AGP Executive Report

Trade in Services Policy: OECS, with UNCTAD and ECLAC, wrapped up a project to close services trade data gaps across the Eastern Caribbean, using UNCTAD’s TiSSTAT to help governments build stronger export strategies and plug into global value chains. Cruise Tourism: Montserrat announced its 2026/2027 cruise schedule (Oct 2026–Apr 2027), with calls from major lines and expedition brands expected to boost local taxi, tours, dining, retail, artisans and heritage experiences. Energy Costs Watch: ECCB fuel data shows Antigua and Barbuda at the lowest ECCU gas and diesel prices in July 2026, while Montserrat sits among the higher end—gas at EC$20.74 and diesel at EC$19.84—highlighting pressure on local operating costs. Circular Economy Push: Costa Rica’s Route 27 launched the Route 27 Innovation Challenge to reuse highway waste (especially tires and plastics), offering up to €20,000 for a working prototype. Tourism Trends: A “dark tourism” roundup spotlights Montserrat as a destination drawing visitors to sites tied to the island’s past.

Trade & Services Policy: OECS, UNCTAD and ECLAC wrapped up a CARICOM push to close trade-in-services data gaps, using UNCTAD’s TiSSTAT to help governments build stronger export strategies and plug into global value chains. Cruise Tourism: Montserrat Tourism Authority announced the 2026/2027 cruise schedule (Oct 2026–Apr 2027), with calls expected to boost local taxi, tours, food, retail and artisan sales while encouraging repeat longer stays. Energy Prices Watch: ECCB data shows Antigua and Barbuda logged the lowest ECCU gasoline and diesel prices in July 2026, while Montserrat sat among the higher end—useful for businesses tracking operating costs. Circular Economy Innovation: Route 27’s Innovation Challenge in Costa Rica targets reuse of highway waste (especially tires and plastics), offering up to €20,000 for a functional prototype to support a circular economy. Tourism Trends: A “dark tourism” roundup spotlights Montserrat as a destination for visitors drawn to history and memorial sites.

Trade & Data for Services: OECS, UNCTAD and ECLAC wrapped up a CARICOM-backed push to close trade-in-services data gaps, using UNCTAD’s TiSSTAT to help governments build export strategies and plug into global value chains. Tourism & Local Services: Montserrat Tourism Authority announced the 2026/2027 cruise schedule (Oct 2026–Apr 2027), with calls expected to boost taxi/tour operators, restaurants, retailers and artisans, and to encourage repeat stays after first visits. Energy Costs Watch: ECCB fuel-price data shows Antigua & Barbuda at the lowest ECCU gasoline (EC$14.50/imperial gallon) and diesel (EC$14.25), while Montserrat sits among the higher end for gasoline (up to EC$20.74) and diesel (reported at EC$19.84). Circular Economy Challenge: Route 27 in Costa Rica launched an innovation challenge to reuse highway waste—especially tires and plastics—offering up to €20,000 for a prototype that supports a circular economy. Tourism Trends: A “dark tourism” roundup includes Montserrat, pointing to growing demand for niche, experience-led travel.

Trade in Services Policy: OECS, with UNCTAD and ECLAC, has wrapped up a CARICOM push to close services-trade data gaps, using UNCTAD’s TiSSTAT to help member states build stronger export strategies and plug into global value chains. Tourism & Local Business: Montserrat Tourism Authority released its 2026/2027 cruise schedule (Oct 2026–Apr 2027), promising more footfall for taxi/tour operators, restaurants, retailers and artisans, with excursions including Plymouth’s buried city and St George’s Hill. Energy Costs (ECCU): ECCB fuel data shows Antigua & Barbuda hit the lowest July 2026 gasoline and diesel prices in the ECCU, while Montserrat recorded the highest gasoline price and diesel also sat near the top end—an important cost signal for island operators. Circular Economy Innovation: Route 27’s Costa Rica highway waste challenge targets startups to reuse tires and plastics in operations, aiming for a circular-economy prototype. Business of Art: A local art-studio model highlights how creative spaces can blend physical storefronts with online commerce to sustain small businesses.

