Carib Scope

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  • Flow says it has invested over US$1 million to address network interference in northern Dominica

    Flow says it has invested over US$1 million to address network interference in northern Dominica

    Caribbean telecommunications provider Flow is moving forward with a $1 million-plus investment purpose-built to resolve persistent mobile connectivity interference that has degraded service for communities across northern Dominica, the company announced in an official press statement.

    The issue first came to light several months ago, when Flow’s network monitoring systems flagged unusual performance dips in coverage across the island’s northern region. After weeks of comprehensive technical investigations, the firm traced the root of the disruption to external radio frequency interference originating from a mobile network operator based in neighboring Guadeloupe, a French overseas territory.

    From the moment the interference was confirmed, Flow mobilized to mitigate immediate customer impacts, rolling out temporary network adjustments, 24/7 monitoring and iterative testing to keep service as stable as possible while developing a permanent fix. As the centerpiece of its long-term resolution strategy, the company has procured custom-built network upgrade equipment and specialized technical tools that carry a total price tag of more than $1 million. The new hardware is scheduled to arrive in Dominica between June 5 and June 15, 2026, with full installation and testing to follow immediately after delivery. Once the upgrade is fully commissioned, company officials project the solution will completely eliminate the ongoing interference and restore service quality to normal levels for all affected northern communities.

    Beyond fixing the current disruption, Flow emphasizes that the investment will also boost overall network resilience across Dominica, cutting the risk of similar cross-border interference events from impacting customer service in the future. This proactive step, the company notes, underscores its commitment to delivering reliable connectivity even for challenges that originate outside of its own managed network infrastructure.

    Flow has not worked in isolation to address the issue: the provider has partnered closely with Dominica’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) and the regional Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) from the earliest stages of the investigation. Company representatives praised the ongoing collaboration between local and regional regulators, noting that coordinated multi-stakeholder engagement is critical to resolving transboundary telecommunications issues. While the in-country network upgrade will resolve immediate customer impacts, Flow confirmed that ongoing diplomatic and regulatory engagement with French authorities remains in progress to secure a permanent, long-term solution that addresses the interference at its source.

    “From the moment we identified this issue, our teams have worked around the clock to find a fix,” shared Sharon Jemmott, Country Manager for Flow Dominica. “We know how critical consistent, reliable connectivity is for our customers, whether they’re connecting with family, running a business, or accessing emergency services. Even though this problem started outside of our network, we refused to wait for a third party to act. We’ve invested heavily in a solution, collaborated closely with regulators and regional partners, and stayed focused on delivering the high-quality service our customers expect and deserve.”

    Flow says it will publish regular public updates as the equipment arrives, installation progresses, and the solution goes live. The company also extended its gratitude to affected customers for their patience, understanding, and continued trust as the resolution process moves forward.

  • CDB launches reform plan to limit effects of climate change, economic shocks

    CDB launches reform plan to limit effects of climate change, economic shocks

    Against a backdrop of mounting global economic turbulence, intensifying climate instability, and dwindling international development financing, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has unveiled an ambitious transformative roadmap for regional progress, launched during its 56th Annual Meeting hosted in Nassau, The Bahamas.

    Opening the gathering, CDB President Daniel Best delivered an impassioned call to action for regional stakeholders, framing the current era of persistent uncertainty as a catalyst to pursue a full “rebirth” of the 56-year-old development institution. Best emphasized that the overlapping crises facing small island Caribbean nations demand unprecedented levels of cross-border collaboration, noting that The Bahamas was a particularly symbolic host for this pivotal moment. Five decades earlier, the CDB held its very first meeting in the country, at a time when the region was navigating the profound upheaval of post-colonial political and economic transition.

