Research & Writing
A running archive of long-form writing, academic work, and press commentary. Filter by theme below.
Everyone confidently claims to offer foresight, despite relying on lagging data. Corporate profits, GDP figures, and “the economy feels fine” headlines usually arrive after markets have already moved. If you’re trying to understand risk before it shows up in your portfolio, you need a weekly checklist centred
On January 3, 2026, the United States launched a large-scale operation in Venezuela. President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were kidnapped or captured (depends on your lens), with U.S. officials saying Maduro would face U.S. charges and that the U.S. would “run” Venezuela during a transition.
Three central banks, three slightly different stories: The US Federal Reserve has just cut rates again, taking the federal funds rate down to 3.5–3.75 per cent. Inflation is running at roughly 3 per cent, core PCE is in the high-2s, unemployment has drifted up to about 4.5 per cent.
Over the past quarter, the US agreed to purchase a 9.9% stake in Intel as part of a CHIPS-linked package, with additional options tied to programme milestones. The Department of Defence committed to a convertible-preferred and warrant package in MP Materials that, if fully converted and exercised, would equate.
The recent wildfires in Los Angeles have left a trail of destruction that’s hard to put into words. Over 23,700 acres burned, more than 12,300 structures destroyed, and thousands of families displaced. It’s a story of heartbreak, resilience, and daunting economic challenges.
In today’s fast-paced, competitive business environment, data has emerged as a company’s most valuable asset. The ability to analyse and interpret data has transformed how businesses operate, strategise, and grow. With the rise of big data, companies now have access to unprecedented amounts of information.
Barbados faces a critical population challenge that threatens its economic stability, social fabric, and long-term sustainability. Over the past few decades, the island nation has seen a significant decline in its population, coupled with an ageing demographic that presents complex challenges.
Barbados faces significant demographic challenges, including a declining population, as highlighted by the 2021 Population and Housing Census. A multi-faceted approach is required to address these challenges, focusing on supporting pregnant women and mothers and incentivising childbirth through various policies that have proven effective in other countries.
The turn of the 21st century marked significant economic challenges and opportunities for Barbados, necessitating strategic decisions that have significantly shaped its economic landscape. Among these, the Barbados National Bank (BNB) sale to Republic Bank Limited (RBTT) in 2003 and substantial investments in tourism infrastructure.
In the era of the information revolution, data has emerged as a crucial asset for decision-making. The relevance of data collection, analysis, and utilisation is particularly pronounced in developing countries and small island developing states, where it can be a game-changer in addressing unique developmental challenges.
In an ever-shifting global environment, the ability to discern and accommodate emerging currents is not merely advantageous but paramount for the endurance and prosperity of enterprises and countries. This holds particularly true in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), a technology reshaping sectors and national economies.
In this pivotal age where climatic flux constitutes a dire peril to our natural and economic terrains, monetary governance and ecological prudence have ascended to unparalleled prominence. Strategic fiscal tools can carve beneficial environmental impacts and bolster against climatological fiscal perils.
The Caribbean’s economic resurgence after the pandemic has undeniably garnered commendation. However, with the global economic landscape growing increasingly intricate, the region, inclusive of Barbados, now confronts fresh trials. The United States, United Kingdom, and European markets, serving as principal reservoirs of tourism, investment, and trade.
In a world where economic tides turn swiftly, the financial health of Americans has become a litmus test for the robustness of the global economic order. As we navigate through the labyrinth of the 21st-century economy, marked by its mercurial nature, understanding the key indicators of financial health.
Delving into the delicate equilibrium of American fiscal affairs is to navigate a precarious economic stratum of indebtedness and savings. The ensuing examination casts a stark light upon the disturbing patterns of savings deficit, debt accumulation, and economic vulnerability permeating U.S. households.
The spectre of colonialism continues to loom over many nations, casting a shadow that stretches from the plains of Africa to the islands of the Caribbean and the diverse landscapes of Latin America. It’s a past woven with the threads of subjugation and exploitation.
To achieve consistent and sustainable economic growth, Barbados and other Caribbean countries could adopt a multifaceted approach that carefully balances capital and infrastructure projects with the country’s financial constraints and the need to manage debt prudently. Short-term Tourism Enhancement Immediately boost the tourism sector by upgrading tourism infrastructure.
A Collective Endeavour: In the Caribbean, where each island is woven into a vibrant mosaic of cultures and histories, there lies a unified commitment to the workforce. This article reflects upon this crucial subject of protecting workers’ common interests across our region.
Join us in changing the way workers rights are being represented in Barbados. Vote on April 1st 2015.
PhD Thesis
In progress — UWI Cave Hill.
An empirical investigation of how inequality shapes — and is shaped by — the growth trajectories of small island developing states, with an emphasis on the Caribbean. Expected completion: to be confirmed.
Weekly column
A short weekly dispatch on what's moving in Caribbean economies, fiscal policy, and the long view. Written plain enough for the general reader, substantive enough to be useful to the practitioner.
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