Carib Scope

分类： business

  • MSME Roadshow Lands in Belize City, Three More Stops To Go

    MSME Roadshow Lands in Belize City, Three More Stops To Go

    As the 2026 National MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise) Roadshow organized by Belize’s Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) reaches its seventh stop in Belize City, the initiative continues its momentum with three additional stops planned before concluding in the capital city of Belmopan.

    This first day of the Belize City leg is structured as an intensive bootcamp-style training experience, with segmented hour-long workshops curated to cover high-priority topics for local entrepreneurs: e-commerce expansion, foundational financial literacy, data-driven digital marketing strategy, and core export procedures. Jorge Gentle, manager of the Small Business Development Centre Belize (SBDC) — a technical division of BELTRAIDE — emphasized that the training curriculum was developed to directly address demands voiced by past and current participants.

    Gentle explained that the selection of workshop topics is rooted in years of aggregated feedback from MSME owners across the country, paired with analysis of shifting global and local business trends that impact small operators. Beyond core skill-building training, two additional government bodies — the Ministry of Rural Transformation and the Belize Tax Service — have joined the event to deliver guided briefings on business licensing protocols and up-to-date tax compliance requirements for small operations.

    On the second day of the Belize City stop, the roadshow will host a dedicated business formalization clinic at the city’s Civic Centre. The clinic will bring together roughly 25 to 30 separate supporting organizations, ranging from BELTRAIDE and the Belize Chamber of Commerce to leading local financial institutions including Atlantic Bank and Belize Bank, all on hand to provide one-on-one guidance to entrepreneurs.

    BELTRAIDE Executive Director Ishmael Quiroz noted that the 2026 iteration of the roadshow has placed a greater focus on expanding public-private partnerships than any previous tour, a shift that has contributed to robust turnout across the four already completed stops in Corozal, Orange Walk, San Ignacio and Punta Gorda. To date, nearly 600 individual MSME operators have officially registered to participate in 2026 events, a strong indicator of the demand for targeted small business support across the country.

    Quiroz reinforced the central economic role that small and medium enterprises play in Belize, stating, “It’s acknowledged that micro, small and medium enterprises are the backbone of our economy. They create opportunities; they create livelihoods. They also enable the opportunity to transform something that you may have as a hobby into a livelihood, something that’s a craft, but you can make it sustainable and you can have it feed yourself and your family.”

    For many returning participants, the roadshow has already delivered tangible, long-term benefits to their operations. Lindbergh Smith, founder of local business Smithy’s Natural Blend, has attended every roadshow since he launched his brand in 2022. Smith credits earlier roadshow sessions with helping him formalize his unregistered home business and expand his distribution network to reach customers across the entire country, adding that professional networking opportunities alone make repeat participation worthwhile.

    “When I first participated in these roadshows, it helped tremendously because through the expo, they have exposed Smithy’s to a lot of customers, and that’s how I’ve grown to now distribute nationally,” Smith explained.

    Coinciding with the roadshow’s stop in Belize City, the Belize City Council will host its popular Super Sale on the same Saturday, creating additional opportunities for participating small businesses to connect with local consumers.