    Looking back to the institution’s founding, Best highlighted a core lesson from the region’s early leaders: uncertainty is not a signal to retreat, but a mandate to build collective solutions. He pointed to accelerating climate threats playing out across Caribbean communities, recalling a firsthand visit to Jamaica in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. “What I witnessed was nothing short of gut-wrenching; communities flattened, homes gone, and a hospital barely standing. And yet within those damaged walls, nurses and doctors pressed on, working tirelessly to care for the injured, because that is who we are as a region. We persevere even in the face of devastation,” Best said.

    To turn that perseverance into tangible progress, Best announced that the CDB has already significantly expanded its development interventions: since 2025, the bank has approved and disbursed more than $400 million in funding to upgrade critical infrastructure, expand educational access, and strengthen private sector growth across the region. Of that financing, a historic $226.7 million has been committed to climate action – a new annual record for the institution. This includes the first-ever single-country Green Climate Fund (GCF) project for The Bahamas, which will upgrade national water security systems and boost coastal storm resilience. Best also revealed a groundbreaking unified regional initiative led by the CDB: a multi-country housing retrofit program spanning more than 15 Caribbean nations, which will convert millions of climate-vulnerable residential structures into storm-resistant shelters, protecting families from future extreme weather events.

    The Nassau gathering, which brought together regional finance leaders including Barbados Finance Minister Ryan Straughn, served as the official launch pad for the CDB’s new 10-year strategic framework, which will guide the bank’s work from 2026 through 2035. The strategy centers on building three core pillars of resilience: social, economic, and environmental, with an explicit priority on investing in Caribbean youth – a demographic that makes up nearly half of the region’s total population. “Too many remain disconnected from opportunity,” Best warned, identifying youth unemployment and disenfranchisement as one of the region’s most pressing long-term economic challenges. “Our strategy prioritizes skills development, entrepreneurship support, and expanded access to finance so that our young people can build their futures here at home.”

    To demonstrate the early impact of this youth-focused approach, Best highlighted the success of Nkrumah Fong, a young Jamaican clean technology innovator and founder of Ceres Labs. Through a CDB-funded clean-tech incubator program, Fong’s company developed Vector One, a breakthrough carbon absorption technology that cuts greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, commercial ships, and heavy industrial generators.

    Beyond youth development, Best stressed that strengthened institutional governance is a non-negotiable foundation for sustained regional progress, pointing to the CDB’s successful governance reform partnership with Belize’s Development Finance Corporation as a replicable model for turning policy commitments into tangible results.

    To equip the CDB to deliver on its ambitious new strategic goals, Best announced a sweeping internal transformation initiative called CDB Forward. Built around four core pillars – a non-negotiable culture of operational excellence, a streamlined operating model, enhanced governance frameworks, and expanded long-term financial capacity – the reform program is designed to position the CDB as a faster, more agile partner for its borrowing member countries. “CDB Forward speaks to how the bank must change, but more importantly, to why that change matters for our citizens,” Best explained. He added that the reforms will eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks that cause project delays, speed up delivery of development support to member nations, and expand access to financing to help countries address mounting sovereign debt pressures and growing climate-related costs.

    Closing his opening address, Best urged delegates gathered for the week of solution-focused workshops and policy seminars to move beyond discussion and prioritize immediate, actionable execution. He challenged the current generation of Caribbean leaders to match the courage and vision of the CDB’s founding fathers, who established the institution 56 years ago to support the region’s independent development. “The Caribbean has never waited for history to happen to it. We have always been at our best when we had the courage to shape history ourselves. Let us leave determined to build a Caribbean that is stronger, greener, more resilient, more inclusive, and more prosperous than the one we inherited,” Best said.

  • PM Calls Chamber’s Fuel Tax Request “Embarrassing”

    PM Calls Chamber’s Fuel Tax Request “Embarrassing”

    A public dispute over fuel taxation has emerged between Belize’s top government official and the nation’s leading business advocacy group, after Prime Minister John Briceno publicly dismissed a call for fuel tax reductions from the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) as “embarrassing” in comments made to local outlet News 5.

