Carib Scope

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  • Mónika Infante to lead Manzanillo Gas & Power: a new chapter for Dominican energy infrastructure

    Mónika Infante to lead Manzanillo Gas & Power: a new chapter for Dominican energy infrastructure

    In a move that signals more than just routine leadership change, the appointment of Mónika Infante Henríquez as General Manager of Manzanillo Gas & Power has launched a new strategic chapter for the Dominican Republic’s evolving energy sector. This hire is far from a standard administrative reshuffle: it brings a decorated, high-stakes executive to a critical project at the exact moment it shifts from years of preliminary planning to the high-pressure work of scaling large-scale energy operations.

    Infante’s arrival aligns perfectly with a defining turning point in the Dominican Republic’s efforts to diversify its national energy matrix. The sprawling Manzanillo energy complex, which integrates a new natural gas import terminal and a state-of-the-art combined-cycle power plant, was developed to deliver long-term reliability and stability to the country’s national power grid. For a major infrastructure project of this scope, Infante’s unique combination of legal expertise and decades of experience delivering public-private partnership projects positions her uniquely to navigate the tangled regulatory and technical challenges that are common across the global energy industry.

    A Career Built on Delivering Large-Scale Infrastructure Success
    Before stepping into this new energy leadership role, Infante spent years leading Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI, better known as AERODOM, a subsidiary of VINCI Airports. Her tenure at the helm of the Dominican airport operator was marked by a string of transformative achievements: she successfully negotiated extended infrastructure concessions, structured complex, bankable financial frameworks to fund nationwide airport modernization, and delivered upgraded public assets that drove tourism and economic growth across the country. This proven track record of managing critical public infrastructure through a model that combines public accountability with private sector efficiency is exactly what the Manzanillo Gas & Power consortium aims to replicate with the energy project.

    Beyond the immediate impact on the Manzanillo complex, Infante’s appointment highlights a growing, encouraging trend across the Latin American and Caribbean region: the increasing advancement of women into top leadership roles in heavy industrial sectors that have long been male-dominated. By tapping a professional with Infante’s established reputation for results, Manzanillo Gas & Power has gained a leader with a proven ability to build alignment and consensus across a diverse range of stakeholders, from government regulators to private investors and local community groups. Her management approach, which centers on radical transparency and continuous process optimization, is widely expected to establish a new benchmark for corporate governance across the Dominican energy sector.

    The strategic value of this appointment stems from Infante’s proven ability to deliver projects on strict technical timelines without sacrificing fiscal responsibility or operational integrity. Her deep mastery of large-scale logistics and complex contract management gives the Manzanillo consortium an immediate competitive advantage as it moves into operations. The end goal of the project is clear: to turn the Manzanillo complex into a regional benchmark for responsible energy infrastructure development that will drive inclusive economic growth across the entire northwestern region of the Dominican Republic.

    Ultimately, placing a seasoned, results-driven executive at the head of such a critical national energy hub reflects the growing institutional maturity of the Dominican Republic’s energy sector. As Manzanillo Gas & Power enters its full operational phase, market analysts and industry stakeholders broadly view Infante’s leadership as a strong guarantee of long-term project stability. Her career track record makes clear that the Manzanillo complex will benefit from the same analytical precision, uncompromising professional rigor and commitment to delivery that have defined Infante’s decades-long career in infrastructure leadership.

  • Olmberg: Zonder bundeling mist private sector kansen in olie-economie

    Olmberg: Zonder bundeling mist private sector kansen in olie-economie

    As Suriname stands on the cusp of an unprecedented economic boom driven by new upstream oil and gas projects, the head of the country’s leading energy industry body is issuing a urgent call for domestic private sector players to unite and organize, warning that fragmentation could leave the vast majority of potential economic benefits off the table for local businesses.

    Orlando Olmberg, president of the Suriname Energy Chamber (SEC), laid out his stark warning in a recent address, arguing that coordinated collective action from private domestic enterprises is the only way to ensure the country maximizes gains from the rapidly emerging sector. While international oil companies operating in the country have confirmed that the capabilities and quality of local Surinamese entrepreneurs meet global industry standards, Olmberg says the critical gap lies in the sector’s ability to organize at scale to match the size and pace of coming development.

