In this episode of Caribbean Business Review, we sit down with Wayne Chen, President of the Jamaica Employers Federation and President of the Caribbean Employers Confederation, to examine the structural constraints shaping labour markets across the Caribbean.

Despite declining unemployment in several economies, businesses continue to face labour shortages, productivity constraints, and widening skills gaps. At the same time, migration, demographic pressures, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence are reshaping workforce dynamics across the region.

This episode also features the CBR Briefing: “Rigid Labour — Who Pays When Economies Adjust?”
We explore how labour market rigidities, redundancy frameworks, and policy fragmentation determine how adjustment costs are distributed across businesses, workers, consumers, and the wider economy. The discussion draws on recent regional developments, including Trinidad and Tobago’s 2026 redundancy reforms, as a case study of how labour regulation influences business behaviour and economic outcomes.

🔍 In this episode:

• Labour market rigidities and competitiveness in the Caribbean
• Skills gaps and education system alignment

• Migration, demographics, and workforce pressures
• AI and the future of work in small economies
• Redundancy laws and economic adjustment costs
• Policy priorities for labour mobility and productivity

📊 Why this matters

Labour markets sit at the centre of economic adjustment.How policies are designed will determine whether economies adapt efficiently—or absorb prolonged structural constraints.

This is a critical discussion for policymakers, business leaders, and anyone focused on the future of Caribbean economies.

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