    The confrontation stems from a formal letter BCCI delivered to the government on May 27, 2026, where the industry group praised the administration’s recent decision to resume public disclosure of detailed fuel price breakdowns, but argued that greater transparency alone cannot address the burden of persistently high fuel costs for consumers and businesses across Belize.

    In its letter, BCCI pointed out that while the proportional share of taxes included in retail fuel prices has dipped marginally in recent months, the total nominal tax amount charged per gallon has remained largely static. Even as global crude oil prices have trended downward, this taxation structure has prevented those international savings from reaching consumers at local fuel pumps, the chamber noted. BCCI explained that excise duties, one of the core components of fuel taxation, have stayed within a narrow consistent range regardless of swings in global commodity prices, creating a bottleneck that blocks price relief for end users.

    High fuel prices have cascading effects across Belize’s entire economy, the business group warned, pushing up costs for passenger and freight transportation, raising overhead for small and large businesses alike, and driving up the price of everyday consumer goods that most households rely on. To remedy the issue, BCCI called on the Briceno administration to implement short-term targeted measures, starting with a temporary cut to fuel excise taxes. The organization closed its letter by emphasizing its willingness to collaborate with the government to craft solutions that strike a balance between the nation’s critical revenue requirements and the need for broad economic stability.

    However, Briceno rejected the chamber’s proposal outright in his response, dismissing the core of the group’s argument as fundamentally flawed. The prime minister contended that reshuffling tax burdens across different tax categories – whether environmental levies, goods and services tax (GST), excise duties, or import taxes – does not reduce the government’s total overall tax take from fuel sales. “If you collect $100 in taxes… it doesn’t matter where you take it from. You could take it off environmental tax or the import tax or the excise tax. It’s still removing money from the whole amount,” Briceno explained. He went further to say that “it’s embarrassing sometimes to read such proclamations from the Chamber,” drawing a sharp line between the government’s fiscal position and the business community’s lobbying efforts.

  • ‘Superwoman of financial services’

    ‘Superwoman of financial services’

    In the bustling financial landscape of Jamaica, a 31-year-old leader is redefining excellence in financial advisory through grit, client-first values, and unwavering purpose. Nickole Donaldson, now one of Jamaica’s most decorated financial professionals at Sagicor Life Insurance Company, has carved her path from humble, financially strained roots to industry acclaim, a journey that stands as a testament to the power of persistence.

    Born and raised in the cool, rolling hills of Manchester Parish, Jamaica, Donaldson was raised by a hardworking single mother who instilled core values of discipline, sacrifice, and faith from her earliest years. Her childhood was shaped by tangible financial hardship: there were many school days she went without lunch, facing gaps in resources that could have derailed a lesser ambition. Instead of diminishing her drive, these struggles stoked her determination to build a better future not just for herself, but for others facing similar uncertainty. Through relentless effort, she excelled academically, graduating from high school and sixth form with nine Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) qualifications and five Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) certifications.

    Fueled by a deep passion for education and empowerment, Donaldson went on to earn an honors bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from the University of the West Indies. To cover her tuition and living costs, she balanced daytime classes with overnight shifts, turning a grueling schedule into an opportunity to build resilience and time management skills. Even amid her busy academic and work routine, she prioritized community and leadership, taking on active roles in student government and volunteer initiatives through the Guild of Students, the Education Administration Committee, and campus public relations groups. These early experiences honed the communication, organizational, and leadership abilities that would become the foundation of her later professional success.

    Donaldson’s first career centered on the field she initially loved: education and child development. She went on to found and lead her own preschool as principal, shaping the growth and early learning of hundreds of young children. While she found deep purpose in this work, she gradually discovered a new passion for client engagement, sales, and helping communities build long-term financial empowerment. Making the leap to the insurance and financial services industry required immense courage, adaptability, and a willingness to master an entirely new professional landscape. With guidance from skilled industry mentors, she leaned into the challenges of financial advising, drawing on the discipline she had cultivated during her years of academic self-funding to quickly rise as a top-performing professional.

