The Caribbean may appear insulated from global energy disruptions, but that perception is increasingly misleading.In reality, the region remains structurally exposed—not through supply shortages, but through the way energy is priced, transported, and absorbed across small, import-dependent economies.

 In this episode of Caribbean Business Review, economist Joseph Cox is joined by former Caribbean Development Bank energy specialist Joseph Williams to unpack what lies beneath the surface of current energy stability.

As geopolitical tensions continue to reshape global oil and gas markets, the critical issue is no longer simplywhether supply is available. Instead, it is how that supply moves through global systems—via freight costs, war-risk insurance premiums, refining margins, and distribution networks—before reaching Caribbean economies.

 The discussion explores why energy shocks in the Caribbean are often delayed, amplified, and sustained, even whenglobal supply conditions appear stable.

Key themes include:
• The disconnect between global supply conditions and domestic energy prices
• How logistics, insurance, and financing costs shape final fuel prices
• Why Caribbean economies remain price takers in global energy markets
• The limitations of existing policy responses across the region
• The case for hedging, diversification, and coordinated regional strategy

Energy is not just a sector issue—it is a central pillar of economic stability. In the Caribbean, fuel imports directly influence electricity generation, transportation costs,inflation, and the broader cost of living.

 Even when oil continues to flow, the embedded costs associated with risk and logistics can sustain elevatedprices well beyond the initial shock.

CBR Briefing: Institutional Credibility at Risk — CARICOM, Governance and the Secretary-General Question
A critical examination of the controversial reappointment of the CARICOM Secretary-General, and what it reveals about institutional process, regional governance, and the credibility of decision-making at the highest level of Caribbean integration.

 Key themes include:
• The balance between formal rules and established practice in regional decision-making
• The implications of absence and participation in critical deliberations
• The interpretation and application of voting provisions under Article 28
• The risks to institutional credibility when process appears contested or unclear

🔔 Subscribe to Caribbean Business Review for weekly insights on Caribbean economics, business and strategy.

📩 Read the CaribbeanFinancial Dispatch:
https://caribbeanfinancialdispatch.substack.com

Global trade is no longer being disrupted solely by physical conflict. It is increasingly being reshaped by financial systems—and the Caribbean is already feeling the impact.

In this episode of Caribbean Business Review, we examine how the Gulf Crisis, rising oil prices, and the repricing of global risk are transforming trade flows, inflation dynamics, and economic policy across the region.

At the centre of this shift is this week’s Special Report — “The Gulf Crisis Explained: How Insurance Shut Down Global Trade.” As war-risk insurance premiums surge and freight costs rise, shipping is becoming economically unviable in key corridors. The result is a form of financial disruption that can restrict global trade even when shipping lanes remain physically open.

We also feature this week’s CBR Briefing — “Managing the Oil Shock: Why the Caribbean Needs a New Strategy.” This segment examines how Caribbean governments are responding to rising energy costs, and whether current policy approaches are sufficient in a more volatile and uncertain global environment.

The episode also includes:

Market Watch — covering key regional developments, including investment reforms in Jamaica, fiscal adjustments in Barbados, oil-driven growth in Guyana, and broader responses to rising cost-of-living pressures across the Caribbean.

Global Pulse — analysing the international backdrop, including elevated oil prices, tightening supply conditions, rising borrowing costs, and increasing pressure on global trade, investment, and financial markets.

Why this episode mattersFor Caribbean economies, this is no longer just an oil story. It is a story about how risk is transmitted through global systems—affecting supply chains, prices, and policy responses in small, import-dependent states.

As global conditions become more volatile, understanding these transmission channels is critical for navigating the region’s economic future.

📩 Read the latest Caribbean Financial Dispatch:
https://caribbeanfinancialdispatch.substack.com

Follow Caribbean Business Review for weekly analysis on Caribbean business, economics, policy, and global market developments.

In this episode of Caribbean Business Review, host Joseph Cox examines how the latest global energy shock could reshape the economic outlook for Caribbean economies.

Joseph is joined by Richard Rambarran, Guyanese economist and Managing Director of Ascension Business Services, and Cherri-Ann Farquharson, Manager of Sustainable Development Services at Environmental Solutions Limited.

Together they discuss the implications of rising oil prices and geopolitical tensions for Caribbean energy security, electricity costs, and long-term economic resilience. The conversation explores policy certainty for renewable investment, the role of regional cooperation and public-private partnerships, and whether economic diversification can strengthen the region’s capacity to absorb future energy shocks.

The episode also features the CBR Briefing: “Caribbean Food Security and the Preference Gap,” examining how import dependence and changing consumption patterns continue to influence food security risks across the Caribbean.

In Episode 8 of Season 3 of the Caribbean Business Review, host Joseph Cox sits down with Andrea Livingston-Prince, Chief Project Manager at Business Works Collective and Regional Private Sector Expert, for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolving business climate in the Caribbean.