Energy Prices Watch: ECCB data for July shows Antigua and Barbuda with the lowest gasoline and diesel prices across the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, while Montserrat sits at the top end for fuel costs (gasoline $20.74/gal; diesel $19.84), highlighting how regional energy pricing can swing sharply even within the same currency bloc. Trade in Services Policy: The OECS Commission wrapped up a UNCTAD/ECLAC-backed initiative to close services-trade data gaps, using UNCTAD’s TiSSTAT to help member states generate better services statistics and build stronger export strategies. Arts & Creative Leadership: Jo-Annah Richards was appointed Director of the Montserrat Arts Council, effective August 10, as the government moves to strengthen leadership and strategy for Montserrat’s cultural and creative sectors. Local Culture & Tourism Angle: A feature on “dark tourism” spotlights Montserrat as a destination drawing visitors with a darker curiosity—an angle that could feed niche tourism and creative storytelling. Arts Business Spotlight: A separate business-of-art profile looks at how artists run studios and storefronts alongside online commerce, a useful model for creative entrepreneurs. Innovation & Circular Economy (Regional): Route 27’s Route 27 Innovation Challenge in Costa Rica targets highway waste reuse, prioritizing tires and plastics for circular-economy prototypes—relevant inspiration for regional waste-to-value thinking.

Trade in Services Data Boost: The OECS Commission has wrapped up a regional push with UNCTAD and ECLAC to close long-standing data gaps in trade in services, using UNCTAD’s TiSSTAT to help member states build stronger export strategies and plug into global value chains. Policy Capacity Building: The initiative included workshops across OECS countries and regional validation meetings, bringing together trade ministries, statistical offices, and private-sector stakeholders to strengthen evidence-based policymaking. Arts Leadership in Montserrat: Jo-Annah Richards was appointed Director of the Montserrat Arts Council, effective August 10, as the government moves to strengthen leadership and strategy for the island’s cultural and creative sectors. Circular Economy Challenge: Costa Rica’s Route 27 is launching an innovation challenge to reuse highway waste—especially tires and plastics—offering up to €20,000 for a prototype that supports a circular economy. Tourism Content Angle: A new Skyscanner “Paradise Guide” tool helps travellers match beach destinations to their preferred vibe, amenities, budget, and travel distance.

Trade in Services Policy: The OECS Commission says it has wrapped up a UNCTAD/ECLAC-backed push to strengthen evidence-based policymaking for trade in services across member states, using UNCTAD’s TiSSTAT to close long-running data gaps and help governments craft export strategies and join global value chains. Circular Economy & Infrastructure: Costa Rica’s Route 27 is launching an open innovation challenge to reuse highway waste—especially tires and plastics—amid landfill pressure, offering up to €20,000 for a prototype that can be built into highway operations. Montserrat Arts Leadership: Jo-Annah Richards has been appointed Director of the Montserrat Arts Council, effective August 10, 2026, bringing public policy, finance, governance, and arts administration experience to strengthen the island’s cultural and creative sectors. Mobile Connectivity & Investment: A new GSMA report projects 5G will reach 23% of Caribbean mobile connections by 2030, but warns regulatory modernisation and spectrum access are needed to unlock about $1 billion in investment and avoid a widening digital divide. Import Safeguards for Industry: A new Section 201 safeguard measure sets a four-year tariff-rate quota on quartz surface products starting August 15, 2026, with safeguard duties potentially rising to 50% once quarterly quota allocations are used up. Tourism Trend (Local Angle): A “dark tourism” roundup spotlights Montserrat among destinations drawing visitors to sites tied to tragedy and history.