  • HIA redevelopment at ‘advanced’ stage as control tower nears completion

    HIA redevelopment at ‘advanced’ stage as control tower nears completion

    St. Lucia’s ambitious upgrade of Hewanorra International Airport (HIA), the island nation’s key air gateway, has hit major new milestones, with the project’s new air traffic control tower nearly finished and a lead contractor selected for the broader redevelopment initiative, according to the country’s top infrastructure official.\n\nIn an on-the-record update with reporters from the St. Lucia Times outside Parliament Tuesday, Infrastructure Minister Shawn Edward shared detailed progress on the multi-year modernization project that aims to boost St. Lucia’s air connectivity and tourism competitiveness.\n\nEdward confirmed that construction of the new air traffic control tower is currently 95% complete, marking a dramatic jump in progress from just eight months ago. When Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre delivered his 2024 Budget Address in April, the facility was only halfway done, sitting at 52% completion.\n\nThe minister broke down the tower project into its two core components: physical construction of the tower structure, and installation of specialized air traffic management technology. Civil construction works have been carried out by NH, a construction firm based in neighboring Trinidad and Tobago, which has collaborated closely with a Canadian technology supplier to integrate the custom software required for air traffic control operations.\n\nIf current progress holds, Edward projects the fully operational control tower will be ready to launch as early as January or February 2025.\n\nBeyond the control tower, the full-scale HIA redevelopment scheme has cleared another key hurdle: the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) has finalized its competitive bidding process and selected a private contractor to lead the overall project. Edward noted that while formal contract negotiations are still ongoing, no binding agreement has been signed, so the identity of the selected firm cannot be released to the public at this time.\n\nThe minister emphasized that the contractor selection process followed SLASPA’s independent, rigorous procurement protocols, and was not directed by the Cabinet or Prime Minister Pierre’s office, reinforcing the government’s commitment to transparent public tendering.\n\nThe HIA modernization has a lengthy, checkered history that stretches across multiple administrations. Initial construction on a new passenger terminal launched under the previous United Workers Party government, but the project was put on hold shortly after the 2021 general election that brought Pierre’s administration to power. The pause was implemented to allow a full review of the project’s scope, costs, and priorities to align it with the current government’s development goals.\n\nEdward made clear that avoiding costly, drawn-out delays is a top priority for his team, drawing a parallel to the high-profile St. Jude Hospital redevelopment, which has been plagued by years of extended construction timelines. He told reporters he has repeatedly stressed to his staff that the HIA project must not fall into the same pattern of long delays.\n\n“Only this morning, I was saying to my staff that we have to ensure that the HIA redevelopment project does not become another St Jude Hospital in terms of the gestation period,” Edward said.\n\nThe current government has set a clear timeline for completion: the full, refurbished and upgraded Hewanorra International Airport will be delivered before the next general election, according to the minister.\n\nA large portion of the project’s funding comes from international development support: the World Bank’s Caribbean Air Transport Connectivity Project (CATCOP) is providing EC$121 million (approximately $44.8 million USD) to support key upgrades. Edward explained that this funding will be allocated to three critical areas: structural repairs to the airport’s main runway, modernization of air navigation equipment, and improvements to facilities for the airport’s firefighting and emergency response team.\

  • Sea Cucumber Season Opens September 1

    Sea Cucumber Season Opens September 1

    As the 2026-2027 sea cucumber harvest season approaches, Belize’s Fisheries Department has finalized a dual-track regulatory framework to manage commercial fishing and export activities, with the season officially kicking off on September 1. The harvest will run through January 31, 2027, though the government has confirmed that operations will cease immediately if the national total allowable catch quota is met before the scheduled end date.

    To support sustainable marine resource management, the department has implemented strict spatial restrictions for this season: commercial sea cucumber harvesting will only be authorized in fishing zones 2 through 8, while zone 1 will remain completely closed to all fishing activity throughout the entire season to support local ecosystem recovery.

    For licensed commercial fishers seeking to participate in the harvest, a mandatory additional special sea cucumber fishing licence is required beyond standard operating credentials. The application window for these special permits opens on August 18 and closes two weeks later on August 31, with a set fee of 75 Belize dollars per licence. In a key clarification for industry participants, the department emphasized that every person working aboard a sea cucumber harvesting vessel—not just the vessel owner or captain—must hold a valid special licence to operate legally.

    On the trade side, the department has also launched a call for proposals from commercial entities and independent operators hoping to secure sea cucumber export licences for this season. For 2026-2027, export approvals are limited exclusively to Holothuria mexicana, the species commonly known as the “donkey dung” sea cucumber.

    The export licensing process follows a structured two-step timeline. Interested parties must first submit an Expression of Interest by August 15, after which the Fisheries Department will distribute the official proposal application template. Completed proposals and all required supporting documentation must be submitted no later than August 25.

    Documentation requirements vary based on whether applicants are new to the export market or renewing an existing licence. First-time applicants must provide verifiable proof of active commercial operations, along with a valid HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) or BAHA (Belize Agricultural Health Authority) registration certificate. For renewal applicants that held valid export licences in the previous season, requirements include completed renewal forms and updated facility certifications confirming their processing and export operations continue to meet national regulatory standards.

    The department has confirmed that export licences will be awarded based on a merit-based review of each submitted proposal, and that all final approval decisions are not subject to appeal. In addition to regulatory preparations, marine biologists are conducting ongoing research into mercury concentrations in Belizean sea cucumbers to monitor food safety standards for the local industry.

