribution. Participants engaged in intensive workshops to develop actionable strategies for leveraging intellectual property systems as catalysts for sustainable industry growth.

    Carol Simpson, WIPO’s Acting Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, framed the urgent necessity for this regional collaboration: “The global creative landscape is undergoing seismic shifts that outpace our conventional understanding. Streaming platforms, algorithmic recommendations, and data-driven markets have fundamentally reconfigured music creation and consumption patterns, while simultaneously introducing unprecedented challenges for creator protection.” Simpson emphasized that intellectual property transcends bureaucratic formalities, representing instead “the essential infrastructure that ensures fair compensation for creatives, enables confident investment by producers, and allows governments to construct durable creative ecosystems.”

    The forum’s inaugural day dedicated specific attention to Grenada’s domestic music industry, facilitating collaborative sessions between local musicians, producers, recording artists, and industry partners. These discussions yielded practical solutions for developing a national roadmap toward a flourishing creative economy.

    Senator Adrian Thomas, Minister for Tourism, Creative Economy and Culture, articulated the government’s strategic vision during the opening ceremony: “Our administration has executed targeted investments in the creative sector over three years as part of a comprehensive national strategy. We are building a skilled, competitive, and globally connected industry where intellectual property serves as the foundational element for modern music ecosystem development.”

    A landmark announcement emerged from Senator Claudette Joseph, Attorney General and Minister for Legal Affairs, Labour and Consumer Affairs, revealing Grenada’s accession to the Madrid Protocol for international trademark registration. This strategic move, effective April 2026, will provide Grenadian entrepreneurs and creatives with cost-effective mechanisms for trademark protection across 130+ countries through a single WIPO application.

    The forum concluded with participants committing to implement concrete measures that strengthen copyright frameworks, enhance collective management organizations, and establish digital registries—creating the necessary conditions for Caribbean music to achieve amplified global resonance while ensuring equitable benefits for its creators.

  • Boost for bars

    Boost for bars

    In a landmark private sector collaboration, Jamaica’s premier beverage manufacturers Red Stripe and J Wray & Nephew Limited have formed a strategic alliance to accelerate recovery of community bars devastated by Hurricane Melissa. The joint initiative, formally launched in St Elizabeth this Wednesday, specifically targets bar proprietors in the most severely impacted parishes whose operations were crippled by the Category 5 storm.

    The comprehensive support program provides eligible establishments with specially curated ‘restart packs’ containing both alcoholic and non-alcoholic products from the companies’ portfolios. These emergency supply packages enable bar owners to rapidly restock inventory and participate in the crucial Christmas trading season, offering vital relief to those who suffered substantial product losses during the hurricane.

    Daniel Caron, Managing Director for Jamaica and the Caribbean at J Wray & Nephew Limited, articulated the broader vision behind the partnership: ‘Hurricane Melissa’s destruction transcends corporate interests—it has devastated families, livelihoods, and communities throughout Jamaica. This collaboration embodies renewed community spirit and constitutes an integral component of our national recovery commitment. By facilitating the reopening of community bars, we’re empowering small entrepreneurs during this critical juncture.’

    Caron revealed this initiative represents merely the initial phase of a long-term commitment: ‘Through our Community Bar Network, we will continue exploring additional support mechanisms for bar operators. In early 2026, we plan to collaborate with stakeholders to reconstruct iconic community bars and deliver further assistance to an industry that forms an essential part of Jamaica’s informal entertainment and economic ecosystem.’

    Red Stripe’s Managing Director Daaf van Tilburg emphasized the multifaceted significance of community bars across the island: ‘These establishments represent Jamaica’s most extensive network of small businesses—they’re social hubs where communities connect, celebrate milestones, and provide mutual support during challenging times. They also serve as economic anchors, sustaining employment for bar staff, suppliers, farmers, vendors, and numerous other micro-enterprises.’

    Tilburg stressed the human-centric approach to recovery: ‘This partnership’s significance lies in restoring not merely commercial inventory but the socioeconomic heartbeat of affected parishes. Reopening these spaces means revitalizing employment, cultural institutions, and normalcy for thousands of Jamaicans. This unified effort demonstrates our proud commitment to national recovery.’

    With approximately 10,000 community bars nationwide—each directly employing three to five individuals while indirectly supporting extensive micro-enterprise networks—their recovery constitutes a crucial component in restoring economic activity and social cohesion in Melissa-affected regions. This pioneering collaboration establishes a powerful precedent for private sector involvement in national disaster recovery efforts, focusing on the grassroots establishments that form the fabric of Jamaican social and economic life.