    Major projects including the Blok 58 development, followed by the future Blok 52 project, are set to unlock billions in new economic activity for the small South American nation. For Olmberg, the core question facing the country is not whether transformative economic opportunity exists, but whether local stakeholders are positioned to capture that opportunity for businesses of all sizes, from small local suppliers to large domestic enterprises.

    A key point of emphasis from Olmberg is reframing the widespread conversation around local content requirements. Too often, local content rules are treated as merely a regulatory compliance obligation for international operators, he argues, when the concept’s real impact depends on local organizational capacity, cross-sector collaboration, and proactive preparation. Without this foundational strength, he says, local content policies will remain nothing more than empty ambitions written into policy documents.

    While the Surinamese government carries an important role in enabling the sector’s growth through establishing clear legislation, structuring development contracts, and managing public revenue from resource extraction, Olmberg stressed that policy alone cannot guarantee inclusive economic growth. Without a robust, well-organized domestic private sector prepared to participate in large-scale project supply chains and operations, the bulk of new value created by the oil and gas boom will flow to foreign firms rather than circulating through the Surinamese economy, he warned.

    Fragmentation among domestic private enterprises stands as the single largest bottleneck to capturing this value, according to Olmberg. When businesses operate independently in siloed individual strategies, they lack the collective market and negotiating power to shape the sector’s development to prioritize local participation. That means the responsibility to drive change rests squarely on the private sector itself, he argued.

    Olmberg closed with a urgent call to action for Surinamese entrepreneurs: the time for waiting on others or pursuing disconnected individual strategies is over. Local businesses must organize now, align around a shared long-term strategic vision, and take collective ownership of the sustainable development of Suriname’s new oil and gas industry – and this action cannot wait, he emphasized.

  • Kintyre shareholders say NYSE plans unaffected by VM legal dispute

    Kintyre shareholders say NYSE plans unaffected by VM legal dispute

    KINGSTON, JAMAICA – Amid ongoing legal proceedings tied to collateral shares involving VM Investments Limited, the controlling shareholder group of Kintyre Holdings (JA) Limited has publicly clarified that its proposed international corporate restructuring and pursuit of a New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) listing remain fully on track.

    In an official statement released on April 2, the group emphasized that it is not a named party to any litigation against VM Investments, even though the current dispute centers on share pledges held by entities connected to the controlling shareholder bloc. The proposed restructuring, the group explained, is limited exclusively to rearranging ownership stakes within the controlling group, and does not alter the operational or corporate structure of Kintyre Holdings (JA) Limited itself.

    To date, the shareholder group has not provided clear guidance on how existing debt obligations tied to the pledged shares will be addressed as part of the proposed reorganization. The statement explicitly carved out VM Investments’ holdings from the restructuring plan, noting that any shares held by VM are bound by separate existing contractual arrangements, outstanding security charges, and the ongoing court dispute – none of which are included in the new international holding structure or the reorganization effort.

    The clarification comes as Kintyre Holdings grapples with a massive $504.58 million outstanding debt, secured by share pledges that were valued far higher when the loan was originated. Currently, Kintyre’s stock trades at roughly $0.35 per share, a steep drop from the valuation that backed the collateral. This sharp decline has created a major gap between the current market value of the pledged shares and the outstanding loan balance, leaving market observers uncertain how much of the total debt will ultimately be recoverable by creditors.

    The shareholder group said the clarification was necessary after recent public comments connected to the legal dispute created widespread confusion about the group’s intentions and role in the process. It added that legal counsel has already been engaged to review recent statements and evaluate potential legal action against parties spreading misleading information.

    Despite the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the share dispute, the controlling bloc reaffirmed its long-term commitment to building a global investment holding firm with a operational footprint across the Caribbean and Latin America. To back up its confidence in the business, the group pointed to strong recent operating results: the company now holds total assets in excess of $15 million, and posted record-breaking profitability in 2025, marking a solid upward growth trajectory. The group also made clear it will aggressively push back against any attempts to disrupt or mischaracterize its restructuring and listing plans.

  • ‘Road to destruction’

    ‘Road to destruction’

    Against the backdrop of a heated debate over extended tariff waivers for imported eggs, the head of Jamaica’s leading egg farming advocacy group has issued a stark warning about the long-term economic dangers of excessive dependence on foreign agricultural imports, calling for intentional, values-aligned collaboration to strengthen local food production.