  • EmpowerHer celebrates 41 women for entrepreneurial achievement

    EmpowerHer celebrates 41 women for entrepreneurial achievement

    Forty-one women entrepreneurs in Barbados have crossed a key career milestone, graduating from the EmpowerHer: Building Futures Through Entrepreneurship Programme, a joint initiative delivered by the Small Business Association of Barbados (SBA) and the island’s Bureau of Gender Affairs. The certification ceremony, held at Bridgetown’s Pelican House, wrapped up months of intensive skills training designed to arm aspiring and early-stage women founders with the tools to launch and scale sustainable, profitable businesses.

    EmpowerHer is a core pillar of the SBA’s long-standing mission to expand women’s representation in entrepreneurship and advance inclusive economic empowerment through cross-sector strategic partnerships. This cohort brought together a diverse group of participants, ranging from women already operating early-stage startups to aspiring founders preparing to launch their first business. Graduates represented a wide cross-section of Barbados’ growing small business sector, spanning industries from social media management and culinary arts to landscaping, concierge and travel services, professional make-up artistry, floral design, and skincare.

    Over the course of the program, participants worked through a comprehensive, practice-focused curriculum covering all foundational elements of small business operations: formal business planning, financial management and literacy, digital and traditional marketing, legal and regulatory compliance for small enterprises, customer experience strategy, investor pitching, and long-term business sustainability. Rather than relying on passive lectures, the program centered interactive workshops, hands-on practical assignments, and peer-to-peer learning to ensure participants could directly apply new skills to their own business concepts, bridging the gap between a preliminary idea and a viable, market-ready enterprise.

    A standout capstone experience for the cohort was the final Business Pitch exercise, where each participant presented their refined business concept using structured industry frameworks and professional visual tools. The exercise served as both a demonstration of how effectively participants had absorbed core training and proof that the cohort was prepared to enter the market and launch formal entrepreneurial ventures.

    In her remarks at the ceremony, SBA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Lynette Holder emphasized that strategic investment in women entrepreneurs acts as a powerful catalyst for broad national economic growth. Drawing on preliminary findings from the SBA’s upcoming 2026 National Survey of the Small Business Sector, Dr. Holder noted that the research confirms women-owned businesses make a significant and rapidly growing contribution to Barbados’ overall entrepreneurial ecosystem. At the same time, the survey also underscores the persistent need for ongoing targeted investment in capacity-building programs that help women founders build resilient, globally competitive enterprises.

    Addressing the new graduates directly, Dr. Holder framed the certification not as a final achievement, but as a starting point for future growth. “Today’s certificate is not the destination; it is your licence to pursue greater possibilities,” she told attendees. “Build boldly, think strategically and never be afraid to scale your business. The entrepreneurial ecosystem exists to support your journey, so make full use of every resource, every partnership, every training opportunity and every network available to you.” She added that entrepreneurship demands continuous learning, adaptive innovation, and persistent resilience, encouraging graduates to remain connected to the full range of business support services offered by the SBA as they grow their enterprises.

    Laura Burnett, representing the Bureau of Gender Affairs, also spoke at the ceremony, praising the ongoing collaborative partnership between the Bureau and the SBA and commending graduates for their commitment throughout the intensive program. “The Bureau of Gender Affairs is proud to have partnered with the SBA on this meaningful initiative,” Burnett said. “EmpowerHer has demonstrated how targeted training, mentorship and collaboration can transform lives by providing women with the knowledge, confidence and practical tools needed to achieve meaningful entrepreneurial success.”

    Beyond delivering technical business skills, the EmpowerHer program is designed to address broader systemic barriers that women face in Barbados’ labor market, creating structured pathways to financial independence, full business ownership, and long-term economic resilience for participants. By supporting women to build successful enterprises, the initiative strengthens household financial stability, builds more resilient local communities, and drives inclusive national economic growth across Barbados.

  • Aerodom advances AILA modernization with new automated baggage system

    Aerodom advances AILA modernization with new automated baggage system

    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom), a member of the global Vinci Airports network, has activated the first stage of a cutting-edge Automated Baggage Handling System (BHS) at Las Américas International Airport (AILA), backed by a total investment of more than RD$900 million (approximately 16 million U.S. dollars).

    The initial phase of the infrastructure modernization project, which has been fully operational since the start of June, focuses on the southern zone of AILA’s main passenger terminal. Construction and installation work is now advancing in the terminal’s northern section, with project managers projecting full completion of the entire system by the final quarter of this year.

    Aerodom officials outlined that the newly deployed system is designed to transform the entire outbound baggage journey, from passenger check-in through to final loading onto departing aircraft. Beyond boosting the speed, security, and consistency of baggage processing, the phased rollout strategy was intentionally structured to allow ongoing construction work to proceed without interrupting daily flight operations or inconveniencing traveling passengers.

