Carib Scope

分类： business

  • Belize Tapped to Chair Caribbean Development Bank Board

    Belize Tapped to Chair Caribbean Development Bank Board

    At the 56th Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) held in the Bahamas, a landmark decision has shifted regional development leadership to Central America’s Caribbean-connected nation: Belize was officially elected to assume the chairmanship of the CDB Board of Governors for the 2026-2027 term. The appointment marks a dramatic milestone for Belize, moving the country from its longstanding role as a standard borrowing member to a position of strategic regional leadership that will shape the trajectory of development priorities across the entire Caribbean basin.

    Belize’s Minister of State Dr. Osmond Martinez, who will serve as CDB Board Chairman, represented the nation at the summit and accepted the appointment on behalf of the government. In his remarks following the vote, Dr. Martinez emphasized that Belize carries both humility and ambitious vision into this new responsibility, noting that the role coincides with the country’s upcoming task of hosting the CDB’s 57th Annual Meeting in June 2027. This upcoming gathering will only be the second time Belize has hosted the bank’s flagship annual event, following its first hosting role more than three decades ago in 1994.

    Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño framed the appointment as a reflection of the country’s unique cross-regional identity, which positions it to advance inclusive development across both Central America and the Caribbean. “Our country occupies a unique space in our region: geographically part of Central America, historically and culturally rooted in the Caribbean, and deeply committed to the shared prosperity of both,” Briceño stated. “That position has shaped much of our approach to development. It has taught us that resilience does not happen through isolation; it is built through connection and integration.”

    Industry observers note that the election signals growing recognition of Belize’s role in regional cooperation, and comes at a time when the CDB is prioritizing climate resilience, infrastructure investment, and inclusive economic growth across its member states. For Belize, the chairmanship offers an opportunity to advance policy priorities that align with its own development experiences, while advocating for smaller island nations across the Caribbean that face overlapping economic and climate challenges.

  • Barbadian Tourism Leader Petra Roach Inducted into Inaugural CTO Hall of Fame at Caribbean Week New York

    Barbadian Tourism Leader Petra Roach Inducted into Inaugural CTO Hall of Fame at Caribbean Week New York

    Amid the annual industry gathering of Caribbean Week New York, held at the InterContinental New York Times Square in June 2026, a landmark moment unfolded for Caribbean tourism: the first-ever induction ceremony for the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Hall of Fame, launched this year to honor trailblazing women who have reshaped the region’s travel sector. Among the small, elite group of inaugural inductees is Petra Roach, a seasoned Barbadian tourism executive with more than two and a half decades of experience shaping regional travel growth.

    The new CTO Hall of Fame was created specifically to spotlight women whose visionary leadership, innovative approaches, and long-standing contributions have advanced Caribbean tourism and driven broader socioeconomic progress across the island nations. Roach shares the inaugural honor with five other industry standouts: Karolin Troubetzkoy, executive director of Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain; Rosa Harris, Director of Tourism for the Cayman Islands; Valérie Damaseau, Commissioner of Tourism & Culture for Saint-Martin; Marsha Henderson, Minister of Tourism for St. Kitts & Nevis; and Beverly Nicholson-Doty, CEO of Figment Design. Each inductee has left an indelible mark on the sector through consistent commitment to industry excellence.

    In her remarks following the induction, Roach emphasized that the recognition is not solely a personal achievement, but a reflection of the community that has supported her throughout her career. “This recognition is deeply meaningful because it reflects the many mentors, colleagues, partners, and teams who have been part of my journey,” Roach said. “Tourism has the power to transform economies and improve lives, and I am grateful to have contributed to the growth and success of our region.”

    Roach’s reputation as one of the Caribbean’s most respected tourism leaders has been built across a series of high-impact leadership roles. As former CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority, she steered the destination to a period of unprecedented, record-breaking growth and elevated its global profile, drawing increased international visitor arrivals and industry acclaim. Before that, she held multiple senior leadership positions across Barbados’ domestic tourism sector, including Vice President for the United Kingdom market, Head of Global Markets, and Interim CEO of the Barbados Tourism Authority.

    This latest honor adds to a growing list of recognitions of Roach’s impact: in 2024, she made history as the first recipient of CTO’s Director of Tourism of the Year award, a milestone that further cemented her reputation as a leader defined by strategic vision, creative problem-solving, and tangible, measurable results for the regions she has served.