    Today, Donaldson holds a place among the highest-performing financial advisors at Sagicor Life Insurance, and her success is no flash in the pan: it is the result of years of consistent excellence, intentional execution, and genuine care for every client she serves. In 2025, she hit a remarkable career milestone, taking home nine branch awards across multiple insurance categories, recognizing her outstanding performance in production, client service, and product diversification. She followed that historic win with another strong showing in 2026, securing six additional awards and retaining her top rankings for product mix and overall sales volume.

    Her achievements have not gone unnoticed: she has been repeatedly featured as a leading industry figure in the Jamaica Observer’s Page 2 spotlight series, and has qualified for the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) — the global gold standard for excellence in life insurance and financial services — for four consecutive years. Beyond local recognition, she has gained international experience through volunteer work at MDRT Global Conference activities in China, where she collaborated with some of the world’s leading financial professionals and brought back new insights to serve her clients better.

    What sets Donaldson apart from many of her peers is her radical commitment to client accessibility. She meets clients where they are, whether that means traveling to remote rural communities outside major urban centers, accommodating after-hours or weekend appointments, or adapting her approach to fit individual client needs. Her clients often affectionately call her “Superwoman” for her consistent willingness to go above and beyond to help families secure long-term financial stability. For Donaldson, financial advising is far more than selling insurance policies: it is a mission to educate, empower, and guide clients to make informed decisions that benefit not just their current lives, but future generations. Drawing on her background in education, she breaks down complex financial concepts into simple, accessible language, removing barriers to financial security for people of all backgrounds.

    This client-centric, trust-focused approach has built her a thriving referral-based business rooted in integrity and exceptional service. Beyond her individual client work and sales success, Donaldson is deeply invested in her community and workplace. She actively participates in company-wide initiatives, local volunteer programs, community outreach projects, and industry service events. Colleagues describe her as a dependable, collaborative team member who lifts up team culture while upholding strict performance standards. Her ability to balance high-level production, leadership, volunteerism, and mentorship at just 31 years old reflects a professional maturity rare among young professionals.

    Donaldson’s unique combination of educational leadership, entrepreneurial experience, sales excellence, and client advocacy makes her a standout asset to the global financial services industry. Looking ahead, she remains focused on continuous growth, professional development, and expanding her impact across Jamaica’s financial sector. Her future goals include mentoring emerging young advisors, expanding financial literacy programs in underserved communities, and continuing to help working families build lasting, intergenerational financial security.

    As she often shares with the emerging professionals she mentors: “Put God at the centre of your goals, work diligently, remain authentic, and use your gifts to support your dreams. Success comes when preparation, purpose, and persistence meet opportunity.”

  • GraceKennedy brings Fraser-Pryce, GK One and Taste of Jamaica to Diaspora Conference

    GraceKennedy brings Fraser-Pryce, GK One and Taste of Jamaica to Diaspora Conference

    One of Jamaica’s most prominent homegrown corporate groups, GraceKennedy (GK), is set to reprise its central role in deepening ties between Jamaica and its global diaspora community as an official Legacy Partner for the upcoming 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference. Scheduled to run from June 14 to 18, 2026, the high-profile gathering will take place at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in the parish of St James, drawing hundreds of Jamaican community leaders, investors, and professionals from across the globe.

  • Fishermen face threat of 12.5% trump tariff

    Fishermen face threat of 12.5% trump tariff

    A new 12.5% tariff threat from the Trump administration targeting Bahamian exports to the U.S. is sending ripples of concern through the Caribbean nation’s key industries, with its $90 million annual fisheries exports facing the most immediate competitive danger. The penalties were announced after the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) determined The Bahamas lacks both enacted legislation and active enforcement measures to block forced labor-made goods from entering its borders, placing the country among 54 global jurisdictions facing new trade restrictions.