  • Support us!

    Support us!

    Jamaica’s prestigious coffee sector is navigating a complex recovery path as government initiatives face scrutiny from growers who argue that current support levels remain insufficient. The Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) recently distributed 5,000 bags of fertilizer valued at $35 million to coffee farmers, representing part of a broader $120 million intervention package jointly funded by the agency and the national government.

    This assistance falls under the Coffee Crop Resuscitation and Establishment Programme (CREP), a five-year strategy designed to establish nurseries and facilitate widespread replanting across both Blue Mountain and High Mountain coffee regions. JACRA’s acting director general Wayne Hunter confirmed the readiness of 10,000 seedlings for High Mountain varieties and an additional 15,000 planting materials for Blue Mountain cultivation, scheduled for distribution during the April planting season.

    Despite these measures, Jamaica Coffee Growers Association President Donald Salmon expressed concerns about the pace and scale of support. “While we appreciate what we get from the Government… I don’t want to sound greedy, but we need much more. It is significant assistance, but the farmers are really hurting,” Salmon stated during the handover ceremony.

    The industry has endured consecutive challenges from extreme weather events, including a devastating blow from Category 5 Hurricane Melissa on October 28. Preliminary estimates from Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association Chairman Norman Grant indicate losses reaching $1 billion, with accumulated deficits totaling $2.5 billion.

    Agriculture Minister Floyd Green acknowledged the need for urgent CREP reforms, noting that the program required enhancement even before the hurricane’s impact. The government has allocated approximately $100 million specifically for coffee sector recovery, with focused attention on providing farming materials identified as critical needs by growers.

    Minister Green revealed innovative approaches to addressing infrastructure challenges, stating: “The coffee roads require, in my view, a separate program.” The ministry is collaborating with the National Works Agency to develop cost estimates for specialized road rehabilitation in coffee-growing regions, recognizing the unique engineering demands of the mountainous terrain.

    Salmon advocated for additional measures including revived insurance schemes for climate-vulnerable farmers and technological modernization of farming practices. He emphasized the global reputation of Jamaican coffee while highlighting structural challenges: “The farmers who produce 80% are either squatters, have no land title, are very small and capital starved.”

    The association president concluded with a stark reminder of the industry’s foundation: “Without the coffee growers and the farmers there’s no JACRA for coffee. No exporter. So support us.”

  • New online skills resource helps job seekers ace interviews

    New online skills resource helps job seekers ace interviews

    In response to mounting challenges facing job seekers in today’s intensely competitive employment landscape, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has introduced an innovative digital solution. The newly launched ACCA Virtual Skills platform specifically targets Generation Z professionals and career entrants seeking to distinguish themselves during application and interview processes.

    This comprehensive digital resource center provides ACCA members and affiliates with practical career preparation tools developed through professional expertise. Lindsay Degouve de Nunques, ACCA’s Director of Brand and Marketing, emphasized the organization’s commitment: ‘ACCA is dedicated to equipping our members and future members with the skills and knowledge essential for career success. This practical resource empowers new professionals to approach their futures with greater confidence.’

    The platform addresses identified gaps in practical career guidance through two primary components. First, a series of on-demand interview preparation videos cover critical career topics including CV crafting, creating impactful first impressions, optimizing LinkedIn profiles, appropriate interview attire, navigating compensation discussions, and formulating strategic questions.

    Second, visually engaging virtual flashcards distill key insights from ACCA’s research on artificial intelligence, technology, global economics, and sustainability. These downloadable resources serve as conversation starters during networking events and provide substantive talking points for interviews.

    Developed in direct response to employer expectations regarding candidates’ soft skills, the platform has already garnered positive feedback from recruitment professionals. This initiative represents ACCA’s ongoing investment in future-oriented employment capabilities and complements the existing career support services offered through ACCA Careers, the organization’s specialized accounting and finance recruitment platform.

  • NAGICO Insurances gets excellent A- rating from A M Best

    NAGICO Insurances gets excellent A- rating from A M Best

    In a significant endorsement of financial stability, Caribbean insurance leader NAGICO Insurances has achieved a major milestone with its upgraded financial strength rating from global credit agency AM Best. The rating elevation from BBB+ to A- (Excellent) positions the insurer among the region’s most reliable providers.