    Today, Roach holds the position of Director of Sales and Marketing at Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle Resort & Spa, where she continues to bring her expertise to one of the island’s flagship hospitality properties. Beyond her day-to-day role, she remains a vocal advocate for advancing industry standards, nurturing the next generation of tourism leaders, and strengthening cross-regional collaboration to elevate Caribbean tourism as a whole. The CTO Hall of Fame induction cements her legacy as a foundational figure in the modern development of the region’s most vital economic sector.

  • Zeemoney shuts shop after Central Bank suspension order

    Zeemoney shuts shop after Central Bank suspension order

    A Barbados-based fintech firm that facilitated cross-border money transfers for both local residents and international users has permanently closed its doors on the island, in the wake of regulatory enforcement action from the Central Bank of Barbados.

    Zeemoney (Barbados) Limited, which operated four retail locations across the country, first saw its activities halted in early May, when the central financial regulator suspended its operating license for a 30-day period running from May 5 to June 4. The regulator, which oversees all licensed financial service providers in Barbados, confirmed that its supervisory division had raised significant red flags across four key areas of the fintech’s operations: its overall financial health, corporate governance structures, adherence to local regulatory requirements, and long-term operational continuity.

    The enforcement order issued by the bank banned the company, which is led by Ghanaian fintech entrepreneur Andrew Takyi-Appiah, from offering any form of money or value transmission services. Takyi-Appiah, who previously held roles at global giants including PwC and Nestlé, founded Zeepay in 2015, which has grown into one of Africa’s largest cross-border mobile money and remittance platforms. The Barbadian Zeemoney venture marked part of Zeepay’s broader regional expansion push into the Caribbean market.

    Prior to its closure, Zeemoney Barbados offered a full suite of digital financial services, covering international remittances, mobile money transfers, digital wallet solutions, general payment processing, and final settlement of transfers into local bank accounts, debit cards, and personal mobile wallets.

    When the regulator first announced the license suspension, it noted that the action came after a comprehensive supervisory review that uncovered ongoing issues that had substantially worsened its concerns around the fintech’s financial standing, governance, ability to continue operating, and regulatory compliance. Under the terms of the suspension, Zeemoney was ordered to fix all confirmed deficiencies within the 30-day timeline, per Section 50 (1)(a) of Barbados’ financial regulatory legislation. The bank warned at the time that failure to address the issues would trigger additional supervisory action.

    Contrary to expectations that the firm would work to resolve its compliance issues, however, the company announced via its official website on Friday that it had formally requested approval from the Central Bank of Barbados to voluntarily wind down all of its operations in the jurisdiction. In its statement, the fintech pledged to collaborate fully with the regulator to ensure an orderly wind-down process, and confirmed that customers would receive formal guidance on accessing their remaining funds in the near future.

    At the time of closure, Zeemoney was headquartered at the Dome Mall in the Warrens business district, with additional branch locations in Speightstown (St Peter), Hastings (Christ Church), and the Sheraton Mall Annex, also located in Christ Church.

  • $300K Emergency Grants for Beachfront Businesses Hit by Sargassum

    $300K Emergency Grants for Beachfront Businesses Hit by Sargassum

    A major emergency relief package has been rolled out to support Belize’s coastal tourism industry grappling with the growing crisis of massive sargassum accumulation along popular shorelines. The Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future has officially committed BZ$300,000 in emergency response grants to help beachfront businesses that have been pushed into struggle by unrelenting seaweed buildup.

    Named the “Rapid Response Support to Coastal Hotels for Sargassum Management and Cleanup” initiative, the program is being executed through a collaborative partnership between two leading industry groups: the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) and the Belize Hotel Association (BHA).

    Over the coming six months, the funding will target approximately 40 beachfront properties across some of Belize’s most popular tourism destinations, including San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Hopkins, Seine Bight, Placencia, and multiple remote offshore islands that draw thousands of visitors each year.

    According to a statement from the Belize Fund, eligible participating businesses will follow a straightforward reimbursement structure: after documenting all completed cleanup operations and associated costs, they can submit their claims for compensation through a fully transparent grant management process overseen directly by BTIA.