    Adrian LaRoda, president of The Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance (BCFA), sounded the alarm on the proposed tariffs in an interview with Tribune Business, warning that the new levy would push the nation’s spiny lobster exports – one of its most valuable fisheries products – into a critical competitive disadvantage against U.S. domestic supplies. LaRoda noted that Bahamian spiny lobster already sells for 70% more than Maine lobster in U.S. retail locations, and the 12.5% tariff would effectively push the total cost increase to 15%, eroding what thin profit margins the sector already holds. “We are already breaking even and in survival mode, caught between shifting U.S. market trends and constant uncertainty over Washington’s trade policies,” LaRoda explained, adding that the new threat would only squeeze the industry further.

    The USTR’s June 2, 2026, final investigation finding, released after months of written consultations and public hearings, concluded that The Bahamas’ failure to implement and enforce a forced labor import ban is “unreasonable” and “burdens or restricts U.S. commerce.” The penalty structure varies by jurisdiction: nations that have already enacted forced labor import bans or made formal commitments to do so face a lower 10% tariff, while countries like The Bahamas that have neither existing laws nor active enforcement face the full 12.5% rate. Major developed economies including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Israel, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore are also among the jurisdictions targeted for tariffs.

    Bahamian officials and industry leaders have roughly one month to take action to avert the tariffs, with the USTR scheduled to open a final round of consultations starting July 7, 2026, following a July 6 deadline for written submissions. Based on 2024 trade data submitted to USTR during the first consultation round by former Bahamian Attorney General Ryan Pinder KC, up to $985 million in annual Bahamian exports to the U.S. could be subject to the 12.5% tariff. The largest affected category is refined petroleum, valued at $610 million annually, with other impacted sectors including documents of title ($95.2 million), styrene polymers ($55.7 million) and pearl products ($39 million).

    The USTR has signaled that some exports may qualify for exemption on the grounds of U.S. economic and national security, as well as critical supply chain needs. Refined petroleum from The Bahamas is widely seen as a likely exemption candidate: Buckeye Bahamas’ Grand Bahama refining facility currently supplies up to 40% of California’s gasoline demand after the state lost significant domestic refining capacity in recent years.

    The Davis administration has moved swiftly to address the USTR’s concerns, tabling amendments to the nation’s Customs Management Act alongside the 2026-2027 national budget just last week. The Customs Management (Amendment) Bill 2026 adds a new Section 208A that grants the government power to ban imports of any goods produced wholly or partially by forced labor, with the explicit goal of blocking forced and child labor-made goods from entering Bahamian markets. During public hearings before the USTR, Danya Wallace, director of legal affairs at the Bahamian Attorney General’s Office, conceded that no existing Bahamian law directly addresses forced labor imports, but the new legislation would close that regulatory gap.

    It remains unclear whether the last-minute legislative change will be enough to satisfy the Trump administration, as the USTR’s findings emphasize that it requires both enacted legislation and proof of active enforcement to avoid tariffs. For The Bahamas’ fishing industry, the uncertainty alone is already causing damage, LaRoda said. Currently, The Bahamas exports 12 million pounds of spiny lobster annually, worth approximately $90 million, with 4 million pounds (valued between $30 million and $60 million) destined for the U.S. market. While a slowdown in U.S. exports would not immediately cause catastrophic job losses on its own – much of the industry’s employment is seasonal – LaRoda warned of potential knock-on impacts if domestic markets cannot absorb the excess supply, leading processors and wholesalers to cut purchases and reduce staffing.

    To insulate the industry from long-term trade volatility, LaRoda urged the Bahamian government to prioritize diversifying fisheries export markets, noting that the nation already benefits from existing spiny lobster sales in Europe, particularly France, but must expand further into markets like Canada to reduce reliance on the U.S. “Where does it end? We’ve already seen other Caribbean neighbors face tariffs as high as 45%, which would devastate our economy,” he said, calling for immediate trade and foreign policy intervention to protect the industry. “We depend on this export for critical economic injection. We’re already at breaking point on pricing, and we don’t know how much more of this we can take.”