    The full BHS upgrade incorporates a suite of advanced industry technologies, including next-generation computed tomography (CT) baggage scanning devices for enhanced security screening, a centralized SCADA monitoring and control platform that gives operators full visibility over system performance, high-speed automated sorting machinery, and 360-degree label reading capabilities that reduce the risk of misrouted luggage.

    Once the entire system goes online at the end of 2024, Aerodom projects that AILA’s hourly baggage processing capacity will double compared to the legacy infrastructure the upgrade replaces. The new system will also raise the overall level of automation across airport operations, and build in greater operational redundancy across terminals and baggage carousels, reducing the risk of widespread disruptions if one component experiences technical issues.

    In addition to processing improvements, the modernization project will strengthen the airport’s capacity for preventive maintenance and ensure greater accessibility to critical spare parts. These upgrades, in turn, will support more consistent, reliable operations and continuous service for the millions of passengers that pass through AILA each year.

  • $20K overtime in one month

    $20K overtime in one month

    The Bahamas’ leading public electricity utility, Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), is facing a growing industrial dispute after an internal audit exposed staggering overtime payouts to just three senior staff in one department, triggering immediate regulatory changes from the utility’s board and a fierce pushback from the country’s electrical workers union.

    Internal BPL payroll records obtained exclusively by The Tribune reveal that between May 2025 and April 2026, three employees working in BPL’s Fuel and Performance Department accumulated a combined $601,295.16 in overtime pay. The two highest earners took home $265,551.83 and $217,729.70 respectively, accounting for more than 80% of the total three-person payout. When compared to their annual base salaries – listed as roughly $78,388 and $56,182 – their overtime earnings exceeded three times their regular annual pay. The third employee recorded $118,013.63 in overtime over the 12-month period.

    The overtime payments were tied to routine operational tasks including fuel transfers between storage facilities, tanker operations, and fuel pumping assignments. Monthly claim sheets show multiple months where individual staff earned more than $20,000 in overtime alone. For example, the employee who earned $217,729.70 over the year recorded $25,000.11 in overtime during February 2026, $22,400.51 in January 2026, and $20,890.30 in October 2025. The top overtime earner, meanwhile, was paid more than $24,000 in overtime in three separate months, peaking at $26,273.01 in October 2025.

    The records also raise significant questions about the plausibility of reported working hours. One entry from the Christmas holiday week shows one employee logged 18 hours of work on Christmas Day, followed by 24-hour shifts on December 26, 27, and 28 – totaling 90 hours of work across four consecutive days.

    Following the completion of the internal probe, BPL’s board of directors moved to implement immediate reforms to the utility’s overtime policies, though full details of both the existing framework and proposed changes have not been released to the public as of press time. The dispute comes at an already difficult time for BPL, which has faced widespread public anger over repeated, widespread power outages that have disrupted daily life across the country through the summer months.

    The Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU), which represents BPL frontline and administrative staff, has rejected the policy change outright, issuing a “high alert” notice to all members ordering them to work only their contracted regular hours and leave immediately after their shifts end. The union argues that BPL’s unilateral change to overtime rules directly violates Clause 30 of the existing industrial agreement between the utility and the union, and has accused BPL leadership of harassing and intimidating union officials and frontline staff.

    “We will not stand for these injustices,” the union’s official notice read, emphasizing the directive for members to limit work to “NORMAL WORKING HOURS ONLY” before leaving the workplace.

    BEWU President Kyle Wilson doubled down on the union’s opposition in an interview with The Tribune, arguing that BPL has no legal or contractual authority to unilaterally alter working arrangements outlined in the industrial agreement. Wilson noted that if overtime payouts were processed in line with previously negotiated terms and approved by BPL management, the total amount earned by workers is not a legitimate point of dispute. “If it’s in the industrial agreement, it must be respected,” he said.

    Wilson also stressed that overtime scheduling is entirely controlled by BPL management, not individual employees. “Overtime is only at the discretion of management,” he explained, a claim backed by the reviewed payroll records, which show all monthly overtime claim sheets include official management approval entries. The union leader rejected criticism of high-earning staff, saying BPL should raise any concerns through formal collective bargaining channels rather than imposing abrupt changes. “No one’s going to bully me or this union,” he said.

