6 digital business priorities for the UNC

Trinidad and Tobago has ushered in a new government led by the United National Congress (UNC). With this change in leadership, there’s renewed hope that we can start tackling some of the deep-rooted issues holding back our economy, particularly when it comes to digital transformation.

This column isn’t just for the policymakers. It’s also meant to plant seeds in the minds of everyday citizens – so we can all begin to understand what’s happening in the world, what’s possible and what we should be striving for as a modern Caribbean nation.

Here are six digital priorities the new government should take immediate action on if they’re serious about building a future-ready TT.

1. Give citizens full access to US$ they earn

One of the most pressing issues in the digital economy is the inability for individuals and businesses to access the US dollars they generate.

Right now, even if you earn your own US currency and deposit it into a local US$ account, there are caps and limitations on what you can do with that money, as we know, we don’t get the ability to access the US$ in our accounts, even if we generated it on our own.

This forces many entrepreneurs and service providers to park their money in foreign accounts, just to stay operational.

The new government needs to work with the banking sector to ensure that anyone who generates their own US$ can freely access those funds through debit cards and digital wallets without any limitation. If you generated the funds yourself, you should have full access to those funds, even if not in physical cash.

This would encourage repatriation of funds and restore trust in the local banking system.

3. Aggressively upskill the nation – especially people over 40

Digital transformation means nothing if our people aren't equipped to participate in it.

Once a tech roadmap is in place, we need a national skills audit followed by the creation of targeted learning paths for both youth and adults.

In particular, we can no longer ignore the over-40 demographic. Many are in industries that are becoming obsolete.

We need an upskilling campaign tailored to them, just like Singapore has done successfully, so they can transition into new, future-proof careers.

Partner with international institutions. Make programmes accessible. Empower the people.

Take a long hard look at the Singaporean Skills Future Level-Up Programme that targets people over the age of 40 and use that as a blueprint for what needs to be done in TT.

4. Modernise regional trade with seamless, currency-free payments

Doing business across Caricom remains unnecessarily complex.

Most cross-border payments still have to route through US banks, which adds cost, delay and dependency.

In Asia, countries have solved this with the Regional Payment Connectivity initiative.

It links their domestic payment systems – QR codes, mobile wallets and bank transfers – so member countries can trade in their own currencies without needing US$.

This is the critical piece the Caribbean must understand – we can bypass the US$ and still conduct efficient, secure regional trade.

That shift alone would unlock billions in intra-regional commerce and reduce our dependency on external financial systems.

The new UNC government has an opportunity to lead this charge.

It’s time to build a Caribbean-wide payment system that puts our region first.

5. Push forward a national work-from-home policy

The previous government began developing a remote work policy for the public sector, with a pilot project launched in late 2024 and a final policy expected by year-end.

Now that the UNC is in office, it’s time to build on that momentum and make this a national priority.

A formal work-from-home policy could ease TT’s crippling traffic, reduce commuting stress and align us with global work trends.

It also helps prepare our workforce – public and private – for the future of work.

The groundwork has been laid. What we need now is urgency and execution.

6. Rebuild trust in our systems

One of the biggest reasons we are hesitant to embrace local digital solutions isn’t a lack of tech knowledge – it’s a lack of trust.

We know how to use the tools. We use them abroad with ease. But at home, people worry that if something goes wrong, they’ll be ignored or mistreated by customer service.

This distrust discourages digital adoption across the board.

The UNC government must lead by example and hold institutions accountable.

Streamlined tech means nothing if people don’t trust it’ll work – or that someone will help if it doesn’t.

Final thoughts

This new administration has the opportunity to do more than govern – they can lead a digital renaissance in TT.

That requires bold action, public-private collaboration and a deep commitment to transparency and innovation.

If we get it right, we won’t just catch up – we’ll lead the region.

Keron Rose is a digital strategist who works with Caribbean entrepreneurs on building their digital presence and monetising their platforms.

Learn more at KeronRose.com or check out the Digipreneur FM podcast on Apple Podcast/Spotify/YouTube.