    Mark Campbell, president of the Jamaica Egg Farmers’ Association (JEFA), delivered his remarks at the 2025/2026 University of Technology (UTech) Western Campus Seminar hosted at Montego Bay’s Sea Gardens Beach Resort. The event, centered on the theme “Bridging Minds, Building Futures: Igniting Innovation through Collaboration”, featured Campbell’s analysis of how collective action can advance Jamaica’s agricultural sector, titled “Feeding the Nation Together: The Role of Collaboration in Advancing Jamaica’s Agricultural Sector”.

    In unflinching remarks, Campbell argued that the allure of cheap imported food masks devastating long-term consequences for developing economies like Jamaica. “I fundamentally and without apology submit that the road of importation is broad, beautiful and enticing but it is the road that leads to destruction for a nation,” he told attendees. He explained that excessive importation funnels wealth to foreign producers, trapping local farmers in low-income subsistence operations that perpetuate poverty. This dynamic, he added, is a core driver of the persistent economic gap between wealthy developed nations and lower-income developing countries.

    While Campbell acknowledged that collaboration is theoretically critical to agricultural progress, he pushed back against the hollow, profit-first collaboration that dominates Jamaica’s current market. He called out local intermediaries who prioritize cheap imports over supporting domestic producers, noting that many middlemen operate with a single-minded focus on profit, disregarding national food security and the livelihoods of local farming communities. “With whom shall producers collaborate? Shall we collaborate with those whose sole interest is hinged unto that ‘profit motive’ which says, ‘As long as I can make a profit by importing, I do not care about the local producer or concepts such as food security?’ And that, I tell you, is the mentality of many of the margin gatherers in Jamaica,” he said.

    Campbell went on to outline a clear roadmap for purpose-driven collaboration that centers national food security. He recommended that local farmers build trust-based partnerships with domestic financial institutions to expand access to capital; work closely with academic research centers and regional farmer collectives to share data and boost output; integrate digital and agricultural technology to cut operational costs, improve communication, and boost efficiency; engage with public and private sector stakeholders to unlock new market opportunities; upgrade core infrastructure for quality control, logistics, packaging and cold storage; partner with educational institutions to train farmers in high-value skills like negotiation and business management; and align with climate science organizations to advance climate-resilient, sustainable farming practices.

    Campbell’s broader critique of over-reliance on imports grows out of recent tensions in Jamaica’s domestic egg market. JEFA has publicly opposed the Jamaican government’s plan to extend a duty waiver for imported eggs through the end of May 2026, arguing the policy would undercut local producers still working to rebuild after back-to-back major hurricanes. The tariff exemption was originally set to expire on February 28, 2026, but the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining has moved to extend it, citing ongoing supply disruptions following consecutive major storms.

    When Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, made landfall on October 28, 2025, Jamaica’s egg industry was still recovering from Hurricane Beryl, which hit in 2024. The ministry noted that after Beryl, JEFA projected production would return to pre-storm levels within six months, but that recovery never materialized, leaving persistent supply gaps. Though Campbell did not address the waiver proposal directly during his seminar address to final-year UTech business students, he clarified his position to Jamaica Observer in a post-presentation interview, confirming that local egg production has rebounded substantially in the months after Melissa hit.

  • Eleuthera project to be ‘game changer’

    Eleuthera project to be ‘game changer’

    A US-based hospitality and real estate developer has unveiled full details of a transformative $650 million integrated resort and residential development set to reshape central Eleuthera, Bahamas, marking what could become the largest tourist-focused investment in the region’s history. Jeff Jacobs, chairman and CEO of Jacobs Investments — a firm with decades of large-scale resort, gaming and real estate experience across the United States — first shared the broad outlines of his J Resort Eleuthera proposal with local media earlier this year, but new details of the project’s scope, evolving design and long-term vision have only just been made public.

    The planned development spans 600 acres of prime coastal land stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea, positioned directly adjacent to the existing French Leave hotel near Governor’s Harbour. Under the original vision shared in a December 2025 strategic presentation, the project would combine a phased hospitality investment of more than $200 million with over $450 million in projected third-party residential real estate sales across five resort-linked neighborhoods, totaling more than 350 high-end vacation homes. To date, Jacobs has already poured $40 million into land assembly to secure the parcels required for the development, with additional acquisitions planned to reach the full 600-acre footprint.

