Caribbean L 8 ife, April 5–11, 2019 BQ
CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP
Jamaica
Jamaica is moving to have its own
domestic airline, according to Minister
of Transport and Mining
Robert Montague.
He said discussions
are underway
with three investment
groups to start the service in a short
time.
The minister said the series of consultations,
held with key stakeholders,
will guide the revision of the transport
policy, covering air, water, road, railway,
and infrastructure and services.
The policy identifies the issues
faced in the development of the sector,
the roles of Government, the private
sector and the numerous authorities
operating in this sector; the change
necessary in the regulatory structure
necessary and environment and safety
issues.
Jamaica is the third largest island
in the Caribbean and as such, transportation
can at times be a major
issue hence the reason for the government
looking at a domestic airline
service especially to connect rural, far
flung communities with the capital,
the minister noted.
Trinidad
The Barbados-based Caribbean
Development Bank (CDB) is predicting
a two percent growth for Trinidad
and Tobago in 2019.
However, the economic outlook
for Trinidad and Tobago has been
described as “one of cautious optimism”.
In its “Country Economic Review
2018 of Trinidad and Tobago” the CDB
said that real gross domestic product
(GDP) is projected to grow by two
percent.
The financial institution said:
“Despite the restructuring
at Petrotrin, the
energy sector is expected
to drive growth,
particularly in light
of increased natural gas output as
the Angelin project comes on stream.
The performance of the energy sector
will likely result in positive spill-over
effects into the non-energy sector.”
The CDB, which will hold its annual
board of governors meeting in Trinidad
in June, said that the in the nearterm,
fiscal and debt conditions will
continue to improve as energy-related
revenues strengthen and efforts to
contain expenditures are maintained.
The bank said that provisional estimates
of economic activity in Trinidad
and Tobago point to a turnaround
with growth estimated at 1.9 percent
last year.
— Compiled by Azad Ali
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