    The initiative has set clear, ambitious performance targets to address the immediate crisis: teams aim to remove a minimum of 1,250 wet tonnes of sargassum from local beaches each month, while maintaining 12,000 linear feet of clean, visitor-ready shoreline. Beyond cleaning coastal areas, the program is also projected to generate much-needed temporary employment for roughly 200 local workers in coastal communities.

    Dr. Leandra Cho-Ricketts, executive director of the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future, emphasized that the sargassum problem extends far beyond the tourism sector, creating ripple effects across nearly every part of coastal life. “It affects jobs, families, public health, and coastal communities,” she explained. “This grant helps ensure that affected businesses have the support to respond quickly and responsibly.”

    Coastal hotel and tourism property operators located in affected regions who are interested in applying for the grant are instructed to contact BTIA directly to access full details on eligibility criteria and application requirements.

  • Belize Assumes Chairmanship of CDB Board of Governors

    Belize Assumes Chairmanship of CDB Board of Governors

    After more than three decades, Belize has stepped back into a key leadership role at one of the Caribbean’s most influential regional development institutions. At the closing session of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)’s 56th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors, held in Nassau, Bahamas, the Central American nation formally assumed the chairmanship of the CDB’s top governing body, marking its first tenure in the position since 1994.

    Dr. Osmond Martinez, Minister of State in Belize’s Ministry of Economic Transformation, accepted the ceremonial gavel on behalf of Prime Minister John Briceño. In his acceptance remarks, Martinez outlined Belize’s core commitments for its 12-month tenure, centering on advancing inclusive sustainable development and targeted economic transformation across the entire Caribbean region. The handover also brings with it the responsibility of hosting next year’s gathering: Belize will welcome regional delegates and global partners for the 57th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors in June 2027.

    In a pre-recorded address delivered to the closing ceremony, Prime Minister Briceño framed the chairmanship as a rare and meaningful honor for his country. “Our strength has never rested on the size of our individual states. It is our collective action, our shared purpose, and a firm belief in a better future for the Caribbean,” Briceño emphasized, echoing the collaborative mission that underpins the CDB’s work.

    As the highest decision-making forum of the CDB, the Annual Meeting draws a wide range of key stakeholders from the bank’s 19 regional and 9 non-regional member countries, including finance ministers, representatives from global development partners, private sector executives, and leaders of major international financial institutions. Over the next year, Belize, in its capacity as chair, will guide and shape the bank’s strategic priorities, with three core focus areas: deepening regional economic integration, expanding access to critical climate finance for vulnerable Caribbean nations, and supporting the development of more resilient, robust economic frameworks across member states.

    Belize’s delegation to the Nassau meeting included senior government and financial leaders: Carlos Pol, CEO of the Ministry of Economic Transformation; Henry Anderson, CEO of the Development Finance Corporation; Michael Rudon Jr, Director of the Government of Belize Press Office; and Jerdie King, a government economist.

  • Guyana’s oil sector earns just over half a billion US dollars during Q1 2026

    Guyana’s oil sector earns just over half a billion US dollars during Q1 2026

    Fresh official data released by the Bank of Guyana has revealed strong performance from the South American nation’s rapidly expanding oil sector in the first three months of 2026, with total revenue from royalties, profit sharing, and signature bonuses reaching $577.6 million. The central bank’s quarterly update on the country’s sovereign Natural Resources Fund (NRF) also confirms that a $400 million disbursement from the fund was carried out on March 11, 2026.

    By the close of the first quarter, the NRF, Guyana’s primary sovereign wealth vehicle for managing long-term oil earnings, held a total balance of $3.643 billion. This marks a modest increase from the $3.435 billion recorded at the end of December 2025, according to the fund’s official quarterly report.

    Cumulative data stretching back to the start of Guyana’s commercial oil production in 2020 shows that the nation has earned a total of more than $9.28 billion in oil revenue through March 23, 2026. Since the first disbursement from the NRF in May 2022, total outflows from the fund have hit roughly $6.06 billion as of the end of the first quarter 2026.