    The original proposal included a diverse range of amenities: a boutique oceanfront hotel, a mega yacht marina capable of accommodating the largest private vessels cruising Florida and Bahamian waters, multiple waterfront dining venues, a public outdoor sculpture garden showcasing regional artists, an 18-hole “sea-to-sea” golf course, a boutique casino, and a connected network of community pathways linking Governor’s Harbour to the iconic French Leave Beach. The developer also committed to permanent public beach access for Bahamian residents and pathway expansions along major local thoroughfares as core components of the project.

    However, Jacobs confirmed that the development plan has evolved significantly since the 2025 presentation. Most notably, plans for the 177-acre 18-hole golf course near Governor’s Harbour airport have been paused indefinitely, citing a combination of economic headwinds, environmental protection concerns, and competitive market dynamics. Instead of pursuing a single large resort development, Jacobs is adopting a “master developer” model that will set aside three to four parcels within the 600-acre footprint for independent developers to build their own boutique resorts, a model that has proven successful across the Bahamas’ Family Islands. This phased approach is designed to deliver a steady pipeline of construction and permanent full-time jobs for local residents over the next 20 to 30 years.

    In a move to address long-standing local infrastructure gaps, Jacobs also revealed he is in early discussions with global US engineering and utility firm Kimley Horn to develop a self-contained, reliable power solution for central Eleuthera, with plans to also explore improvements to local water infrastructure. Responding to community concerns about the scale of the development and the proposed casino, Jacobs emphasized that the gaming space will be a small, boutique “James Bond-style gaming salon” roughly the size of a standard restaurant, far smaller than the large casino complexes at Nassau’s Atlantis and Baha Mar. The amenity is designed to attract high-net-worth visitors to Governor’s Harbour, rather than become a large-scale standalone gaming destination.

    To date, the project has not yet entered the formal government permitting and regulatory approval process, with Jacobs noting there is still substantial preparatory work to complete. Local consultant Janeen Bullard, principal of JSS Consulting, has already been engaged to lead the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and the first public community consultation meetings are scheduled to begin this summer to gather input from local residents. This public outreach comes as local residents and environmental activists have already raised concerns about the project’s potential strain on Eleuthera’s already overburdened power and water infrastructure, risks to the local environment, and the possibility that the development would rely on imported labor rather than local workers.

    Jacobs, whose portfolio includes major long-term developments such as the multi-decade redevelopment of Cleveland’s riverfront and the ongoing $1 billion transformation of downtown Reno, Nevada, pushed back against concerns, framing the project as a decades-long commitment to Governor’s Harbour rather than a short-term speculative investment. He noted that his firm has a 40-year track record of delivering community-focused large-scale developments that generate lasting social and economic benefits, positioning J Resort Eleuthera as a project that will create a transformative, lasting positive impact for both residents and visitors while opening central Eleuthera to a new market of high-net-worth mega yacht tourists that have previously not accessed the region.

  • OPEC+ gaat olieproductie licht verhogen ondanks risico voor trage marktgroei

    OPEC+ gaat olieproductie licht verhogen ondanks risico voor trage marktgroei

    On a fuel market in Erbil, Iraq, vendors and shoppers move past stacked barrels of heating oil and vehicle fuel, a daily reminder of the uncertainty gripping global energy markets. Against this backdrop, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its partner producers, collectively known as OPEC+, announced a 206,000 barrel per day increase to crude oil production quotas for May, a move widely characterized as largely symbolic given the current geopolitical disruption.

    Since late February, the Strait of Hormuz — the world’s most critical chokepoint for global oil trade, responsible for moving roughly 15% of the world’s total daily crude supply — has been effectively closed to most commercial shipping amid escalating conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. This prolonged closure has already choked off oil exports from major OPEC+ producers including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iraq. Current estimates indicate the blockade has removed between 12 and 15 million barrels of daily crude from global markets, a devastating supply cut that has sent prices skyrocketing.