    The upgraded assessment reflects AM Best’s thorough evaluation of NAGICO’s reinforced balance sheet, sustained operational improvements, and rigorous risk management protocols. The rating agency specifically acknowledged the company’s successful implementation of long-term strategic initiatives across multiple Caribbean jurisdictions.

    This enhancement carries profound implications for policyholders and regulatory bodies throughout the catastrophe-prone Caribbean region. The A- classification serves as an independent verification of NAGICO’s capacity to honor policy commitments despite exposure to natural disasters and economic fluctuations.

    Chief Executive Officer Kyria Ali characterized the achievement as testament to the organization’s foundational principles. ‘This independent endorsement validates our financial discipline and operational excellence,’ Ali stated. ‘For our clients throughout the Caribbean and French territories, it reinforces their confidence in our commitment to protect their families and enterprises during critical moments.’

    The AM Best rating system represents the global benchmark for insurance sector financial health assessments. An A- designation signifies exceptional balance sheet resilience, consistent performance improvement, prudent underwriting standards, and sustainable business modeling.

    Executive Chairman Imran McSood Amjad emphasized the strategic significance within the Caribbean context. ‘Our region faces distinctive challenges ranging from climate volatility to economic disruptions,’ Amjad noted. ‘This upgrade demonstrates our deliberate enhancements to governance frameworks and risk mitigation strategies that strengthen our foundational stability.’

    The accomplishment reflects collective efforts across NAGICO’s operational network, underscoring the group’s dedication to sustainable expansion and value delivery. Future initiatives will prioritize technological innovation for customer experience enhancement and development of region-specific insurance solutions.

    Established in 1982, the NAGICO Group maintains 32 operational locations throughout the Caribbean and Metropolitan France, offering comprehensive property, casualty, life, and health insurance products.

  • 5 land on-the-job training at Angostura in the new year

    5 land on-the-job training at Angostura in the new year

    In a significant workforce development initiative, five electrical program graduates have been selected for a two-month professional placement at Angostura Holdings beginning January. The selection follows the completion of an intensive nine-week training program called ‘Wired for Success,’ funded by the renowned beverage company and administered in partnership with the NESC Technical Institute (NESC-TI).

    The specialized curriculum focused on residential electrical installation with commercial applications, attracting approximately 600 applicants within days of its September 30 announcement. From this pool, thirty participants from diverse national communities were chosen to undergo the rigorous training regimen.

    During a December 17 graduation ceremony at Angostura House in Laventille, successful participants received NESC-TI certifications aligned with Caribbean Vocational Qualification standards. The event was attended by key figures including Hansen Narinesingh, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, Angostura Holdings Chairman Gary Hunt, NESC-TI President Kern Dass, and Acting Angostura CEO Ian Forbes.

    Gary Hunt emphasized the program’s practical objectives: ‘Our aim is to provide real-world, job-ready skills that open doors. Through programmes like Wired for Success, participants have not only built technical capability but have also developed responsibility, confidence, and the professional readiness needed to succeed in a growing field.’

    The comprehensive training covered critical areas including lock-out/tag-out safety procedures, electrical laws and circuit analysis, code compliance, conduit bending and installation, and the operation of electrical testing instruments. Participants additionally gained exposure to commercial electrical applications, including foundational knowledge of splitter units used in multi-unit buildings—providing them with competitive advantages in the job market.

    Kern Dass highlighted the successful industry-education partnership: ‘Wired for Success demonstrates the impactful results achievable through collaboration between industry and NESC-TI. We take pride in partnering with Angostura to deliver relevant training that equips participants with practical, employment-ready skills.’

    The two-month on-the-job training component will enable the five selected graduates to apply their newly acquired expertise within Angostura’s operational environment, representing both a workforce transition opportunity and an investment in developing the next generation of electrical professionals.

  • Digicel gets CIPS accreditation

    Digicel gets CIPS accreditation

    In a groundbreaking achievement for Caribbean business standards, Digicel Group has secured the prestigious Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) Corporate Ethical Procurement and Supply Kitemark, becoming the first Caribbean-based organization to receive this international recognition. The historic announcement was made during the inaugural CIPS Caribbean Conference and Awards 2025 held at Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain, Trinidad, where Digicel’s procurement leadership accepted the distinction.

    The telecommunications giant, operating across 25 markets throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and South America including Trinidad and Tobago, now joins an exclusive global consortium of enterprises recognized for exemplary ethical procurement practices and supply chain integrity. The accreditation follows rigorous independent audits that validated Digicel’s adherence to consistent ethical standards throughout its procurement operations.

