Antigua and Barbuda

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has explained that the government of Antigua and Barbuda is actively absorbing part of the impact of rising global fuel prices to help ease pressure on citizens’ cost of living.

Speaking on his weekend radio programme, Browne noted that increases in fuel prices usually lead to higher costs for transportation, groceries, and other imported goods, since the country relies heavily on imports.

To prevent this ripple effect, the government has kept gasoline prices steady at EC$14.25 per imperial gallon by reducing the amount of consumption tax it collects on fuel.

Browne emphasized that this approach means the government is earning less revenue in order to maintain price stability and protect consumers from sudden increases.

He also pointed out that this is not the first time such measures have been taken. The government previously absorbed financial losses during earlier spikes in global energy prices, including those triggered by the Russia-Ukraine War.

Meanwhile, West Indies Oil Company (WIOC) CEO Gregory Georges confirmed that a recent shipment of fuel was purchased at significantly higher prices, with diesel and jet fuel seeing the sharpest increases due to tightening global energy markets.

Browne warned that while the government intends to continue cushioning consumers for as long as possible, ongoing global disruptions could eventually make it difficult to sustain these subsidies, meaning fuel prices may have to rise in the future if conditions do not improve.

Bahamas

Philip “Brave” Davis has confirmed that a general election in The Bahamas will be held soon, but he stopped short of announcing a specific date. Speaking to reporters, he said only that elections would be called “soon,” urging the public to “stay tuned.”

His remarks followed a statement by Fred Mitchell, who indicated that a general election could take place within the next few weeks. That comment has fueled speculation that voters may head to the polls as early as this spring, with political activity expected to intensify.

The governing Progressive Liberal Party is preparing to campaign on its record in office over the past four years. Davis said the party will highlight its achievements while also presenting its plans for the country’s future, though he acknowledged that some citizens may not yet feel the full benefits of the government’s work.

One key area of concern is Grand Bahama, where residents have long complained about economic challenges and slow recovery. Despite government efforts to revitalise the island, some voters say meaningful improvements have yet to materialise.

The administration is also dealing with an ongoing dispute with the Grand Bahama Port Authority over governance in Freeport under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. The matter recently went to arbitration, with both sides claiming partial success after a tribunal rejected the government’s major financial claim.

Davis expressed confidence that voters in Grand Bahama will still support the PLP, arguing that the dispute demonstrates the government’s seriousness in addressing long-standing issues affecting the island.

Other party members, including MP Michael Darville, have also said they are ready whenever the election is announced.

Under Bahamian law, a general election is called after Parliament is dissolved. Once this happens, the Governor-General issues election writs, and the process typically leads to voting within about three to four weeks.

Bermuda

The Government of Bermuda has launched its 2026–2028 Fintech Strategy, outlining a roadmap to expand and modernise the island’s financial technology sector.

Economy and Labour Minister Jason Hayward said the plan aims to “help Bermuda integrate fintech in society with the aim of making digital financial services more prevalent across the island.” He added that the strategy aligns with the country’s broader economic development goals and commitment to innovation and inclusion.

A central feature of the strategy is the development of digital identity systems and a strong focus on insurtech. Hayward explained, “At the heart of this strategy is a robust digital identity framework,” which will improve security, trust, and efficiency in online financial services.

He also highlighted Bermuda’s strengths in insurance, stating the strategy builds on “what we already do best: insurance and reinsurance,” allowing fintech growth to be rooted in an established, globally respected sector rather than starting from scratch.

The initiative aims to modernise how money moves across the economy, making payments “faster, safer, and more efficient.” Hayward stressed, “This is not a theoretical exercise… we are already seeing digital onboarding become a reality in local banking.”

The strategy also focuses on attracting investment, strengthening regulation, protecting consumers, encouraging innovation, and improving access to financial services to ensure inclusivity across the island.

It is built around three main pillars: a progressive regulatory environment, innovation and capacity building, and international collaboration. Hayward said the approach is designed to support sustainable growth, noting, “It is not about technology for its own sake  — it is about it being a core driver of the economy.”

Caribbean

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) announced that Canada is increasing its support for resilience and business development in the Caribbean through new funding initiatives.

Canada has committed Can$10 million to the Technical Assistance Facility of the Caribbean Community Resilience Fund under the IDB’s ONE Caribbean programme.

According to the IDB, “the contribution will reinforce the ONE Caribbean Multi-Donor Trust Fund, the IDB Group’s main regional platform for advancing resilient development.”

The programme focuses on shared regional challenges such as “resilience, disaster-risk management, citizen security, private-sector development, and food security,” while also promoting digital transformation and stronger institutions.

The funding will support technical assistance and help develop resilient projects for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly in sectors like sustainable energy, transport, agriculture, and the blue economy.

Announced at the 48th Regular Meeting of Heads of Government of CARICOM, the IDB said the move “underlines Canada’s sustained commitment to practical, private-sector-led solutions across the region.”

Additionally, Canada contributed US$2.2 million to IDB Lab and about US$111,000 to support Caribbean small island states through its Impact Enhancement Programme, which aims to boost “the social, resilient, and economic impact” of businesses while advancing responsible digital transformation.

Guyana

The president of ExconMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge said a second gas-to-energy (GTE) project is planned for Berbice, and the pipeline to bring natural gas onshore could cost about US$2 billion.

“As you know, it costs roughly a billion dollars to lay a pipeline and put the risers in order to sup-ply gas from the Liza Field to Wales in Region Three. To do similar for Berbice in larger volumes, a larger pipeline could easily be two billion dollars or more. (It’s) not a small in-vestment,” Routledge told reporters.

“Don’t take that to the bank. That’s an order of magnitude. I’m just saying the pipeline that we would intend to build would be larg-er than the 12-inch for the Liza Field connection to Wales. And then you see inflation over years because that was installed in ’24. I just want to set your expectation; it won’t be a one billion US dollar pipeline. It’s going to be more than that.”

Routledge said pipeline specifications are still being determined, but discussions with Suriname about sharing the pipeline are ongoing, noting it “could be economies of scale to do that.”

He added that large offshore gas reserves exist, with the Haimara development likely anchoring the second project, though ExxonMobil wants firm projects in place before bringing the gas onshore.

“We can see real interest in build-ing a domestic gas market, which, in the early stages, will require us to have some anchor projects. These are projects large enough to give us the demand, from an offshore gas supply point of view, to make it worthwhile investing in significant infrastructure,” Routledge said.

He continued by saying, there is strong foreign interest in investing in major projects in Berbice — such as data centres, power plants, and bauxite-to-alumina facilities — to support the gas-to-energy venture.

The Government of Guyana is also planning a second gas project in Region Six to drive large-scale industrial development.

Jamaica

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) reaffirmed its support for Jamaica following the impact of Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, providing over US$700,000 in public health supplies with funding from partners including the UK Health Security Agency.

CARPHA responded quickly, deploying teams within days alongside the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), delivering emergency supplies, and supporting field operations through the Barbados Defence Force. It also strengthened Jamaica’s lab capacity by providing rapid PCR testing equipment and training personnel to detect diseases like leptospirosis.

The aid addressed increased post-hurricane health risks such as dengue, gastroenteritis, and respiratory infections by supplying testing kits, protective equipment, and sanitation and surveillance tools.

At a handover ceremony earlier this month, officials including Health Minister Christopher Tufton thanked CARPHA for its continued partnership.

CARPHA’s Executive Director, Lisa Indar, said, “We responded immediately and continue to stand with Jamaica through its recovery,” emphasizing ongoing support to strengthen resilience and public health systems.