    In a joint statement released Sunday, signed by eight core OPEC+ members including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman, the coalition reaffirmed its commitment to closely monitoring market conditions and maintaining long-term stability in global energy markets. The participating nations also issued a joint statement expressing deep concern over recent targeted attacks on regional energy infrastructure. Industry analysts note that repairing damaged energy facilities requires extensive time and massive capital investment, which further tightens already constrained global crude supplies.

    While the 206,000 barrel per day production increase for May amounts to less than 2% of the total supply lost to the Hormuz blockade, industry observers say the move sends a clear signal that OPEC+ stands ready to ramp up output as soon as the strait reopens to safe commercial navigation. This planned May increase matches the quota adjustment that the group agreed to implement in April, a consistency held despite the expanding disruptions to global oil trade.

    Geopolitical tensions have already pushed global crude oil prices to a four-year high, with benchmark crude trading near $120 per barrel as of early April. This sharp price increase has directly translated to higher costs for transport fuel for consumers and businesses worldwide. Leading financial services firm JPMorgan has warned that if the Strait of Hormuz blockade continues through mid-May, global benchmark prices could climb above $150 per barrel — a new all-time record for crude.

    In a small sign of potential de-escalation, Iran has granted limited exemptions to allow a small number of regional nations to use the strategic waterway. Iraq is among the countries granted permission to resume limited transit through the strait, and shipping tracking data confirmed an Iraqi crude oil tanker transited the waterway on Monday morning.

    Diplomatic efforts to resolve the blockade are already underway. On Sunday, Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that deputy-level ministerial talks with Iranian officials are being held to explore pathways to restore unimpeded transit for all commercial vessels through the strait. However, diplomatic progress is being overshadowed by rising geopolitical rhetoric: former U.S. President Donald Trump issued a new threat over the weekend, warning that the U.S. will escalate military strikes against Iran, including targeting civilian infrastructure such as bridges and energy power plants, if the strait is not reopened to full traffic by Monday.

  • Arajet adds 14th aircraft named “Salto de Jimenoa”

    Arajet adds 14th aircraft named “Salto de Jimenoa”

    Leading low-cost Dominican airline Arajet has marked a key milestone in its rapid expansion trajectory with the introduction of its 14th aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 branded “Salto de Jimenoa”. The new jet touched down at Santo Domingo’s Las Américas International Airport this week, boosting the carrier’s growing fleet capacity and expanding its ability to connect the Dominican Republic to global markets.

    What sets this new delivery apart is more than just its addition to operational capacity: the aircraft’s name was chosen to honor one of the Dominican Republic’s most beloved natural treasures, Jimenoa Waterfall, a top ecotourism destination nestled in the mountain highlands of Jarabacoa. This naming convention is part of a deliberate, long-term strategy from Arajet: the airline has committed to naming each plane after a significant natural site across the country, turning every aircraft in its fleet into a flying ambassador for the Dominican Republic’s rich biodiversity and protected natural areas.

    In comments on the delivery, Arajet CEO Victor Pacheco highlighted the dual purpose of the fleet expansion. Beyond increasing the airline’s route network and flight frequency to meet rising travel demand, Pacheco emphasized that the move aligns with the company’s core commitment to advancing sustainable tourism and inclusive economic growth across the Dominican Republic. Every flight operated by the named aircraft helps introduce international travelers to the country’s natural heritage, encouraging more responsible travel practices and supporting the growth of ecotourism economies in regional communities. Industry analysts note that the expansion positions Arajet to capture a growing share of the Caribbean travel market, while its focus on natural heritage promotion sets a new example for how airlines can tie corporate growth to destination sustainability.

  • When ingenuity is the main fuel

    When ingenuity is the main fuel

    Sixty years have passed since the Antonio Maceo Grajales Thermoelectric Power Plant (CTE), commonly known locally as “Renté”, first synchronized its generating unit to Cuba’s national power grid, and the facility still stands as an irreplaceable energy backbone for the entire eastern region of the island nation.

    Located in Santiago de Cuba, the plant has adapted its operations to run on domestically produced crude oil since the 1990s, a transition rooted in a directive from Cuba’s historic Commander-in-Chief that launched a modernization project for the facility’s 100-megawatt units. That project combined French technical support with homegrown Cuban engineering expertise, laying the foundation for the plant’s decades of continued operation, recalled Mayra McCalle Irsula, an industrial maintenance engineer who has spent more than 35 years working at Renté.

