VAT Refund Pressure: Trinidad and Tobago manufacturers are urging urgent action on a VAT refund backlog, saying delayed payments are choking reinvestment, upgrades, training and jobs, with the TTMA ready to work with the Ministry of Finance on both clearing arrears and tightening future timelines. CARICOM Reparations Push: The CARICOM Reparations Commission is set to visit the UK (13–16 July) to build partnerships for public education and civil society engagement on reparatory justice ahead of CHOGM 2026. Suriname Oil Bids: Suriname’s Staatsolie says it has received two new bids for offshore blocks in its open-door offering, with competing proposals due by 4 October 2026, keeping exploration momentum in the Guyana-Suriname basin. Petronas Offshore Discoveries: Petronas announced new hydrocarbon finds in Suriname’s Block 52 (Caiman-1, SAC-1) plus a positive appraisal at Roystonea-2, lifting estimated recoverable resources to over 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Corentyne Bridge Rift: Suriname’s President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons says Guyana was informed in February that Paramaribo would finance the Corentyne River Bridge “go-it-alone,” while Guyana says it will respond only after receiving official correspondence. CARICOM Aid for Cuba: CARICOM’s humanitarian aid package for Cuba has been cleared after repeated sanctions-related banking hurdles, with supplies including baby formula, non-perishables, medical items and solar-related equipment. Forex Priority for Manufacturers: Trinidad and Tobago’s trade minister says local manufacturers should get preferential access to foreign exchange to support domestic production and export growth.