Caribbean Economics Quarterly: Volume 16, Issue 3: Small Havens, Big Opportunities: How Ready Is the Caribbean for the Digital Era?
Date issued
October 2026
Subject
Artificial Intelligence;
Digital Technology;
Infrastructure Development;
Digital Policy;
Internet;
Digital Transformation;
Digital Health;
Education;
Interoperability
JEL code
O33 - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences • Diffusion Processes;
O40 - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity: General;
O38 - Government Policy;
D24 - Production • Cost • Capital • Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity • Capacity;
H83 - Public Administration • Public Sector Accounting and Audits;
N7 - Transport, Trade, Energy, Technology, and Other Services;
H21 - Efficiency • Optimal Taxation;
L86 - Information and Internet Services • Computer Software;
G28 - Government Policy and Regulation;
I28 - Government Policy
Country
Bahamas;
Barbados;
Guyana;
Jamaica;
Suriname;
Trinidad and Tobago
Category
Catalogs and Brochures
How can the Caribbean harness digital progress to accelerate growth, improve public services, and unlock new opportunities? This edition of the Caribbean Economics Quarterly examines advances in connectivity, digital identification, payments, and secure data exchange across the IDB's six Caribbean member countries: The Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. It assesses how smarter digital systems can strengthen health, education, government, trade, and investment, while underscoring that technology delivers lasting gains only when supported by strong institutions, digital skills, secure systems, and user-centered services. The report also explores how digital nomad programs could attract talent, investment, and longer-stay tourism visitors, helping to boost productivity and economic development. It features detailed country-level assessments of progress implementing digitization.
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