WASHINGTON – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) says now is the time to foster labor formalization in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), stating that there is “an urgent need to reduce labor informality to encourage inclusive growth after the pandemic is over.”

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, – Barbados’ new minimum wage took effect Thursday, despite concerns expressed by the private sector that the timing is wrong.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, – For the first time in ten years, BICO Limited is exporting from its factory in Barbados to a neighboring Caribbean island.

Amazon announces four new delivery stations in South Florida. The new delivery stations will power the last mile of Amazon’s order process and help increase efficiency of deliveries for customer in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. Packages are shipped to delivery stations from neighboring Amazon fulfillment and sortation centers and loaded into vehicles for final delivery to customers.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, — The Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) has urged government to defer the increase in the national minimum wage, set to take effect April 1, until next year, saying businesses cannot afford it right now.

Miami, FL - In February 2021, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Miami-Dade County was 7.9 percent. From January 2021 to February 2021, there was an increase of 6,500 nonagricultural payroll jobs, which is a 0.6 percentage point increase. The County had a reduction of 110,400 nonagricultural payroll jobs (not seasonally adjusted), from February 2020 to February 2021 which was an 8.9 percentage point decrease.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, – The Guyana government says in collaboration with the private sector, it is making strides towards removing barriers that affect trade within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market Economy (CSME).

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados,  – President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dr Warren Smith, has identified three priorities for charting economic recovery and securing resilience to counter the COVID-19 fallout – giving a bigger role to the private sector, building buffers and diversifying economies was the way forward.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness says that the country’s public debt has remained flat over the past year despite the major fall in Government revenue and increase in expenditure as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Miami, FL - In January 2021, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Miami-Dade County was 8.1 percent. The County had a reduction of 107,600 nonagricultural payroll jobs (not seasonally adjusted), from January 2020 to January 2021 which was an 8.8 percentage point decrease. From December 2020 to January 2021, there was a decrease of 16,300 nonagricultural payroll jobs, which is a 1.4 percentage point decrease.

 WASHINGTON – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Belize has been “severely affected” by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

WASHINGTON - AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins announced the creation of a new group, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and a new executive-level position, Chief Diversity Officer. The group and role were created to heighten the organization’s focus on its social mission work and best serve Americans 50+, a rapidly diversifying demographic.