CARIBPR WIRE, KINGSTON, Jamaica, Feb. 19, 2025: ibex (NASDAQ: IBEX), a leading global provider of business process outsourcing (BPO) and AI-powered customer engagement technology solutions, recently hosted its third iGrow with ibex event in Jamaica, celebrating employee achievements and fostering career growth within the organization. The event, a cornerstone of ibex’s talent development strategy, recognized the 89 Jamaican team members who earned promotions over the past two quarters, highlighting the company’s commitment to nurturing talent from within.

iGrow with ibex is a recognition program designed to empower employees, drive employee development and engagement, and build a robust leadership pipeline. The event provides employees with opportunities to connect with leaders, participate in career pathing discussions, and learn about future career opportunities within the company. This year’s event also celebrated two standout employees: the longest-tenured team member and the most promoted individual at ibex Jamaica, both of whom exemplify the company’s culture of career acceleration.

“At ibex, we believe that our people are our greatest asset,” said Phil Taylor, Senior Vice President and Country Manager for ibex Jamaica. “iGrow with ibex is a testament to our commitment to fostering a culture of growth and opportunity. By investing in our employees’ development, we ensure that ibex remains a place where talent thrives and where future leaders are born.”

The event, led by ibex’s Talent Mobility team, reinforces the company’s focus on internal mobility as a key differentiator. Through initiatives like iGrow with ibex, ibex Jamaica continues to strengthen its foundation by identifying, developing, and elevating talent from within. This approach enhances employee engagement while supporting the company’s ability to scale effectively.

As ibex Jamaica looks to the future, programs like iGrow with ibex will remain central to its mission of creating a workplace where employees can grow, succeed, and achieve their career aspirations.

About ibex
ibex delivers innovative business process outsourcing (BPO), smart digital marketing, online acquisition technology, and end-to-end customer engagement solutions to help companies acquire, engage and retain valuable customers. Today, ibex operates a global CX delivery center model consisting of approximately 30 operations facilities around the world, while deploying next generation technology to drive superior customer experiences for many of the world’s leading companies across retail, e-commerce, healthcare, fintech, utilities and logistics.

ibex leverages its diverse global team of over 30,000 employees together with industry-leading technology, including the AI-powered ibex Wave iX solutions suite, to manage nearly 175 million critical customer interactions, adding over $2.2B in lifetime customer revenue each year and driving a truly differentiated customer experience. To learn more, visit our website at ibex.co and connect with us on LinkedIn.

News Americas, New York, NY, February 19, 2025: A high-level probe into the missing $12 million investment of Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt has revealed that a significant portion of his funds never made it into his account at Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL).

Jamaican Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt, seen here during a photo session as he launches a new brand of electric scooters named “Bolt” in Paris, on May 15, 2019, has lost millions to fraud in Jamaica.

According to Nationwide News Network (NNN), forensic investigators – including UK-based Kroll Associates – discovered that Bolt’s principal investment was stolen before ever reaching SSL, exposing a deeper level of fraud than previously suspected.

Reports indicate that Bolt’s management team was deceived with falsified invoices and account statements, allegedly sent by Jean-Ann Panton, the former SSL employee now facing multiple fraud charges. These fabricated documents misled Bolt’s team into believing that his investment was secure and growing, when in reality, the funds had been siphoned off before being deposited into an SSL account.

The revelation casts doubt on Bolt’s chances of recovering his money, as investigators now question the full extent of the scheme and the likelihood of restitution.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) is still awaiting further documentation from the Financial Investigations Division (FID) to determine whether additional individuals from SSL will face criminal charges. These documents are expected to provide crucial evidence in assessing the depth of the fraud and identifying other possible perpetrators.

Jean-Ann Panton, who has allegedly confessed to orchestrating fraudulent activities at SSL for years, remains before the court. Following the scandal, Bolt dismissed a member of his management team who was responsible for overseeing his SSL investments.

