Strengthening Regional Ties: Republic Bank Advances Intra-Regional Trade Dialogue with Focus on Suriname

Port of Spain, Trinidad, May 2, 2025: As trade relations continue to evolve globally, over 100 representatives from the local private and public sectors gathered at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad to gain greater insight into fostering improved commercial ties between Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname. Business executives, entrepreneurs, and public officials were among the many participants in attendance at the “Leveraging Relations for Enhanced Intra-Regional Trade – Doing Business in Suriname” workshop which was hosted by Republic Bank on Friday, May 2, 2025. It is the second iteration in a series of trade development workshops, which was first launched in April with a focus on Doing Business in Guyana.

Businesses in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean continue to face uncertainty as a result of shifting geopolitical alliances, supply chain volatility, and inflationary pressures in the global economy. Fortuitously, Republic Bank has launched its “Leveraging Relations for Enhanced Intra-Regional Trade” workshop series with the aim of offering business clients strategic support, new avenues for competitiveness and growth through regional expansion.

This latest instalment, themed “Doing Business in Suriname”, provided participants with practical insights on Suriname’s economic climate, legal framework, banking infrastructure, and tax considerations. The workshop also sought to equip businesses with the knowledge and tools required to establish successful operations in the market. Among featured speakers at the event were Kimberly Schreuders. Executive Director Tax, EY; Annand Jagesar, Managing Director, Staatsolie Suriname; Hans Lim-a-Po, Jr, Managing Director, Lim-a-Po Law Firm; and Brian Alleyne, Managing Director, Republic Bank (Suriname).

Delivering opening remarks at the event, P.Vic Salickram, Vice President, Republic Bank shared “This event comes at a defining moment for our region in the Caribbean, we are not powerless—we are purposeful. If we are to build a stronger, more self-reliant Caribbean, we must act with intention. We must invest in one another and recognise that true prosperity comes not from competition, but collaboration.”

Aligned with the Bank’s wider vision for regional sustainability and inclusive growth, the workshop also explored opportunities in sectors such as energy, agriculture, logistics, and tourism. It reaffirmed Republic Bank’s commitment to supporting not just financial transactions but also enterprise development and cross-border partnerships. Republic Bank’s General Manager, Corporate and Investment Banking, Riah Dass-Mungal expounded “Our success is measured not just in financial transactions, but by the opportunities we help to create, the businesses we help to grow, and the communities we help to empower. We are not just your bankers—we are your partners in development, and we stand ready to support your ambitions in Suriname and beyond.”

The “Leveraging Relations for Enhanced Intra-Regional Trade” series is the beginning of a broader programme of engagements designed to strengthen commercial links across Republic Bank’s operational footprint of 16 territories, which include Suriname, the Eastern Caribbean, Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, and Ghana.