Circular Economy & Infrastructure: Costa Rica’s Route 27 is launching an open innovation challenge to reuse highway waste, with a focus on tires and plastics; Globalvia will fund the winning prototype with up to €20,000 to help tackle landfill saturation. Arts Leadership: Jo-Annah Richards has been appointed Director of the Montserrat Arts Council, effective Aug 10, bringing public policy, finance, governance, and arts administration experience to strengthen the island’s creative sector. Mobile Connectivity & Investment: A GSMA report says 5G will reach 23% of Caribbean mobile connections by 2030, but warns regulatory modernization and spectrum access are needed to close a major investment gap. Trade & Construction Materials: A new Section 201 safeguard puts a four-year tariff-rate quota on quartz surface products starting Aug 15, with higher duties possible after quarterly quota allocations run out—important for importers of countertops and related finishes. Biotech Manufacturing: ARPA-H awarded $26m for FLASH, a GE HealthCare-led programme to build scalable, automated cell-free DNA bioproduction using DNA Script tech, aiming to speed on-demand genetic medicines and vaccines.

Circular Economy & Infrastructure: Route 27 in Costa Rica is launching an open innovation challenge to reuse highway waste, with a focus on tires and plastics; Globalvia will fund a winning prototype with up to €20,000 to test circular solutions inside highway operations. Local Arts Leadership: Montserrat’s Office of the Premier appointed Jo-Annah Richards as Director of the Montserrat Arts Council, effective August 10, 2026, aiming to strengthen MAC’s strategy and support the island’s creative sectors. Mobile Connectivity & Policy: A new GSMA report says 5G will reach 23% of Caribbean mobile connections by 2030, but deployment needs regulatory modernisation, spectrum access, and investment incentives to avoid a widening digital divide. Trade & Manufacturing Costs: A Section 201 safeguard sets a four-year tariff-rate quota on quartz surface products starting August 15, 2026, with over-quota safeguard duties potentially rising to 50% after quarterly allocations run out. Biotech Manufacturing Funding: ARPA-H awarded $26 million for FLASH, a programme to build scalable cell-free DNA bioproduction using modular automation led by GE HealthCare. Industry & Tourism Culture: A “dark tourism” roundup includes Montserrat among destinations drawing visitors to sites tied to tragedy and history.

Arts & Culture Leadership: Jo-Annah Richards has been appointed Director of the Montserrat Arts Council, effective Aug 10, bringing public policy, finance, governance, risk and arts administration experience to strengthen MAC’s strategy and creative-sector push. Digital Connectivity: A GSMA Caribbean report says 5G is set to rise from 10% of mobile connections today to 23% by 2030, but warns the region needs regulatory modernisation, spectrum access and incentives to close a widening investment and usage gap. Trade & Manufacturing Costs: A new Section 201 safeguard measure sets a four-year tariff-rate quota on quartz surface products starting Aug 15, with higher over-quota duties once quarterly allocations run out—important for importers planning countertops and related materials. Biotech Production Funding: ARPA-H awarded $26m for GE HealthCare-led FLASH, aiming to scale modular, automated cell-free DNA manufacturing for faster, on-demand genetic medicines and vaccines. Local Creative Debate (Calypso): Montserrat’s calypso community discussed AI’s impact on songwriting, competition judging and creator rights on ZJB Radio, with artists calling for clearer rules and stronger protection for human creators. Food Industry Tech: A new near-infrared spectroscopy traceability effort is mapping bean chemical “fingerprints” to verify geographical origin and fight mislabelling in premium chocolate supply chains.

Arts & Culture Leadership: Jo-Annah Richards has been appointed Director of the Montserrat Arts Council, effective Aug 10, bringing public policy, finance, governance, risk, and arts administration experience to strengthen MAC’s strategy and creative-sector push. Mobile Connectivity & Investment: A new GSMA “Mobile Economy Caribbean” report says 5G is set to rise from 10% of connections to 23% by 2030, but warns the region needs regulatory modernisation, spectrum access, and incentives to close a major investment gap and avoid a widening digital divide. Trade & Manufacturing Costs: A new U.S. Section 201 safeguard adds a four-year tariff-rate quota on quartz surface products starting Aug 15, with over-quota safeguard duties that can reach 50%—a direct planning issue for importers of countertops and related surfaces. Biotech Production Funding: ARPA-H awarded $26m for GE HealthCare-led FLASH to build scalable, modular cell-free DNA manufacturing, aiming to speed on-demand production for personalised medicines and vaccines. Creative Rights in the AI Era: Montserrat’s calypso community debated AI’s role in songwriting and competitions on ZJB Radio, focusing on judging fairness, creator ownership, and whether AI-assisted work should be allowed. Food Industry Traceability: A new near-infrared spectroscopy database is being developed to map beans’ chemical fingerprints to geographical origin, supporting stronger verification for premium cacao claims.