In a recent appearance on the podcast ‘The Fix’, Bolt voiced his frustration with the slow progress of the investigation, urging the Jamaican Government to take greater action in facilitating the return of his missing funds.

With these latest findings, Bolt’s fight to reclaim his stolen millions remains uncertain, as authorities and investigators continue to unravel the full scope of the fraud.

News Americas, New York, NY, Fri. Feb. 21, 2025: As the Donald Trump administration dials back on renewable energy and restored sanctions on Cuba, the Caribbean nation is ramping up efforts to combat its crippling power outages by expanding its renewable energy sector, aiming to install 55 solar parks by the end of the year to generate 1,200 megawatts of electricity. The move is expected to increase Cuba’s renewable energy output from 5% to 12% as the country struggles with an aging power infrastructure and fuel shortages.

View of a solar panel field in Havana, taken on February 21, 2025. Cuba on Friday unveiled a new solar-powered electricity park in the capital Havana, the first in an ambitious project to alleviate the communist island’s increasingly desperate struggle with power blackouts. (Photo by YAMIL LAGE / AFP) (Photo by YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)

The first of these solar parks, developed in collaboration with China, went online last Friday, with another set to follow next week. President Miguel Díaz-Canel praised the new facility, calling it “a beauty” and highlighting its role in reducing daytime blackouts in Havana.

Cuba’s electricity crisis stems from its outdated thermoelectric plants, many in operation since the 1980s and 1990s, frequent breakdowns, and reliance on Venezuelan oil. The country has also leased floating power plants from Turkey and uses generators fueled by crude oil -which it struggles to afford – to supplement supply.

Earlier this month, schools and businesses were forced to close for two days as electricity supply fell to half of national demand. By 2030, Cuba aims to generate over a third of its electricity from renewable sources like solar.

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News Americas, New York, NY, February 24, 2025: Spanish hotel giant Palladium Hotel Group is making a major investment in Jamaica, with a massive €500 million, (J$85 billion), expansion project set to transform the island’s tourism landscape. The development, which will add 950 new luxury rooms and 600 houses for tourism workers, was hailed by the country’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, as a resounding vote of confidence in Jamaica’s economy and the government’s ASPIRE growth agenda.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony in Hanover, Jamaica recently, Holness underscored the strategic importance of the project, noting that it reflects Jamaica’s economic resilience and attractiveness to foreign investors.

“For the past decade, Jamaica has focused on fiscal consolidation and debt reduction. The scale and speed of our economic turnaround have no parallel among developing nations. The fact that Spain’s Palladium Hotel Group is investing at this level is a strong endorsement of Jamaica’s stability and potential,” Holness said.

Spain’s Continued Investment in Jamaica’s Tourism Industry

The Palladium Hotel Group has been a key player in Jamaica’s thriving tourism industry, and this expansion further solidifies Spain’s deep-rooted investment in the island. Holness extended gratitude to the Spanish government and investors, highlighting Spain’s €2 billion portfolio in Jamaica’s tourism sector.

The expansion will not only increase Jamaica’s hotel capacity but also contribute significantly to local job creation and economic linkages. Minister of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett emphasized that every major tourism investment must now include housing and integration with the local economy, ensuring that Jamaicans benefit directly from the sector’s growth.

The expansion will introduce a state-of-the-art convention center capable of hosting over 1,000 guests, positioning Jamaica as a top destination for business and leisure tourism. Additionally, the development will feature:

Sustainable and energy-efficient building designs
Educational initiatives and skill development programs for local residents
Enhanced tourism experiences with a focus on high-end hospitality

President of the Palladium Hotel Group, Abel Matutes Prats, expressed excitement about the project and its potential impact on Jamaica’s economy and global tourism appeal. As Jamaica continues to attract multi-billion-dollar investments in tourism, this historic expansion by a leading Spanish hotel group reaffirms the island’s growing prominence in the global travel industry.