    The report details a dramatic upward trajectory for global Brent crude prices through the first quarter, a shift driven largely by escalating geopolitical instability in the Middle East. At the opening of January, Brent crude traded at $60.85 per barrel, dipping slightly to a quarterly low of $59.96 per barrel in the first weeks of the year. From that point, prices began a steady recovery, stabilizing between $65 and $70 per barrel by the end of February. This early recovery was supported by coordinated global oil supply management and emerging early warning signs of rising political friction in the Middle East.

    The most dramatic price surge unfolded in March, as tensions between the United States and Iran escalated, amplifying instability across the wider Middle East region. Critical energy infrastructure suffered damage, and shipping disruptions hit the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important chokepoint for global crude oil trade, sparking widespread market fears of major supply shortages.

    As conflict intensified, Brent crude pushed past the $100 per barrel threshold after confirmed reports of extensive infrastructure damage and blockages along the strait. A brief period of market optimism around a potential ceasefire pulled prices slightly back to below $100 per barrel, but that optimism quickly faded as hostilities continued. By the end of the quarter, prices resumed their upward climb, closing at a quarterly peak of $118.35 per barrel, matching the report’s final data.

  • Women benefit from Egi and JMMB International Masterclass

    Women benefit from Egi and JMMB International Masterclass

    A transformative initiative focused on closing the gender wealth gap in the Caribbean has marked another major milestone, as the third iteration of the Women & Wealth Masterclass, hosted by women’s empowerment network Egi Women in partnership with regional financial services leader JMMB International, wrapped up to enthusiastic acclaim in Barbados.

    The in-person event, which capped its registration at 50 spots to ensure personalized, high-quality engagement, drew a full house of participants from across the island, bringing together women of diverse professional and personal backgrounds for a deep dive into actionable strategies for financial wellness, intentional investing, and long-term intergenerational wealth building. This masterclass is a core component of Egi Women’s ongoing mission to dismantle systemic barriers to financial literacy for women, by equipping them with the accessible knowledge, practical tools, and confidence needed to make autonomous, informed financial choices that benefit both themselves and their households.

    Gina Cummins, founder and CEO of Egi Lifestyle Inc. — the parent organization of Egi Women — emphasized that the initiative could not be timelier. As women increasingly take on leadership roles across every sector of the Barbadian economy, from small business ownership to household management and corporate governance, closing the gap in financial empowerment has become an urgent priority. “Financial empowerment remains one of the most critical conversations we can have with women today,” Cummins explained. “This masterclass aligns directly with our mission to help women build on the assets and resources they already hold, so they can thrive and secure a higher quality of life for their families. Collaborations like our partnership with JMMB International let us deliver meaningful, hands-on experiences that translate knowledge into real action.”

    Michael Jordan, executive director of JMMB International, echoed that sentiment, noting that the masterclass aligned seamlessly with his organization’s longstanding vision of expanding financial literacy and inclusive market access across the Caribbean region. Jordan stressed that expanding investment education is central to JMMB International’s commitment to reducing economic inequality, making the collaboration with Egi Women an obvious priority. “This is just the first of many partnerships we plan to advance investment education across the region,” he said. “Our goal isn’t just to share knowledge — it’s to open doors to both regional and global investment markets for people who have historically been locked out of those spaces.”

    The day’s sessions were led by C. Natasha Small, group chief financial officer of Goddard Enterprises Limited, a respected veteran finance executive with decades of experience in the Caribbean market. Small guided attendees through a transformative curriculum that focused on shifting deep-seated, limiting mindsets around money, aligning personal financial strategies with core life goals, building sustainable and flexible budgeting habits, and reframing investing not as a luxury for the wealthy, but as an essential tool for building long-term wealth. She provided attendees with tangible, actionable tools that could be implemented immediately after the event, rather than leaving participants with abstract theory that is difficult to put into practice.

    Following Small’s session, Leigh-Ann Norville, an investment advisor at JMMB International, walked attendees through JMMB’s client-centered approach to financial partnership, emphasizing that investing is not an exclusive opportunity reserved for high-net-worth individuals. “At JMMB International, our commitment is to walk alongside our clients every step of their journey,” Norville said. “My goal is to make investing approachable, answer questions openly, and help people take that confident first step toward reaching their financial goals. When people have the right knowledge and support, sustainable financial growth becomes possible for anyone.”