    Wilson also questioned why BPL did not raise overtime concerns during negotiations for a new industrial agreement, which was finalized and signed by both parties in June 2026, just months before the probe’s findings were released. “We just recently signed a new agreement in June and if they had any concerns why didn’t they come to the union and explain those concerns before signing off on an industrial agreement?” he asked.

    The union leader also launched a direct criticism of BPL Executive Chairman Christina Alston, accusing her of consistent disrespect for the union and implementing policies that directly contradict the terms of the industrial agreement. Wilson confirmed he has not seen the full text of the new overtime policy, and declined to characterize the union’s directive as a formal work-to-rule industrial action. “I encouraged people to come to work and do the jobs that they are paid to do, okay?” he said. “I don’t know what you’re referring to with work to rule.” Still, the union’s written notice explicitly instructs members to depart after completing their standard shifts.

    The potential impact of the union’s directive on electricity reliability remains unclear, in part due to recent sector restructuring on the island of New Providence, the country’s most populous. The newly created Bahamas Grid Company (BGC) now manages New Providence’s transmission and distribution network, while BPL retains responsibility for power generation and maintains a close working partnership with BGC. Wilson noted that despite the restructuring, BPL workers still regularly provide overtime support for BGC operations, particularly for specialized underground and overhead line work.

    “A lot of overtime that our workers are working is to help Bahamas Grid,” Wilson said. “We were told these people were coming with expertise that we don’t have. Yet still they’re relying on us, the former transmission and distribution workers, to assist BGC where they’re falling down.” Wilson’s comments suggest the restriction on overtime could leave BGC without critical support for urgent operations, though the full extent of any disruption is not yet known. The union leader also placed blame for recent widespread power outages squarely on BGC, saying “BGC can’t keep the light on. They need to focus on that and leave us alone.”

    Wilson also pushed back against the focus on Bahamian workers’ overtime earnings, pointing to large contracts awarded to external and foreign firms for electricity sector work. He claimed foreign contractors working on the system earn far higher hourly rates than domestic Bahamian staff, though The Tribune has not been able to independently verify those claims. Finally, Wilson addressed unpublicized allegations that he has personally benefited from large overtime payouts, saying no BPL leadership has ever raised the issue with him directly: “They never came to me,” he said.

  • Port Cabo Rojo named finalist for 2026 Seatrade Cruise Award

    Port Cabo Rojo named finalist for 2026 Seatrade Cruise Award

    In a striking milestone for the Dominican Republic’s emerging cruise tourism sector, Port Cabo Rojo in Pedernales has secured a spot as one of three finalists for the 2026 Seatrade Cruise Awards’ prestigious Port of the Year honor. This nomination places the young Caribbean terminal in the same league as two of the most well-regarded international cruise ports, marking a major breakthrough for the nation’s fast-growing travel and shipping industry. The final winner of the award will be revealed on September 16 during the Seatrade Cruise Med trade event, hosted this year at the Port of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, Spain. Port Cabo Rojo is competing for the top prize against two established contenders: Portsmouth International Port of the United Kingdom and Skjolden Port of Norway. What makes this nomination particularly remarkable is how recently the terminal launched its cruise operations. Port Cabo Rojo only began welcoming commercial cruise vessels in January 2024, making its rise to international recognition an exceptional achievement for a new entrant in the competitive global cruise market. The finalists across all award categories were selected by an independent panel of 15 seasoned cruise industry professionals, who evaluated more than 20 submissions across multiple categories to narrow down the shortlists. Since opening its doors to cruise traffic just over a year ago, Port Cabo Rojo has scaled its operations at an unprecedented pace. By January 2025, the terminal had already welcomed 19,628 cruise passengers and 7,747 crew members from visiting lines. Just three months later, the port made headlines by docking the Oasis of the Seas—one of the largest cruise vessels operating in the world today—carrying 6,502 passengers and 2,126 crew. By the time of that historic visit, Port Cabo Rojo had already accommodated 14 separate cruise calls, hosted more than 41,600 total passengers, and established regular operations with six major international cruise lines. The terminal hit another major milestone in November 2025, when it welcomed two large cruise vessels simultaneously for the first time: the Brilliance of the Seas, with 2,518 passengers on board, and the AIDA Sol, carrying 2,161 passengers. Industry analysts note that this finalist nomination does more than honor Port Cabo Rojo’s own rapid development. It also spotlights the Dominican Republic’s strategic push to position the Pedernales region and the country’s entire southwest coast as a high-potential, up-and-coming destination within the multi-billion-dollar Caribbean cruise sector, a key driver of economic growth and job creation across the region.