As global economic conditions shift, Caribbean businesses are navigating a landscape increasingly shaped by geopolitical tensions, technological disruption, evolving regulatory frameworks, and changing capital flows. In this discussion, Livingston-Prince examines how these forces are influencing the region’s private sector and what strategies may be required for firms to remain competitive in an increasingly uncertain global environment.

The conversation explores how Caribbean economies respond to global shocks, the need for more responsive financial systems to support entrepreneurs, and the importance of collaboration between governments and the private sector in unlocking new opportunities for innovation and growth.

Key insights from the discussion:• Global shocks are accelerating regional transformation. Caribbean economies are increasingly shaped by geopolitical dynamics, technological change and shifting global market responses.• Financial systems must better support entrepreneurship and innovation. Bridging market gaps requires more responsive banking practices, stronger regulatory frameworks and deeper public-private collaboration.

• Economic resilience is both institutional and cultural. The region’s ability to respond to crisis depends not only on policy and markets, but also on adaptability and private sector initiative.

CBR BriefingThis episode also features the CBR Briefing: “Energy Shockwaves as the Gulf Crisis Hits the Caribbean.” The segment provides a clinical review of how the current US-Israel-Iran tensions could ripple through Caribbean economies via higher energy costs, increased shipping rates, and potential disruptions to tourism flows.

Caribbean Business Review examines the economic, financial and policy issues shaping the Caribbean region and its place in the global economy.

Knowledge is Strength, but Information is Power.

In Episode 7 of Season 3 of the Caribbean Business Review, Joseph Cox speaks with Wesley Gibbings, veteran Caribbean journalist and Vice President of the Media Institute of the Caribbean, about the future of journalism in a digital, platform-dominated era.

As advertising revenues fragment, algorithms reshape visibility, and misinformation accelerates across social media ecosystems, traditional Caribbean media institutions are confronting a fundamental business model challenge. The discussion examines:

• Big Tech dominance and algorithmic gatekeeping
• The erosion of legacy revenue streams
• Media sustainability in small, open economies
• Regulatory reform and platform accountability
• Institutional credibility in the age of misinformation
• Whether regional coordination is lagging technological change

Is this a crisis of journalism — or a crisis of adaptation?

📊 CBR BriefingBeyond the Checkout Price: Tariffs and the Caribbean Trade Reality

In this week’s CBR Briefing, Cherri-Ann Farquharson examines how global tariff volatility and shifting trade regimes are affecting consumer prices and small-market economies across the Caribbean. As external trade pressures intensify, we explore the hidden structural costs embedded in import-dependent growth models and what tariff realignment means for regional resilience.

For policymakers, media professionals, business leaders, and citizens concerned with governance, trade, and institutional accountability, this episode connects information systems and economic systems — both central to democratic and developmental stability.

Knowledge is Strength. Information is Power.

Cybersecurity is no longer a technical issue. It is a governance issue, a national resilience issue, and increasingly, a question of institutional balance.

In this episode of Caribbean Business Review, Joseph Cox sits down with Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, Minister of Science, Technology & Special Projects in Jamaica, to examine the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2026 and the evolving architecture of digital governance in a small, open economy.

With over 85% internet penetration and 34.4 million cyber attacks recorded in the first half of 2025, Jamaica’s digital exposure is expanding rapidly. The conversation explores how legislation must adapt to technological acceleration while balancing enforcement powers with safeguards, accountability, and public trust.

The discussion examines:

• How Jamaica’s cybercrime framework aligns with international standards

• The importance of continuous legislative review

• Mandatory data breach reporting and privacy enforcement

• Capacity-building and specialised training within law enforcement

• The impact of misinformation during crises

• The regulatory implications of emerging AI technologies

In 2026, cyber law is not simply about criminal penalties. It shapes digital trust, economic competitiveness, and national security.

The central question is not whether reform was necessary — it clearly was. The question is whether institutions can evolve at the speed of technological risk.

Also in this episode, the CBR Briefing examines Digital Taxation and the Small-Market Risk, analysing Jamaica’s application of General Consumption Tax (GCT) to foreign digital services and the structural challenges small states face in taxing cross-border digital platforms.

For policymakers, business leaders, legal professionals, technologists, and regional observers, this episode provides a measured and substantive discussion on the future of digital governance in the Caribbean.

In this episode of Caribbean Business Review, Joseph Cox is joined by Lyndell Danzie-Black for a focused discussion on Guyana’s oil-driven economic growth and its implications for governance, inflation, and development outcomes.

As Guyana emerges as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, the conversation moves beyond headline GDP figures to examine cost-of-living pressures, foreign-exchange constraints, workforce readiness, and institutional capacity. The episode explores the limits of government cash grants, the impact of local content legislation on investment and business formation, and the persistent implementation gap that often accompanies rapid resource-led growth.