    Feedback from attendees reflected the tangible impact of the event, with many describing the session as empowering and life-changing, and reporting that they left feeling prepared and confident to begin their wealth-building journeys. Multiple attendees shared that they left motivated to explore new investment opportunities, and several moved forward immediately to create accounts on JMMB International’s investment platform following the conclusion of the masterclass.

    Looking ahead, the Egi Women team has plans to extend the impact of the event through ongoing follow-up engagement with participants, and to roll out expanded learning opportunities to the wider network of women connected to the Egi community across the Caribbean. Organizers also signaled that future iterations of the Women & Wealth Masterclass are already in planning, as demand for this kind of women-centered financial education continues to grow across the region.

  • Grenada outlines ambitious tourism agenda

    Grenada outlines ambitious tourism agenda

    Against a backdrop of robust post-pandemic industry recovery, the Caribbean island nation of Grenada has laid out a sweeping 12 to 24-month strategic roadmap to expand its tourism sector, boost visitor spending, and cement its reputation as one of the region’s most desirable authentic destinations.

    Speaking at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s annual Caribbean Week gathering in New York, Adrian Thomas, Grenada’s Minister for Tourism, the Creative Economy and Culture, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to building an inclusive tourism model that delivers tangible, long-term benefits to local communities while driving sustainable national growth.

    At the core of the agenda are six key priorities: lifting overall visitor arrival numbers and expenditure, upgrading key tourism infrastructure, expanding community-led tourism programming, scaling up digital outreach, attracting responsible sustainable investment, and forging stronger collaborative ties across regional and global tourism networks. Thomas noted that these goals will be advanced by expanding direct air access to the country, strengthening Grenada’s brand presence in key source markets, elevating the overall visitor experience, and positioning the nation as a top safe, authentic, and naturally stunning destination in the Caribbean.

    “Product enhancement stands as one of our most critical immediate priorities,” Thomas emphasized. The country is targeting upgrades for a roster of high-profile visitor attractions spanning the main island of Grenada and its smaller sister territories of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, including iconic Grand Anse Beach, the scenic Annandale, Seven Sisters, and Concord Falls, Grand Etang National Park and Lake, historic Fort George and Fort Frederick, the world-famous Underwater Sculpture Park, local rum distilleries, the historic Belmont Estate, and dozens of important heritage and community sites across the tri-island nation.

    All improvement projects will center on expanding public access, upgrading directional signage, adding contextual interpretation of sites, enhancing visitor amenities, boosting digital visibility for attractions, strengthening on-the-ground safety measures, and increasing local community participation in tourism operations. The end goal, Thomas explained, is to deliver a consistently high-quality, authentic Grenadian experience that meets modern traveler expectations while preserving the destination’s unique cultural and natural character.

    Recognizing that local culture forms the backbone of a memorable visitor experience, the ministry is also working to deepen integration between tourism, the creative economy, and local culture. This integrated approach is designed to unlock new income opportunities for a broad cross-section of local stakeholders: from artists, musicians, chefs, farmers, and fisherfolk to craft vendors, tour guides, taxi operators, and young local entrepreneurs, ensuring that a greater share of tourism revenue circulates within local communities.

    To support the expansion, Grenada is actively inviting responsible, sustainable investment in targeted high-growth segments of the sector, including boutique accommodation, eco-lodges, wellness tourism experiences, yachting and marina infrastructure, and cultural and heritage tourism offerings.

    “Our message to global investors and travelers is simple: as a Big Ocean State, we approach tourism growth strategically. We are safe, authentic, rich in cultural heritage, naturally stunning, and fully ready to step into the next chapter of Caribbean tourism growth,” Thomas added.

    Grenada’s ambitious expansion plan is backed by a string of strong industry results that confirm the destination’s post-pandemic recovery is well underway. Official data from the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) shows the country welcomed 178,020 stayover visitors in 2023. That figure marks a 34% jump compared to 2022 arrivals, and even a 9% increase over pre-pandemic 2019 volumes. Cruise tourism also saw a sharp rebound in 2023, with 305,627 passengers arriving across 200 port calls, while yacht visitor arrivals grew 18% year-over-year to hit 20,758. This positive growth momentum has continued into 2026, with GTA preliminary data showing significant year-over-year increases in stayover arrivals compared to the same period in 2025.

