The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago reported that Governor Larry Howai, accompanied by the Deputy Governor, the Board and senior management, held a high-level engagement with Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and Assembly members in Scarborough. The discussions covered Tobago’s economic priorities and reaffirmed plans for deeper institutional collaboration, including support to strengthen THA analytical capacity. The meeting addressed financial literacy, digital payments modernisation, the macroeconomic outlook and foreign exchange developments, while noting the distinct nature of Tobago’s micro-economy. The Bank signalled readiness to provide continued research and statistical support to help the THA improve economic modelling and address data gaps, and explored potential collaboration linked to the Inter-American Development Bank’s small and medium-sized enterprise loan facility. A central outcome was renewed alignment between the Bank’s National Financial Literacy Programme and the THA’s Financial Literacy Secretariat, with the re-establishment of the National Financial Education Committee on the agenda. The THA confirmed its support for the Bank’s ongoing public consultation on the draft Payment Systems and Services Bill and accompanying regulations, with an in-person Tobago consultation session scheduled for May. The Bank also briefed the Assembly on priorities for the next six to twelve months, including rollout of its 2026–2031 strategic plan, preparations for Series 2026 TTD 100 banknotes bearing the new Coat of Arms due in August 2026, AML and supervisory compliance developments, and a Supervisory Technology pilot.

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