Montserrat Arts & Culture: Jo-Annah Richards has been appointed Director of the Montserrat Arts Council, effective Aug 10, after a competitive recruitment process, with a background spanning public policy, law, finance, governance, risk, auditing, and arts administration. Mobile Connectivity: A GSMA report says 5G is set to rise from 10% of Caribbean mobile connections today to 23% by 2030, but warns deployment needs regulatory modernisation, spectrum access, and investment incentives to avoid a widening digital divide. Trade & Manufacturing Inputs: A new U.S. Section 201 safeguard puts a four-year tariff-rate quota on quartz surface products starting Aug 15, with higher over-quota duties possible once quarterly allocations run out—important for importers of countertops and related surfaces. Biotech Production: ARPA-H awarded $26m to GE HealthCare-led FLASH to build scalable, modular cell-free DNA manufacturing, aiming for faster on-demand production for personalised medicines and vaccines. Creative Industries & IP: On ZJB Radio, Montserrat calypso voices debated AI in songwriting and competitions, focusing on judging fairness and protecting creators’ rights. Food Traceability: A QR-linked chocolate traceability push uses chemical fingerprinting to verify cacao origin and sustainability, targeting mislabelling in premium fine-flavour markets. Aviation Business Networking: Hampshire Chamber of Commerce is set to host a behind-the-scenes networking event tied to the Hampshire Air Festival, blending engineering and business connections. Travel Tech: Coverage also notes expanding e-visa options and passport access shifts, including Pakistan’s latest Henley Passport Index ranking. Dark Tourism: A roundup highlights “dark tourism” destinations, including Montserrat, as interest grows in memorial and historical sites.

Arts & Culture Leadership: Jo-Annah Richards is appointed Director of the Montserrat Arts Council, effective Aug 10, bringing public policy, law, finance, audit, risk, and arts administration experience to strengthen MAC’s strategy and cultural-sector growth. Mobile Connectivity & Policy: A GSMA report says 5G is set to reach 23% of Caribbean mobile connections by 2030, but highlights a major investment gap and calls for regulatory modernisation, spectrum access, and incentives to avoid a widening digital divide. Trade & Manufacturing Costs: A new U.S. Section 201 safeguard puts a four-year tariff-rate quota on quartz surface products starting Aug 15, with over-quota safeguard duties that can reach 50%—a direct hit for importers planning countertops and related materials. Biotech Production Funding: ARPA-H awards $26m to GE HealthCare-led FLASH to build scalable, modular cell-free DNA manufacturing, aiming to speed on-demand DNA-based medicines and vaccines. Creative Industries & IP: A ZJB panel on AI and calypso warns that the bigger risks are judging competence, creator rights, and whether AI-assisted songwriting will be allowed fairly. Food Traceability Tech: A QR-code chocolate traceability push links cacao chemical fingerprints to farm origin to fight mislabelling and verify sustainability claims. Business Networking & Aviation: Hampshire Chamber of Commerce lines up a behind-the-scenes networking event tied to an air festival—focused on engineering, innovation, and deal-making. Travel & Mobility Services: Pakistan’s passport access shifts under the Henley index, with e-visa/ETA/VOA options shaping planning for travellers. Tourism Trend (Dark Tourism): A roundup spotlights “dark tourism” destinations, including Montserrat, as visitors chase memorials and sites tied to tragic history.