  • Energy storage ETED paves the way for private investment to strengthen the Dominican electrical system

    Energy storage ETED paves the way for private investment to strengthen the Dominican electrical system

    The Dominican Republic’s national transmission utility, Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica Dominicana, S.A. (ETED), is moving forward with crafting the full set of technical, financial, and regulatory rules that will open the door for private sector participation in battery energy storage systems (BESS), a critical infrastructure upgrade designed to reinforce the reliability, adaptability, and quick response capacity of the country’s National Interconnected Electric System (SENI).

    This strategic push stems from the long-term vision laid out by ETED Executive Vice President Engineer Alfonso Rodríguez Tejada, who has prioritized modernizing the nation’s transmission grid to meet the evolving pressures facing the Dominican power sector. These challenges include steadily rising consumer and industrial energy demand, the rapid growth of variable renewable energy generation that is being added to the system, the growing need for fast-acting adjustments to shifting grid conditions, and the expanding strain on infrastructure driven by the country’s ongoing economic expansion.

    BESS technology delivers unique value to power grids by storing excess electricity when generation outpaces current demand and discharging stored power back into the system when energy needs peak. This core functionality directly supports a range of critical grid outcomes: it smooths out voltage and frequency fluctuations to keep the grid stable, streamlines overall system operations, removes barriers to integrating larger shares of wind and solar generation, and bolsters the overall security of the nation’s energy supply.

    Building on productive initial discussions held during an information session with SENI market stakeholders focused on BESS investment opportunities, ETED is currently in the procurement stage for specialized third-party technical assistance. This external support will guide the agency through three key foundational steps: validating different grid integration scenarios, defining clear eligibility and technical criteria for private projects, and designing the competitive procurement mechanisms that will be used to select private developers in a future bidding phase.

    The contracted specialized firm will work closely alongside ETED’s in-house BESS Working Group to build data-driven models of how different battery storage deployments would integrate into the existing SENI grid, identify which grid services deliver the highest priority value to the system, and analyze feedback submitted by private sector stakeholders during the agency’s first call for expressions of interest in the project.

    Preliminary planning for the initiative outlines a target reference capacity of up to 600 megawatts / 1,200 megawatt-hours of total energy storage, built out using a flexible modular design that allows for future expansion as the system’s needs grow. The entire project is focused on two core national goals: strengthening the daily operation of the SENI grid and accelerating the Dominican Republic’s ongoing clean energy transformation.

  • Jamaica records decline in trade activity for Jan/Feb 2026 — STATIN

    Jamaica records decline in trade activity for Jan/Feb 2026 — STATIN

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — Official trade data released Friday shows Jamaica’s cross-border merchandise trade has faced notable headwinds in the opening two months of 2026, with both import expenditure and export revenue dropping sharply compared to the same period last year. The figures were published by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) in its latest quarterly International Merchandise Trade Bulletin, offering an early snapshot of the country’s trade performance for the new year.

    Between January and February 2026, the total value of goods imported into Jamaica reached US$1.214 billion, down 8.1% from the US$1.321 billion recorded in the first two months of 2025. STATIN’s breakdown of the import decline attributes the drop to reduced spending across three key product categories: raw materials and intermediate goods fell 6.8%, consumer goods dropped 7.8%, and fuels and lubricants saw a steep 20.2% reduction in total import value.

    On the export side, the contraction was even more pronounced. Total export earnings for the review period hit just US$217.7 million, a 28.8% nosedive from the US$305.8 million Jamaica earned from exports in the first two months of 2025. The national statistics agency noted the overwhelming majority of this decline stems from a 59.1% collapse in the export value of crude materials (excluding fuel products), Jamaica’s largest export category by volume.

    The report also outlined the Caribbean nation’s top trade partners for the start of 2026. The United States, China, Brazil, Japan, and Trinidad and Tobago remain Jamaica’s five largest sources of imported goods. Combined imports from these five economies totaled US$837.3 million, representing a marginal 0.5% decrease from the same period in 2025.

    For exports, the top five destination markets were unchanged from previous reporting periods: the United States, the Russian Federation, Trinidad and Tobago, the Netherlands, and Canada. Combined export earnings from these key markets amounted to US$164.2 million, a 19.1% year-over-year drop that aligns with the broader downward trend across Jamaica’s entire export sector.