    Today, the plant faces unprecedented challenges: decades-long U.S. sanctions have frozen most imports, left warehouses with critically low spare parts inventories, and created persistent fuel shortages that limit the facility’s maximum output. But for the plant’s more than 1,000-person workforce, external pressures are nothing new, and they have responded with a commitment to local innovation rather than waiting for outside solutions, according to CTE General Director Jesús Aguilar Hernández.

    “Power generation cannot stop” is the guiding principle for the team, which has restructured its operations to guarantee uninterrupted output. Cross-functional teams combine operators, maintenance technicians, support staff and security personnel to streamline response, while maintenance crews stay on call 24/7 to address any emergency. Remote work is implemented for non-essential administrative roles where possible to keep core generation services running without interruption.

    While the plant’s total installed capacity stands at 500 megawatts, current constraints mean it can deliver a steady 285 megawatts to the National Electric System (SEN) via three fully operational units (3, 5, and 6) running at maximum capacity. Recent targeted overhauls in early 2026 brought units 5 and 6 back online after extensive repairs to circulation pumps, turbines and boilers, and the local workforce has turned to local manufacturing to replace critical imported components that are no longer available.

    In the plant’s machining workshop, that innovation becomes tangible. Eduardo Morales García, a veteran technician set to receive a 40-year service medal, explained that his team now manufactures parts that once were imported exclusively from Russia, including key shafts for Unit 5’s seawater pumps. Working with limited raw materials, the team has even redesigned critical systems to improve performance: Morales modified the boiler water supply system across multiple units, cutting unplanned downtime from failures and improving control of core operational parameters, while also developing a custom demineralized water system for the plant’s 100 MW units. For Morales and his co-workers, Renté is more than a job — it is a lifelong commitment, with the entire team ready to respond at any time of day or night, even when resources are scarce.

    Complex maintenance work on the plant’s massive generation units demands extreme precision, and transportation disruptions tied to fuel shortages have created additional staffing constraints that slow progress. Ángel Fabars Borlot, electromechanical supervisor for the Power Plant Maintenance Company, explained that even the smallest components on the 60-year-old machinery weigh tons, with clearances measured in millimeters, making every step of repair work high-stakes. Despite understaffing, the small team of highly skilled, dedicated technicians on site delivers exceptional work to keep the units running.

    Maximiliano Guisande Agüero, head of dynamic equipment at Renté who boasts 56 years of experience at the plant, led the final work to bring Unit 5 back online earlier this year. He emphasized that every day of delayed repair costs the national grid critical generation capacity, so the team dedicates every possible hour to returning units to service as quickly as possible, well aware of the country’s ongoing energy challenges.

    To secure the plant’s future for decades to come, the leadership has prioritized cultivating the next generation of skilled workers. The facility has formal partnerships with the Pre-University Vocational Institute of Exact Sciences, local polytechnic schools, and the University of Oriente, offering hands-on work placements and professional training to students to recruit and retain new talent.

    For Aguilar Hernández, reaching the 60-year milestone is both an honor and a responsibility. “It represents a challenge left to us by previous generations that we must pass on to future ones,” he said. “It requires constant work and deep commitment. More than the equipment itself, what keeps this plant running is the skill and dedication of its workforce.”

  • Dominican Republic sees 14.8% increase in tourist arrivals during Holy Week

    Dominican Republic sees 14.8% increase in tourist arrivals during Holy Week

    Santo Domingo — The Dominican Republic’s tourism sector has delivered a robust performance this year, with official data showing a double-digit rise in visitor arrivals during the key Holy Week holiday period. Tourism Minister David Collado announced that the country welcomed a total of 223,328 tourists over the observance, representing a 14.8% jump compared to visitor numbers from the same week in 2023.

    Breaking down the latest figures, Collado highlighted accelerating growth through the final stretch of the holiday: arrivals rose 18.7% across the last four days of the break, a trend that confirms the steady, ongoing expansion the country’s travel industry has seen in recent months.

    Sharing the milestone results on the social platform X, the minister framed the strong visitor numbers as a collective win for the entire Dominican tourism ecosystem. He emphasized that the outcome reinforces three core strengths of the country’s travel brand: its global reputation as a safe destination, its enduring appeal to international travelers, and its unmatched ability to create new jobs and drive broad economic activity across local communities.