  • ABHTA Launches Enhanced Customer Service and Cultural Awareness Training to Prepare Antigua and Barbuda for CHOGM

    ABHTA Launches Enhanced Customer Service and Cultural Awareness Training to Prepare Antigua and Barbuda for CHOGM

    As the Caribbean twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda gears up to host thousands of high-profile attendees — including heads of government, official delegates, international journalists, business leaders and leisure visitors from all 56 Commonwealth nations — the country’s leading hospitality industry body is rolling out a targeted training initiative to ensure every guest encounter exceeds global standards. The Antigua & Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association (ABHTA) has upgraded its signature E.A.S.E. (Exceeding All Service Expectations) Customer Service Excellence Programme specifically for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), under the official theme “E.A.S.E. into CHOGM: Preparing Antigua and Barbuda to Welcome the Commonwealth.”

    Unlike generic hospitality training, this enhanced iteration integrates core customer service best practices with specialized Commonwealth Cultural Awareness and Intelligence training, equipping frontline workers with actionable tools to serve attendees from vastly diverse cultural backgrounds with confidence. The program is designed to upskill every professional who shapes a visitor’s experience in the country, from hotel staff and restaurant servers to taxi drivers, marina operators, airport workers, event volunteers and tour guides — any role that involves direct interaction with CHOGM attendees.

    Core learning outcomes for participants include mastering the delivery of memorable, high-quality guest experiences, recognizing and adapting to the unique cultural expectations of visitors from across the Commonwealth’s diverse regions, communicating effectively across cultural divides, demonstrating consistent cultural respect and sensitivity, professionally resolving conflicts and recovering from service missteps, building long-term destination loyalty through standout service, leveraging emotional intelligence to strengthen guest interactions, and positioning Antigua and Barbuda as a premium, welcoming global tourism destination.

    A defining highlight of the customized CHOGM-focused program is its dedicated focus on cultural intelligence, a critical component for hosting a diverse international gathering. Trainees will gain practical insight into regional cultural customs and traditions, varied cross-cultural communication norms, religious and cultural accommodation requirements, region-specific guest expectations, unwritten hospitality do’s and don’ts, and real-world service scenarios tailored to the CHOGM event. The curriculum emphasizes that exceptional hospitality cannot follow a one-size-fits-all model; intentional understanding and respect for cultural differences directly shapes how attendees perceive Antigua and Barbuda, and shapes long-term impressions of the destination after the conference concludes.

    The 6-hour training program is structured as a two-day online course delivered via Zoom, split into three-hour morning blocks (9 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and three-hour afternoon blocks (2 p.m. to 5 p.m.). The first cohorts of trainees will begin their sessions across September 7, 8, 9 and 11, 2026, with additional training dates added to the schedule based on industry demand. All registrants will be assigned to specific sessions once their registration is finalized. The program fee is set at EC$100 per participant, covering access to both days of training. Any participant who successfully completes all course requirements will receive an official E.A.S.E. Pin, a visible public marker of their commitment to delivering top-tier service that exceeds all guest expectations. Registration for the program closes on Friday, August 28, 2026, and interested participants can register directly through ABHTA by phone at 462-0374 or 462-4928 to coordinate their enrollment.

    Through the E.A.S.E. into CHOGM initiative, ABHTA is calling on all tourism businesses, industry organizations and other customer-facing sectors across the country to invest in upskilling their teams, to ensure Antigua and Barbuda delivers an unforgettable, seamless welcome to the entire Commonwealth. The association encourages all eligible frontline workers to register promptly to secure their spot and get fully prepared for the historic event.

    As the leading collective body for Antigua and Barbuda’s $1+ billion tourism sector — the country’s primary economic driver — ABHTA works to advance the industry through education, advocacy and destination promotion, with the core goal of increasing visitor arrivals and expanding the shared economic benefits of tourism across the nation. The association prioritizes the needs and interests of its membership, which is open to all hotels, restaurants, airlines and any other company directly or indirectly involved in the country’s tourism sector. Membership is framed as a tangible way to support Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism product and contribute to the long-term growth and development of the industry.