    U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer defended the investigation and upcoming tariffs, arguing that failure by major U.S. trading partners to block forced labor goods creates an unlevel playing field that harms American workers. “Some trading partners have taken initial steps to prevent the importation of forced labor goods… However, each of our trading partners must do more to ensure that trade does not perversely encourage and entrench forced labour globally,” Greer said in a statement following the release of the findings.

    Independent media analysts have noted the investigation carries wider geopolitical overtones, suggesting it is partially a targeted effort to limit the flow of Chinese goods through major U.S. trading partners like The Bahamas. The U.S. has long accused China of using forced labor for manufacturing, particularly against ethnic minority Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Commentators also added that the probe could be a backdoor means for the Trump administration to reimpose its controversial 2025 “Liberation Day” tariffs, which were previously ruled unlawful by both the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Trade Court and are currently under appeal.

  • PSOJ President Patrick Hylton appointed Massy Holdings chairman designate

    PSOJ President Patrick Hylton appointed Massy Holdings chairman designate

    PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD – Regional conglomerate Massy Holdings has announced a key leadership transition, naming prominent Jamaican business leader Patrick Hylton as its chairman-designate. Hylton, who currently serves as president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica and previously held the position of chief executive officer at Jamaica’s National Commercial Bank (NCB), will officially assume the chairman role on June 1, 2026.

    In an official statement released to the public this Thursday, the firm confirmed that outgoing chairman Robert Riley will retain his current position until the effective transition date. During this interim period, Riley will continue to oversee board activities, fulfill all core responsibilities of the role, and exercise the full authority associated with the chairman’s office.

    A long-standing member of Massy Holdings’ board of directors, Hylton brings over three decades of specialized expertise spanning banking, finance, and corporate governance to his new designation. The Massy Holdings board highlighted his transformative tenure leading NCB Financial Group, under whose direction the institution expanded to become Jamaica’s largest and most profitable financial player, as well as one of the top financial services groups across the English-speaking Caribbean.

    Beyond his work at NCB, Hylton has previously held the chairman post at Guardian Holdings Limited. He has earned widespread industry recognition for his forward-thinking strategic leadership, rigorous operational standards, unwavering dedication to innovation, and consistent commitment to prioritizing customer needs.

    Massy Holdings emphasized that Hylton’s appointment is not an unexpected change, but rather a core component of a carefully structured long-term succession planning initiative. This process is designed to protect the company’s strong standards of corporate governance, maintain consistent leadership continuity, and facilitate a smooth, orderly handover of board leadership when the transition takes place.

    The company also drew attention to Hylton’s outsized contributions to the restructuring of Jamaica’s financial sector during the 1990s. That period of systemic reform, in which Hylton played a key role, ultimately helped build a more stable and resilient financial industry for the nation.

    In closing, the Massy Holdings board extended its formal congratulations to Hylton on his designation. The board noted that his broad cross-sector experience – covering financial services, insurance, private equity, retail, and distribution – paired with his deep, nuanced understanding of Caribbean regional business dynamics, has already delivered immense value and unique perspective to the company’s boardroom discussions.

  • Bowe warns of banking barriers for cannabis sector

    Bowe warns of banking barriers for cannabis sector

    As The Bahamas prepares to launch its long-awaited medicinal cannabis sector in the coming weeks, the country’s top banking industry leader has sounded a urgent alarm: existing international banking rules, particularly those enforced by major U.S. financial institutions, will leave the newly legal industry largely locked out of mainstream Bahamian banking services.

    Gowon Bowe, chairman of the Clearing Banks Association, laid out the structural challenges in comments to local media, explaining that the root of the problem lies in Washington’s persistent federal classification of cannabis as an illegal controlled substance. Despite individual U.S. states legalizing both medicinal and recreational cannabis, federal law still bars financial institutions from processing any transactions tied to the marijuana industry. This ban extends to correspondent banking relationships, which form the backbone of The Bahamas’ international financial system.

