分类： business

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The inaugural Caribbean Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Summit commences virtually on Tuesday, featuring Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Governor Richard Byles as the opening keynote speaker. The two-day conference, organized by Signature Creed & Associates, aims to address the evolving role of financial leadership across the region.

Governor Byles is set to deliver critical macroeconomic analysis focusing on monetary stability, contemporary financial leadership, and policy modernization within the Caribbean context. He will be joined by World Bank Group Vice President Dr. Samuel Munzele Maimbo as a fellow keynote presenter, highlighting the event’s significant caliber.

The summit emerges against the backdrop of recent financial disruptions caused by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, which has prompted a regional reassessment of economic resilience and disaster risk mitigation strategies. Denzil Whyte, partner at Signature Creed & Associates, noted that the hurricane symbolizes broader organizational and national challenges, emphasizing the necessity for robust risk assessment and strategic planning.

While specifically targeting CFOs, the conference agenda encompasses a comprehensive spectrum of finance sectors, with expert speakers from insurance, investment banking, microfinance, law, and economics. Kevon McIntosh, co-founder of the event, stated that the modern finance executive’s role has expanded beyond traditional reporting and compliance to include strategic influence, technological integration, and enterprise value preservation.

The event will be hosted by Kalilah Reynolds, with moderation handled by McIntosh, Gavin N Bennett, and Renate McDonald. Participating professionals have the opportunity to earn up to 13 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours. Further details regarding registration and the full agenda are available at the official summit website: https://caribbeancfosummit.com/.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — The Guyanese government has confirmed that negotiations remain ongoing with US-based energy infrastructure firm Curlew Midstream regarding a proposed bulk fuel storage facility, a project that has already missed its initial deadline for completion by the end of 2025.

President Irfaan Ali addressed reporters, stating, “We are in discussion with the legal team. They’re handling those negotiations. I’m not going to comment on where those negotiations are but they have a proposal in and we’re looking at that.” This confirmation comes amid emerging legal challenges and apparent last-minute changes to the previously agreed terms.

Court documents from a separate litigation filed in February 2026 reveal that Curlew Midstream’s board had met with high-level Guyanese officials to finalize remaining commercial points, providing due diligence materials and financial documents with expectations that execution of the Fuel Exchange Agreement was imminent. According to filings, President Ali himself met with company representatives on January 10, 2026, confirming that Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat would execute the agreement within two days.

However, the arrangement encountered significant obstacles when the Guyanese government subsequently presented a “signable agreement” that unexpectedly incorporated terms from a new consultant not previously involved in negotiations. These eleventh-hour modifications introduced substantial changes to key commercial points that were inconsistent with terms previously agreed upon in October 2025, when both parties had reached consensus on crude pricing, refined product pricing, terminal construction in Georgetown and Lethem, and prepayment arrangements.

President Ali, without specifically referencing Curlew Midstream, emphasized the strategic importance of such storage infrastructure amid rising global oil prices fueled by Middle East conflicts. “Just imagine if we had a massive storage facility in Guyana under these challenges—the role Guyana could have played,” he stated, adding that several Middle Eastern nations were evaluating countries for investment opportunities to guarantee long-term energy security.

The proposed $300 million facility would store 750,000 barrels of various fuel products and was expected to refine at least 30,000 barrels of crude daily for domestic consumption. Curlew Midstream had projected that its terminal would enable price-advantaged trading, dramatically reducing wholesale and retail fuel prices while potentially positioning Guyana as an exporter of high-quality fuels to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations.

When questioned about two US court cases concerning alleged intellectual property theft and their potential impact on the approval process, President Ali stated he was unaware of such litigation, noting that involved parties would need to resolve those matters separately.

Jamaica’s aviation sector continues to navigate post-hurricane challenges as both Sangster International Airport (SIA) and Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) reported significant passenger traffic declines in February. According to recent operational data released by concession operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), the combined airports processed approximately 274,500 passengers during the period, representing a substantial 31.4% decrease compared to the 400,100 passengers recorded in February 2025.

The statistical trend reveals a consistent pattern of reduced travel activity, with January 2026 recording 284,200 passengers and December 2025 seeing 262,600 passengers processed through these facilities. While SIA bore the brunt of the decline, NMIA experienced a more moderate 2.1% reduction, handling 119,400 passengers compared to 121,900 during the same period last year.

The operational challenges extended beyond Jamaican borders, with GAP reporting reduced air traffic at 12 of its 14 managed airports across Mexico and Jamaica. Particularly affected were Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta International Airports, which faced substantial flight cancellations due to security concerns in Mexico’s Jalisco state. This regional disruption compounded the ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Melissa, creating a complex operational environment for aviation authorities and travelers alike.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — AS Bryden Sons & Holdings Limited (ASBH) has announced the appointment of John De Silva as its new Group Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1. This strategic leadership change comes during a period of significant corporate restructuring for the Trinidad-based conglomerate.

De Silva brings over three decades of executive experience to the role, most recently serving as Managing Director of Lasco Distributors Limited until his resignation on March 13. His extensive background includes a three-year tenure as Managing Director of Unilever Caribbean Limited and previous executive positions with global food giant Nestlé.

The Trinidadian executive succeeds Richard Pandohie, who has led ASBH since June 2022 when Jamaican manufacturing and distribution company Seprod acquired a 60 percent stake in the Trinidadian firm. Pandohie continues as CEO of Seprod, which recently increased its ownership in ASBH from 50 percent to 80 percent through a share swap transaction completed in July 2025.

This leadership appointment coincides with both publicly listed companies implementing strategic measures to strengthen their financial positions. ASBH has utilized debt financing to acquire a majority interest in Caribbean Producers (Jamaica) Limited between July 2024 and February 2025, while Seprod has divested International Biscuits Limited to sharpen its operational focus and optimize its regional distribution network.

The companies are actively working to reduce debt levels on their respective balance sheets while positioning themselves for sustained growth across the Caribbean region.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s advertising landscape is undergoing a significant transformation through a strategic alliance between digital media innovator Visual Vibe Limited and transportation leader Knutsford Express Services Limited. The groundbreaking partnership will establish an extensive network of indoor digital advertising displays across 19 strategic Knutsford Express terminals throughout the island nation.

This collaborative venture, formally announced in a joint corporate statement on Tuesday, represents a dual-purpose initiative: creating a cutting-edge digital advertising medium for brands while simultaneously elevating the passenger experience within Jamaica’s premier transportation and courier service network. The implementation will position digital screens in high-visibility areas within terminals, offering brands unprecedented access to captive audiences in high-traffic transit environments.

The comprehensive installation project is scheduled for completion within an ambitious thirty-day timeframe, marking one of Jamaica’s most rapid digital infrastructure deployments in recent years. This accelerated timeline is made possible through substantial financial backing from Portland Holdings, which has committed US$500,000 in strategic funding to Visual Vibe specifically for expanding its digital media infrastructure capabilities.

Industry analysts note this partnership reflects growing trends in location-based digital advertising, particularly within the transportation sector where passenger dwell times create valuable engagement opportunities. The Knutsford Express network, known for its extensive island coverage and frequent service routes, provides an ideal platform for targeted advertising campaigns reaching both urban and rural demographics across Jamaica.

The digital network will enable dynamic content management, allowing advertisers to update messaging in real-time and tailor campaigns to specific geographic markets, time of day, or passenger demographics. This technological advancement represents a significant upgrade from traditional static advertising mediums previously available in Jamaica’s transportation sector.