Daily News

The prime minister of Dominica has expressed his intention to put education reform as his number one priority as soon as he assumes regional chairmanship in July. Dominica News Online reported that Dominica’s prime minister Roosevelt Skerrit plans to organize a conference on education reform with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders during his tenure in the organization. “When I assume the chairmanship of CARICOM in July of this year, the matter of education reform will top my agenda and I will […]

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Practical measures for increasing access to finance for women-led enterprises will be defined and highlighted in the 4th edition of the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) President’s Chat, scheduled for June 16, 2023, at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, Morne Fortune, Saint Lucia. An all-female panel of high-level decision-makers from regional and international financial institutions will join the bank’s president, Dr Hyginus ‘Gene’ Leon for the solution-oriented discussion. Panellists confirmed to participate include Karyl Akilian, director of […]

PARIS, France, (OECD) – Sovereign borrowing needs are expected to increase in 2023 against the backdrop of the financial and economic spillovers of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as many OECD countries seek to cushion households and businesses from rising prices, according to a new OECD report. The Sovereign Borrowing Outlook 2023 estimates that gross borrowing requirements will increase by around 6 percent in 2023, to total US$12.9 trillion, up from US$12.2 trillion in 2022. Net borrowing needs are also […]

BRADES, Montserrat – The energy department within the Ministry of Communication, Works, Labour and Energy (MCWLE), launched two projects designed to address the impact of the high cost of electricity on the government and the citizens of Montserrat. “These projects form a part of the wider government of Montserrat policy to be energy efficient by 2030. The unanticipated reduction in energy consumption as a result of COVID-19 demonstrated how small changes in the equipment and appliances we use can have […]

By Garfield L. Angus KINGSTON, Jamaica, (JIS) – Accountability measures are coming for ministers and members of parliament (MPs), says prime minister, Andrew Holness. Holness was speaking at the handover of a two-bedroom house under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) in Riversdale, St Catherine on Friday, May 19, where he assured that the political directorate will be held to account for the new salaries they will receive. Related: Salary adjustments for MPs, Ministers “We have established, and I will […]

INDIA / BRAZIL – Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday, 21 May, agreed to strengthen bilateral relations during a meeting in Hiroshima, the first between the two dignitaries. Modi and Lula, who attended the G7 summit as guests, discussed the strategic partnership between the two countries and looked at ways to strengthen it, mainly in sectors such as trade, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, dairy and livestock as well as biofuels and clean energy, said […]

By Leora Klapper and Mazen Bouri West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries have seen increased financial account ownership since 2014, with mobile money accounts driving adoption and usage. On average, 41 percent of adults in the WAEMU have an account with a bank or similar institution or with a mobile money service. Senegal has the highest account ownership rate at 56 percent, but it still falls 15 percentage points below the developing economy average. However, there is room […]

By APEC Group on Services DETROIT, USA – Trade experts and stakeholder representatives urged APEC member economies to resolve barriers to services trade or stand to lose out both economically and socially. Hailed as the new source of economic growth, the services sector has been drawing attention because of its prominence in most APEC economies. Its contribution to the economy and employment opportunities is so significant that APEC Leaders in 2016 instructed officials to develop a strategic roadmap with targets […]

The Dominican Republic’s economy has been one of the most dynamic and resilient in the Western Hemisphere over the last two decades, displaying an impressive recovery from the pandemic, supported by the authorities’ sound policies. Tighter global financial conditions, lower global growth, as well as a timely and appropriate withdrawal of domestic policy accommodation have contributed to growth moderation in 2023 that supports inflation’s return to the target range. In the near term, policy priorities should remain focused on continuing […]