  • Essay II: De schaal van de vondst en wat ‘veel meer’ concreet betekent

    Essay II: De schaal van de vondst en wat ‘veel meer’ concreet betekent

    When discussing Suriname’s emerging oil and gas industry, two critical terms often shape public and policy conversations — and getting their definitions wrong can lead to major misinterpretations of the country’s resource potential. Petroleum and energy advisor Marcel Chin-A-Lien breaks down these key concepts and outlines the scale of Suriname’s offshore hydrocarbon reserves in this second op-ed, making the case for planned onshore refining and gas pipeline projects.

    First, Chin-A-Lien distinguishes between proven (P1) and prospective (P50/P90, yet-to-find) reserves. Proven reserves are deposits that have already been confirmed by drilling, with geologists measuring their properties and confirming they can be extracted profitably using existing technology at current market prices. These reserves qualify as tangible assets on a company’s or nation’s balance sheet. Prospective reserves, by contrast, are strong geologically-based estimates supported by seismic data and geological knowledge, but have not yet been verified by drilling. They are a guide for planning exploration activities, not a confirmed asset to base borrowing on. The expert stresses both categories matter, but they must be communicated transparently and honestly to avoid misleading the public.

    Turning to confirmed reserves currently documented in Suriname, the numbers paint a transformative picture. For Block 58 oil discoveries including Maka Central, Sapakara, Krabdagu, Kwaskwasi and Keskesi, published data from operators and independent evaluators places total recoverable reserves between 2 billion and 4 billion barrels of oil equivalent. The standalone GranMorgu project alone targets production of roughly 220,000 barrels per day starting in 2028 — a production scale never before seen in Suriname’s history. For natural gas in Block 52, discoveries at Sloanea-1, Sloanea-2, SAC-1 and adjacent wells have confirmed 2.0 to 2.5 trillion cubic feet of reserves in the P50 scenario. At realistic production rates, this volume is enough to support a 33 to 35-year domestic gas program. Additional blocks, including Block 53, Block 65 and multiple deepwater blocks, have seen partial drilling with encouraging early results, placing these resources in the prospective reserve category for now.

    Independent geological research focused on the shared Guyana-Suriname Basin makes clear that current proven reserves are unlikely to be the end of Suriname’s resource story. The estimate that billions more barrels of oil equivalent and tens of trillions of cubic feet of gas remain untapped beneath Suriname’s offshore waters is not speculative: the same prediction methods correctly forecast the scale of Guyana’s major discoveries between 2015 and 2024. To put this in context, neighboring Guyana has already confirmed more than 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent in less than a decade. Suriname sits in the same geological province, with the same source rock and seabed geological structure, giving geologists good reason to expect significant additional discoveries over the next 10 years, rather than poorer resource outcomes than its neighbor.

    To put these large, abstract reserve numbers in human and economic terms, Chin-A-Lien offers relatable comparisons. Two billion barrels of oil equals roughly 150 years of Suriname’s current domestic oil consumption; even with significant growth in domestic energy use, that volume still equals decades of domestic fuel security. Two trillion cubic feet of gas is enough to provide electricity to every household in Suriname for multiple generations, or to power a substantial domestic industrial base including fertilizer production, chemical manufacturing and aluminum processing for decades. In short, Suriname holds enough offshore energy resources to drive a full domestic energy and industrial transformation, while still retaining enough volume for exports — a model successfully deployed for decades by Trinidad and Tobago, and built carefully by Norway since the 1970s.

    This large reserve base is the core reason why two major planned projects — a new domestic refinery (NR) and a gas-to-shore (GtS) pipeline project — are economically justified, the expert argues. If reserves were only large enough to support 10 years of production, the high fixed costs of building a refinery and onshore pipeline infrastructure would never be recouped, making the projects unviable. That is not Suriname’s situation. Even conservative estimates confirm decades of producible oil and gas reserves, with additional prospective reserves that only expand the total resource base. At this scale, domestic processing of hydrocarbons, rather than exporting all raw crude and gas, makes solid financial sense, not just ideological sense.

    The math supports this conclusion: A modular 30,000-barrel-per-day refinery can operate at full capacity for 20 to 30 years on a base of hundreds of millions of barrels of combined sovereign reserve access and import options — a scale Suriname already has. A 100-kilometer gas pipeline with onshore processing facilities can support decades of offtake from the 2 to 2.5 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, which is also a scale Suriname already possesses. The country currently holds exactly the resource base a small nation needs to justify onshore hydrocarbon conversion, a point that has been largely missing from public debate to date, according to Chin-A-Lien.