    Most global transactions for Bahamian banks are cleared through top-tier U.S. correspondent banks, including household names like Citibank, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. Bowe confirmed that all of these major institutions explicitly prohibit any business with financial entities that work with cannabis-related companies. Even though The Bahamas has passed domestic legislation legalizing medicinal cannabis and is set to open licensing for operators imminently, that domestic legal status does not override the dependence of Bahamian commercial banking on the U.S. financial infrastructure.

    Bowe noted that The Bahamas’ unique currency dynamic makes this problem far more intractable than in other countries that have legalized cannabis, such as Canada. Canada’s national currency is freely traded on global markets, allowing cannabis businesses to operate largely outside of U.S. dollar transaction flows. The same cannot be said for The Bahamas: the Bahamian dollar has no international trading market, and every import, export, and major commercial transaction conducted in the country is settled in U.S. dollars.

    “The reality is there’s no commercial bank that can feasibly ring fence this activity to say that these particular persons or these particular businesses will have absolutely no activity that would involve correspondent banks,” Bowe explained. Without the ability to fully separate cannabis transactions from all interaction with U.S. correspondent banks, serving the new industry would put Bahamian banks’ entire international operating licenses at risk.

    This challenge is not theoretical, Bowe added, pointing to the experiences of other legal cannabis markets in the Caribbean. Jamaica reformed its laws to legalize cannabis years ago, but the industry remains almost entirely cash-based today due to the same international banking restrictions. Operating on an all-cash basis leaves businesses vulnerable to theft, fraud, and other criminal activity, a risk Bowe said The Bahamas cannot ignore as it builds out its new sector.

    The timing of Bowe’s warning is significant: the Bahamas Cannabis Authority recently signed an agreement with U.S.-based cannabis tracking firm Metrc, and is on track to launch its official licensing platform, public website, and application process by the end of June, with the first commercial operations expected to launch within weeks.

    Bowe outlined potential alternative banking avenues, including European financial institutions and non-traditional providers like credit unions or postal banking services. But even these options carry major risks, he cautioned, as most alternative providers still maintain critical correspondent relationships with U.S. banks, and could lose those relationships if they are found to be handling cannabis funds.

    Most notably, Bowe criticized a lack of substantive progress between the government and the banking sector on addressing the gap between the new legal cannabis framework and the practical commercial realities of global banking. While informal conversations have occurred, no formal collaborative negotiations or policy planning have taken place. He called out the government’s approach as a modern-day “ostrich with its head in the sand,” noting that just because domestic law permits cannabis activity does not mean banks can legally or practically serve the industry under existing international rules.

    Bowe urged policymakers to set aside finger-pointing and work collaboratively with the banking sector to address the hurdle. He warned that resolving the issue will require significant diplomatic effort and geopolitical negotiation, and that a feasible solution for banking cannabis businesses in the near term is far from guaranteed.

  • Parliamentary committee to review flexible work options amid rising fuel prices

    Parliamentary committee to review flexible work options amid rising fuel prices

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — Against a backdrop of swirling global geopolitical instability and volatile energy markets, Jamaica’s parliamentary Economy and Production Committee has launched a comprehensive, stakeholder-centered review of flexible work schedules and work-from-home policies, committee chairman Alando Terrelonge confirmed this week.

    The initiative, which is set to kick off public and private consultations in the coming weeks, forms part of Jamaica’s broader strategy to build economic resilience, boost national productivity and lift quality of life for all Jamaican citizens, Terrelonge outlined in an official statement released Thursday.

    The review comes at a moment of unprecedented global economic uncertainty. Persistent geopolitical tensions, including ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, have sent global fuel prices climbing, creating cascading financial pressure on household budgets, local businesses and national governments across the globe. This turbulence has reignited international conversations about the future of work, and how modern, flexible workplace models can cut operational costs, drive efficiency and lay the groundwork for long-term sustainable growth.