    Arshad Ali, Director of Group Procurement, Supply Chain and Real Estate for Digicel, emphasized the significance of this milestone: “This accreditation fundamentally reflects our business philosophy. It showcases the substantial advancements we’ve achieved in implementing ethical, transparent, and accountable procurement methodologies across the Group while reinforcing our dedication to establishing new benchmarks for responsible sourcing and supply chain governance throughout the region.”

    The CIPS Kitemark serves as a powerful assurance mechanism for customers and business partners, confirming that Digicel maintains ethical and responsible operations throughout its extensive supply network. Procurement decisions are now demonstrably guided by both commercial merit and ethical considerations, ensuring all business interactions embody integrity and accountability.

    Michael Watson, Chief Compliance and Cyber Security Officer for Digicel Group, added: “This recognition underscores our unwavering commitment to ethical business conduct and the continuous improvement of our ethics and compliance programs. It provides our customers, suppliers, and partners with concrete evidence that Digicel upholds the most stringent ethical standards in all operations.”

    This landmark achievement solidifies Digicel’s position as an ethical leader in the telecommunications sector while demonstrating the company’s dedication to responsible growth and sustainable value creation for the Caribbean region and beyond.

  • Procurement expert says profession must be people-centred, value-driven

    Procurement expert says profession must be people-centred, value-driven

    Veteran procurement leader John Dickson has issued a compelling call for the profession’s fundamental transformation, challenging deep-seated industry conventions during his keynote address at the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s Caribbean Conference and Awards 2025.

    Addressing regional supply chain leaders at Port of Spain’s Hyatt Regency on December 10, Dickson argued that procurement stands at a critical inflection point, requiring a decisive move beyond its traditional cost-cutting obsession. He proposed a radical repositioning of the function as a strategic driver of organizational value, resilience, and long-term competitive advantage.

    Dickson employed a powerful iceberg analogy to illustrate how most organizations perceive procurement: “The one-ninth that businesses see typically concerns cost reduction and cash generation,” he noted, emphasizing that “what drives this function runs much deeper than surface-level financial metrics.”

    Drawing upon four decades of industry experience, Dickson traced procurement’s evolutionary trajectory from 1990s cost control through 2000s process efficiency reforms to the digital transformation era of the 2010s. The current phase, he asserted, represents “true intelligent integration” fueled by artificial intelligence, automation, and machine learning technologies.

    However, Dickson delivered a crucial caveat against technological determinism: “Procurement needs to align intelligence with purpose. Technology alone cannot deliver meaningful change. The critical question becomes how digital tools mold into organizational direction and strategy.”

    This technological integration directly connects to procurement’s strategic relevance. Dickson challenged professionals to examine whether their function remains deeply embedded within business ecosystems or merely influences spending patterns: “When discussing the broader business agenda, that’s where procurement sometimes underperforms,” he observed, referencing conversations with executives who question why procurement rarely features at board-level discussions.

    The address gained particular resonance within the Caribbean context, where regional vulnerabilities including hurricane exposure, fuel price volatility, and global trade disruptions dominated earlier conference panels. Dickson emphasized that these realities demand procurement’s evolution from reactive problem-solving to predictive scenario planning, even when not all risks can be anticipated.

    He illustrated this imperative with a compelling case study from AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine development, which achieved in eight months what typically requires six years. This breakthrough succeeded because “suppliers didn’t engage in usual trading off or negotiation—we lacked the time. The concept of shared purpose proved critical for ecosystem collaboration.”

    This experience fundamentally shaped Dickson’s perspectives on sustainability, which he reframed not as competitive advantage but as potential disadvantage when ignored: “I perceive sustainability as competitive disadvantage when organizations fail to engage collectively, particularly in industries relying on shared supplier bases.”

    While addressing growing cybersecurity concerns and resilience-building through supplier risk assessment, Dickson firmly rejected notions of human obsolescence: “Human-centric talent isn’t disappearing—it’s transforming. Leaders should remain curious and learn from younger, digitally-fluent colleagues rather than pretending to master every emerging technology.”

    Returning to his central thesis, Dickson concluded that people remain the foundation of procurement performance: “Cultivate the soil. Care for your people. Know your people.” For a profession historically defined by savings targets, he asserted that future success hinges on deeper integration, shared purpose, and translating intelligence into consequential decisions—particularly in disruption-prone regions where theoretical concepts must yield practical resilience.