    Chin-A-Lien outlines the tangible economic benefits the two projects can deliver for Suriname, using indicative estimates that will be refined during pre-feasibility and feasibility studies. The new refinery is projected to save Suriname hundreds of millions of dollars annually in fuel import costs, while also generating tax revenue and dividends for the state. In the baseline scenario, this would improve Suriname’s balance of payments by $400 million to $700 million per year, compared to the current status quo where all fuel is imported. The gas-to-shore project would replace expensive diesel and fuel oil power generation with low-cost gas power in its early years, saving the national electricity company EBS tens to hundreds of millions of dollars annually, while also generating government revenue from royalties and taxes.

    While exact figures will be refined as planning progresses, the overall scale of benefit is clear: upfront investment in the two projects over four to five years will be repaid in later decades through lower energy costs, new local jobs, increased government revenue and greater macroeconomic stability. Most importantly, this economic value stays within Suriname rather than flowing entirely abroad.

    In closing, Chin-A-Lien emphasizes that the goal of this essay is not to mandate that the refinery and gas-to-shore projects must move forward. Instead, it is to demonstrate that Suriname’s proven reserve base is large enough to support building a structural, long-term domestic energy industry with smart planning. Claims that Suriname is too small or lacks sufficient scale to pursue these projects refer to the Suriname of 30 years ago. Today’s Suriname sits atop one of the world’s major hydrocarbon provinces. The geology has already delivered the resource potential; the final outcome depends entirely on the policy choices Suriname makes going forward.

  • Chamber of Commerce cautious on calls for carnival holiday

    Chamber of Commerce cautious on calls for carnival holiday

    A renewed public debate over elevating Carnival’s status in Saint Lucia has reignited calls to designate Carnival Monday and Tuesday as official public holidays, but the island nation’s leading business advocacy group is pushing for a measured approach, warning that additional statutory time off would create unmanageable operational strains and disrupt the delicate balance of the country’s economy. Brain Louisy, Executive Director of the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, emphasized that the current regulatory framework for public holidays already strikes a functional balance that most local businesses have adjusted to over time, making a major shift unnecessary.

    The push for new public holidays stems from growing advocacy to recognize Carnival as a cornerstone of Saint Lucia’s national cultural identity. While Louisy confirms that the vast majority of local business owners actively support and participate in the annual cultural celebration, he argues that practical economic constraints cannot be sidelined in the debate. Adding two new public holidays, he explains, would place disproportionate pressure on sectors that cannot suspend operations even during major national events.

    The tourism industry, one of Saint Lucia’s core economic drivers, serves as a key example: hotels, resorts, restaurants, and excursion providers must remain open to serve both international and domestic visitors, even on public holidays. Requiring these businesses to operate while paying mandatory holiday overtime rates would impose unplanned, significant extra costs that many small and medium-sized enterprises cannot absorb. Beyond tourism, Louisy notes that the broader population relies on continuous access to essential goods and services throughout the festive period, meaning the national economy cannot grind to a halt for two additional days of public holiday.

    Louisy added that many local businesses already face operational disruptions from Carnival events even without official public holiday status, particularly when street parade route changes block access to storefronts and leave some enterprises unable to conduct transactions for full days. In these cases, businesses already must make costly adjustments to offset lost revenue. For Louisy, adapting existing operations rather than adding new public holidays is a far more sustainable solution that avoids imposing unnecessary financial burdens on the private sector.

    “The current status works,” Louisy stated, though he acknowledged that targeted improvements to holiday management can be made at both the national government and individual business levels. Turning to the broader landscape of public holidays in Saint Lucia, Louisy pointed out that the country already recognizes a robust number of statutory holidays spanning religious, cultural, and national observances, which local society has adapted to accommodate.

    Rather than framing the debate as a question of cutting or adding public holidays, Louisy argued that policymakers and stakeholders should redirect their focus toward improving how existing holidays are managed and coordinated. “We certainly do not believe that there is a really strong case for increasing the number of holidays as it stands,” he said. “We do not have a perspective that reducing or increasing holidays is the answer. We need to adjust to make it more effective for the society as a whole.”

    For the specific challenges posed by Carnival, Louisy said businesses and individual stakeholders bear shared responsibility for adapting to event-related disruptions. Practical adjustments, such as modifying opening hours, adjusting supply chain logistics, or reconfiguring customer access to storefronts, can mitigate disruptions without requiring the systemic change of adding new public holidays. While flexible adaptations will look different for every sector and individual business, Louisy emphasized that flexibility, rather than new regulation, is the key to balancing cultural celebration and economic continuity.