    Terrelonge, who also serves as a Member of the Jamaican Parliament, emphasized that Jamaica cannot afford to stand still amid shifting global economic conditions. “As fuel and transportation costs continue to squeeze household budgets and eat into business profits, we have a responsibility to explore innovative, practical solutions that can lift productivity while making everyday life better for our people,” he said.

    The committee’s work will center on evidence-based engagement with a broad cross-section of national stakeholders, Terrelonge explained. The process will examine a range of flexible work models that have been rolled out across the world to boost organizational performance, enhance employee well-being and cut operational overhead. To ensure any final recommendations are tailored to Jamaica’s unique local context, input will be solicited from public sector agencies, private sector associations, labor unions, academic institutions and other relevant government bodies.

    At its core, the review is focused on strengthening Jamaica’s long-term national competitiveness, Terrelonge noted. “If we can find approaches that cut down the time workers spend stuck in traffic, reduce their monthly transportation expenses, improve their work-life balance, and at the same time drive up efficiency and output, this is a conversation that we absolutely have to have,” he said. “Jamaica cannot afford to overlook technological advances and workplace innovations that can strengthen our economy and improve the daily lives of our citizens.”

    Once consultations and analysis are complete, the committee will present its full findings and policy recommendations to Jamaica’s Parliament for further consideration.

  • Treasure Bay Estates highlights investment opportunities at THROP-X 2026

    Treasure Bay Estates highlights investment opportunities at THROP-X 2026

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — Leading Jamaican real estate developer Treasure Bay Estates has publicly reaffirmed its long-term commitments to property sector investment, national economic advancement, and collaborative engagement with the global Jamaican diaspora, marking its involvement as the exclusive platinum real estate sponsor for the 2026 iteration of the THROP-X Jamaica Real Estate Investment Conference.

    The high-profile industry gathering brought together a wide-ranging cross-section of stakeholders, from institutional and individual investors, local entrepreneurs, and private sector business leaders to senior government policymakers and Jamaican diaspora representatives from across the globe. Attendees gathered to unpack the evolving landscape of high-growth opportunities that are fueling broad-based economic transformation across the island nation.

    Core discussion topics over the course of the conference centered on supporting local entrepreneurship, accelerating innovative development projects, highlighting under-explored investment openings, and building the strategic cross-sector partnerships required to drive inclusive, sustainable economic growth across every region of Jamaica.

    For Treasure Bay Estates, the event served as a critical platform to connect with key industry and community stakeholders, while making the case for property investment as a foundational driver of intergenerational wealth building and long-term national progress.

    A key priority for the conference organizers and sponsors was creating space for direct, meaningful engagement with diaspora members, whose consistent financial, social, and professional contributions have remained a central pillar of Jamaica’s ongoing development for decades.

    Aubyn Henry, co-principal of Treasure Bay Estates, emphasized the outsized value of strengthening enduring connections between Jamaica and the millions of Jamaicans who call other countries home.

    “Jamaica’s future grows stronger when we bring together bold vision, targeted investment, and accessible opportunity,” Henry stated during the event. “Gatherings like THROP-X cultivate a collaborative environment where productive dialogue can translate into tangible, positive outcomes for the entire country.”

    “The Jamaican diaspora stands as one of our nation’s most valuable assets, and real estate offers a uniquely accessible, tangible pathway for people to contribute to Jamaica’s growth while building lasting value that will benefit their families and communities for generations,” Henry added. “We were proud to support a platform that unites forward-thinking leaders all committed to advancing Jamaica’s continued prosperity.”

    Beyond networking and discussion, the conference highlighted the steadily growing global interest in investment and development opportunities across Jamaica’s diverse economic sectors, while reinforcing that meaningful, cross-sector collaboration between investors, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and diaspora communities is non-negotiable for unlocking long-term growth.

    Looking ahead, Treasure Bay Estates reiterated its ongoing commitment to delivering real estate projects that generate durable, shared benefits for both investors and local Jamaican communities, as the company works to contribute to a more economically resilient and prosperous nation.