    For the Dominican Republic, tourism has long stood as one of the foundational pillars of the national economy, and Holy Week ranks consistently among the busiest and most commercially important peak travel periods of the year. Every uptick in visitor arrivals translates directly to tangible gains across multiple linked industries, from rising hotel occupancy rates to increased spending at local retail outlets, restaurants, and hospitality services. This growth, in turn, supports continued investment and expansion across the full spectrum of the country’s tourism sector.

  • Region faces structural challenge to dev’t — ECCB governor

    Region faces structural challenge to dev’t — ECCB governor

    At a high-profile launch event this Thursday, Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) Governor Timothy Antoine has laid out a bold, decade-long strategic plan aimed at doubling the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU)’s total GDP and lifting collective citizen prosperity, centered on an initiative branded “The Big Push: Collective Action for Shared Prosperity in the ECCU”.

    Three years in the making, the plan began as a provocative question Antoine posed to regional stakeholders: what would it take to double the size of the ECCU’s economies over 10 years? Today, that hypothetical vision has transitioned into a concrete, actionable roadmap for transformative change. To deliver meaningful, inclusive growth that residents can actually feel — not just measure on spreadsheets — Antoine argues the region must completely reimagine its long-standing development model, and confront a series of unvarnished, unavoidable structural challenges holding back progress.

    Contrary to framing the region’s stagnation as a temporary, cyclical downturn, Antoine emphasizes that the ECCU’s growth obstacles are deeply structural. He outlined several critical constraints that demand urgent attention: over 80 percent of the food consumed across the bloc is imported, driving exorbitant food import costs and contributing to elevated rates of diet-related disease and mortality. Nearly 90 percent of the region’s energy comes from polluting fossil fuels, pushing up electricity prices for households and businesses and eroding the international competitiveness of local industries. Intra-regional connectivity is another persistent pain point: transport links are so costly and inefficient that it is often cheaper for ECCU residents to travel to major North American hubs like New York or Miami than to neighboring Caribbean nations such as Barbados or Trinidad.

    Additional systemic challenges include stagnant or falling labor productivity across the bloc, paired with ongoing population decline that creates a major headwind for economic expansion. Antoine also highlighted that access to credit for private sector businesses remains far too limited, a gap that stifles entrepreneurship and job creation. “How do you grow and double the size of an economy with a falling population? We have to arrest this issue, folks. We have to wrestle with these issues and we have to solve them,” he stressed.

    Antoine was clear that “The Big Push” is no empty political slogan. Instead, it is a coordinated transformation strategy that relies on cross-regional collaboration and consistent execution, with core priorities of economic diversification, enhanced climate and economic resilience, improved competitiveness, and above all, shared prosperity that puts people first. The plan’s ultimate goals are deeply tied to everyday livelihoods: it aims to create meaningful professional opportunities for young graduates at home, so they do not have to leave their communities to build careers; support local farmers to produce competitively and cut reliance on food imports; and create the conditions for small businesses to expand and generate new local jobs.

    “Taken together, these hard truths are not mere inconveniences. They are structural constraints on our growth, our resilience, and our sovereignty,” Antoine said. He warned that continued inaction on these long-standing issues carries steep costs, noting that “inaction is not neutral; it compounds and accelerates decline” — making delay no viable option for regional leaders and stakeholders.

    The ECCB governor emphasized that the 10-year plan is designed to address these gaps head-on, but stressed that the central bank cannot deliver the initiative alone. “The big push is not a panacea and it is not the responsibility of the ECCB alone,” he explained. “We can choose to either curse darkness or light a candle. This strategic plan lights candles on many of these issues, but we cannot do it alone.”

    Antoine added that while the plan is undeniably ambitious, it is a necessary step forward for the region. The ECCB’s core role is not to generate growth directly, but to create the stable, enabling conditions that make growth possible: maintaining a strong Eastern Caribbean Dollar, safeguarding the regional financial system, and building sustained confidence among investors and residents alike. Collective action across public, private, and civil society stakeholders, he said, will be the key to turning the vision of doubled, shared prosperity into a reality for all people of the ECCU.