IN a bold move toward regional transformation, Caricom has announced sweeping plans to reform the Caribbean’s telecommunications, trade, and education sectors — changes poised to reshape the region’s economic and social landscape.
The regional body announced major plans to review the consumption of US streaming giant Netflix and US messaging service WhatsApp, owned by Meta, across the Caribbean. Prime minister of Barbados Mia Mottley revealed that Caricom is in the exploratory phase of determining how the region can benefit from the high usage of these platforms, which currently contribute little to no revenue to the Caribbean economy.
“Many of us use WhatsApp, Netflix — all of these things for which there is little to no payment. The reality is that these entities earn as much as US$11.6 billion a year, yet they pay no taxes and make no contribution in any way to the regional economy,” Mottley stated at the closing press conference of the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom on Friday.
Stabroek News
