KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica has not yet decided whether or not it will engage Venezuela to re-kindle interest in PetroCaribe, the oil initiative Caracas has with Latin American and Caribbean countries.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The Antigua and Barbuda government says it may suggest to some of its creditors that they consider taking a haircut even as it remains confident that it would be able to meet its obligations to pay the debts owed as well as meet the increase wage and outstanding arrears to public servants by the end of this year.

NASSAU, Bahamas –The Bahamas government has announced an increase in the minimum wage as well as placing 38 new items under price control amid efforts to diversify the local economy that is so dependent on the tourism sector.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke says data from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) indicates that Jamaica is on track to returning to pre-pandemic levels of economic output by 2023.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Canadian-based Integrated Sustainability says it has acquired the Barbados-based Ecohesion Ltd, which provides the Caribbean with industrial, commercial, and residential water treatment solutions.

PARAMARIBO, Suriname – Suriname is moving to establish a multi-million dollar fish processing company with production mainly for the export market.

NASSAU, Bahamas – The Bahamas government has confirmed that the country’s main electricity company will be increasing its monthly fuel charge in response to rising fuel costs, with the rate increase set to be reflected in consumers’ electricity bills beginning November.

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves says approximately 23,000 barrels of oil will arrive here by the end of this month under Venezuela’s PetroCaribe agreement.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) says it is pleased at the response to the 40th edition of its Caribbean Travel Marketplace (CTM) as regional suppliers and global buyers return to in-person business development activities in the Caribbean since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – A senior World Bank official Tuesday said that the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Caribbean has not yet recovered to its 2019 level as the region emerges from being among the hardest hit regions by the COVID-19 pandemic.

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – The St. Kitts-Nevis government says it is taking the steps required to create a sustainable medicinal cannabis industry as the twin island Federation moves to reduce its dependency on the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program.

The government has slashed the cost of gasoline and diesel from the Guyana Oil Company Limited (GUYOIL) in a bid to bring further relief to consumers across the country.