The discussion reframes success beyond growth alone, arguing that Guyana’s long-term progress will ultimately be measured by human capital development, social resilience, and intergenerational well-being, rather than oil revenues or GDP expansion.

This is a measured, policy-driven conversation for listeners interested in Caribbean economics, political economy, and the challenge of converting natural-resource wealth into sustainable development.

Why do so many Caribbean organisations struggle to execute strategy — even when funding, policies, and systems are in place?

In this episode of Caribbean Business Review, host Joseph Cox is joined by Nerissa Persaud, Global Leadership and Culture Strategist and Executive Director of Ignite the Human Spark, for a candid discussion on the human and cultural roots of implementation failure in the Caribbean.

The conversation moves beyond technical fixes to examine the real constraints on organisational performance: leadership behaviour, risk aversion, accountability, governance, and the silencing of frontline insight. Nerissa challenges conventional thinking on change management and explains why transformation fails when power, incentives, and culture are left untouched.

Key topics in this episodeWhy implementation failure is usually human, not technical

• 
  

• Leadership accountability and the execution gap

• How fear of mistakes kills innovation and learning

• The overlooked role of frontline employees in driving change

• Culture, incentives, and why systems resist reform

• Moving from rigid legacy structures to human-centred organisations

CBR BriefingThis episode also features a CBR Briefing titled
Jamaica’s Cybercrimes Amendment 2026: Measured Against Global Standards, examining how Jamaica’s updated cybercrime legislation compares with emerging international norms and what it signals for regional cyber governance.

If you’re interested in leadership, organisational change, public-sector reform, productivity, and institutional performance in the Caribbean, this episode offers clear, practical insight without the jargon.

🔔 Follow Caribbean Business Review for weekly conversations on Caribbean economics, leadership, policy, and strategy.

Is the Caribbean truly recovering — or simply rebounding without improving lives?

In this episode of Caribbean Business Review, host Joseph Cox is joined by Therese Turner-Jones, former General Manager of the Caribbean Country Department at the Inter-American Development Bank, for a frank and data-driven discussion on the state of the Caribbean economy.

While tourism arrivals have surged post-pandemic, the conversation interrogates a deeper disconnect: why headline growth is not translating into higher living standards, stronger productivity, or long-term resilience across much of the region.

Key themes include the sharp spending gap between stopover and cruise tourism, low tourism-dollar retention in cruise-heavy economies such as The Bahamas, and why countries with stronger local ownership — including Jamaica — capture more economic value. The episode also examines how weak tourism and expenditure data creates material policy risk and distorts decision-making.

Beyond tourism, the discussion explores emerging pressures from artificial intelligence, demographic change, youth migration, and the growing need for coordinated regional responses through CARICOM.

This is not a tourism debate — it is a development one. At its core, the episode confronts a central question facing the region: who really benefits from Caribbean growth as it is currently structured?

In this episode of Caribbean Business Review, host Joseph Cox sits down with Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis and leader of the Opposition in St. Kitts and Nevis, for a wide-ranging strategic conversation on the Caribbean’s position in a rapidly shifting global order.

As the United States moves toward tighter borders, more transactional diplomacy, and a reduced commitment to multilateralism, Caribbean states are being forced to confront an uncomfortable reality: small economies must now compete for relevance, access, and resilience in a world increasingly shaped by great-power rivalry and domestic political incentives in Washington.

Premier Brantley argues that the Caribbean can no longer rely on goodwill, proximity, or historical relationships. Instead, the region must pursue a strategic reset—grounded in collective action, smarter diplomacy, diversified partnerships, and a more deliberate use of sovereignty. He explores why fragmented national approaches weaken Caribbean leverage, how diaspora capital and intellectual resources remain underutilised, and why the region must rethink its engagement with both traditional and emerging global partners.

The episode also features a CBR Briefing titled “Mobility Without Reciprocity: What the U.S. Visa Pause Really Signals to the Caribbean,” which examines how recent U.S. visa restrictions reflect deeper structural shifts in U.S.–Caribbean relations—raising critical questions about mobility, access, and strategic dependency.

This conversation is essential listening for policymakers, business leaders, investors, diplomats, and anyone seeking to understand how Caribbean strategy must evolve in the post-Trump policy environment and beyond.

Key themes include:

• Caribbean sovereignty and collective bargaining power

• U.S. foreign policy as structural, not cyclical, risk

• Diaspora engagement and strategic capital

• Trade, mobility, and geopolitical realignment

• What a Caribbean strategic reset really requires

🎧 Listen now on Spotify and stay informed with Caribbean Business Review—where regional economics, policy, and strategy meet real-world decision-making.