Arts & Creative Leadership: Jo-Annah Richards has been appointed Director of the Montserrat Arts Council, effective August 10, bringing public policy, law, finance, internal audit, risk management, and arts administration experience. Mobile Connectivity & Investment: A GSMA report says 5G will rise from 10% of Caribbean mobile connections today to 23% by 2030, but warns the region needs regulatory modernisation, spectrum access, and incentives to close a major investment gap. Trade & Manufacturing Inputs: A new U.S. Section 201 safeguard sets a four-year tariff-rate quota on quartz surface products starting August 15, with higher over-quota duties if importers exhaust quarterly allocations—important for countertop and related supply chains. Biotech Production Funding: ARPA-H awarded $26 million to GE HealthCare-led FLASH to build scalable, automated cell-free DNA manufacturing, aiming to speed up on-demand genetic medicines and vaccines. Food Industry Traceability: A Trinidad chocolate project uses QR-linked chemical “fingerprints” to verify bean origin and sustainability, targeting mislabelling in premium fine-flavour markets. Calypso & AI Policy: Montserrat calypso voices on ZJB Radio debated whether AI-assisted songwriting should be allowed, how competitions should judge it, and how creators’ rights should be protected. Aviation Business Networking: Hampshire’s Air Festival is adding a behind-the-scenes business networking event at Thruxton Aerodrome, spotlighting engineering and innovation links.

Arts & Culture Leadership: Jo-Annah Richards has been appointed Director of the Montserrat Arts Council, effective August 10, bringing public-policy, law, internal audit, risk management, and arts administration experience. Mobile Connectivity & Investment: A GSMA Caribbean report says 5G will rise from 10% of connections today to 23% by 2030, but warns the region needs regulatory upgrades, spectrum access, and incentives to close a roughly $1 billion investment gap. Trade & Manufacturing Costs: A new Section 201 safeguard adds a four-year tariff-rate quota on quartz surface products starting August 15, with safeguard duties potentially hitting up to 50% after quarterly quota allocations run out. Biotech Production Funding: ARPA-H awarded $26 million for GE HealthCare-led FLASH, aiming for scalable, modular cell-free DNA manufacturing for faster, on-demand genetic medicines and vaccines. AI, Calypso, and Creator Rights: A ZJB panel urged calypso stakeholders to focus on competition judging, evolving the art, and protecting creators as AI-assisted music grows. Food Traceability Tech: A QR-linked chocolate traceability push uses chemical fingerprinting to verify bean origin and sustainability, targeting mislabelling in premium fine-flavour markets. Fintech Modernisation: Belize Bank announced a six-year digital modernization partnership with Backbase to roll out an AI-native banking platform for retail and business onboarding and cash-flow visibility.

Arts & Creative Sector Leadership: Jo-Annah Richards was appointed Director of the Montserrat Arts Council, effective August 10, bringing public policy, finance, governance, risk and arts administration experience to strengthen MAC’s strategy and cultural-sector push. Mobile & Connectivity Outlook: A new GSMA Caribbean report says 5G will rise from 10% of mobile connections today to 23% by 2030, but warns deployment needs regulatory upgrades, spectrum access and incentives to close a 49% mobile internet usage gap. Trade & Manufacturing Costs: A new U.S. Section 201 safeguard sets a four-year tariff-rate quota on quartz surface products starting August 15, with safeguard duties potentially up to 50% after quarterly quota allocations run out—important for importers planning countertop and tile supply. Biotech Production Funding: ARPA-H awarded up to $26 million for GE HealthCare-led FLASH, aiming to build modular, automated cell-free DNA manufacturing for faster, scalable personalized medicines and vaccines. Food Traceability Innovation: A Trinidad chocolate QR-code system links bars back to cacao origin and farm-level sustainability, using chemical fingerprinting to fight mislabelling and protect premium “bean-to-bar” claims. Fintech in the Caribbean: Finovate Global highlights Belize Bank’s six-year partnership with Backbase to modernize retail and business digital banking with AI-native onboarding and unified cash-flow visibility. Aviation & STEM Networking: Hampshire Air Festival backers announced a behind-the-scenes business networking event at Thruxton Aerodrome (Sept 11) and key sponsorship support, spotlighting engineering and aviation career pathways.