SANTIAGO, Chile – The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) say  the increase in the regional employment rate, seen in 2023 was due to low economic growth.

BELMOPAN, Belize – Prime Minister John Briceño has welcomed the two-year agreement between the Belize Sugar Industries Limited (BSI) and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) ending the impasse that had affected this year’s sugar crop.

CASTRIES, St. Lucia – St. Lucia's government has defended its decision to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)with the United Kingdom-based Global Ports Holding Plc (GPH), insisting that the two ports here have not been sold and would remain as “national public assets”.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Guyana's government has announced plans to quickly monetize the country’s natural gas resources and would soon be requesting proposals in that regard.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Guyana has recorded a seven percent increase in rice production this year as compared with 2022, earning nearly GUY$50 billion (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents).

HAMILTON,. Bermuda – Bermuda's government says the local economy has grown by 2.3 percent during the second quarter of this year despite registering 4.6 percent growth in the first three months of 2023.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Guyana's only indigenous bank, Demerara Bank Limited, on Friday opened a branch at Leonora, West Coast Demerara and announced plans to significantly move to more e-banking options and reduce in-person transactions.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Guyana's government says it is seeking the assistance of Britain in mounting a joint lobby to Lloyd’s of London insurance company to reduce its risk assessment of this country’s maritime space due to the border controversy with Venezuela.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley says Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela “in the spirit of good neighborliness” have formalized their agreement regarding the profit-sharing accord with Caracas to export gas from the South American country’s Dragon gas field.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Consumers in Jamaica are being encouraged to strategize and reduce their use of cash during the holiday season and even beyond.

WASHINGTON, DC – Suriname will receive US$53 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the  executive board of the Washington-based financial institution Friday completed the fourth review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement for Suriname.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Antigua and Barbuda is anticipating a primary deficit of EC$27.3 million this year, as compared with EC$79.7 million the island recorded last year.