WILLEMSTAD, PHILIPSBURG - The Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) hosted the 65th Bi-Annual Meeting of the CARICOM Central Bank Governors on November 13–14, 2025, at the Renaissance Hotel. Chaired by CBCS President Richard Doornbosch, the meeting brought together governors from eleven Caribbean jurisdictions to discuss regional economic developments and strengthen the resilience of the Caribbean’s financial systems. The central theme, “Resilience through Transformation”, guided deliberations on the global challenges including those posed by climate risk.
On November 13, the CBCS hosted the 38th Adlith Brown Memorial Lecture - a highlight of the 56th Annual Monetary Studies Conference (AMSC). This year’s keynote speaker was Jeanette Semeleer, President of the Centrale Bank van Aruba. In her address, titled “Aruba, From Isla Inutil to Isla Innovativo” Mrs. Semeleer drew on Aruba’s experience with external shocks to emphasize that true economic resilience is not merely bouncing back, but also bouncing forward.
Governors underscored the importance of developing green finance taxonomies and outlined the key steps toward establishing a Regional Green Financial Taxonomy. As part of this initiative, the World Bank/IFC and CARICOM will engage stakeholders, including financial institutions, regulators, and supervisory bodies, to ensure that the taxonomy reflects the region’s specific needs and context.
The Governors agreed to move beyond the proof of concept of the CARICOM Payment and Settlement System (CAPSS) by starting a pilot involving The Bahamas, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and the ECCU as participating jurisdictions. CAPSS is being designed to deliver instant local currency payments across participating CARICOM countries.
They also highlighted the potential of digital innovation, particularly fast payment systems and digital payments, to advance financial inclusion, improve efficiency, and facilitate cross-border.
Governors: Mrs. Jeanette Semeleer (Centrale Bank van Aruba), Dr. John Rolle (Central Bank of The Bahamas), Dr. Kevin Greenidge (Central Bank of Barbados), Mr. Kareem Michael (Central Bank of Belize), Mr. Richard Doornbosch (Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten), Dr. Timothy Antoine (Eastern Caribbean Central Bank), Dr. Gobind Ganga (Bank of Guyana), Mr. Ronald Gabriel (Banque de la République d’Haïti), Mr. Richard Byles (Bank of Jamaica), Mr. Maurice Roemer (Centrale Bank van Suriname), Mr. Larry Howai (Central Bank of Trinidad & Tobago).
