TRINIDAD-Unit Trust records over one billion dollars in investment income last year.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC -The executive director of the Trinidad and Tobago United Trust Corporation (UTC), Nigel Edwards, said on Wednesday that despite the global uncertainties, the financial institution recorded total investment income of TT$1.3 billion (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents).

Addressing the 44th annual general meeting in San Fernando, south of here, Edwards said that distributions to unit holders grew by 33 percent to TT$659.9 million.

“Both our TT Dollar Income Fund and US Dollar Income Fund increased distributions by 36 percent, and both of those funds also posted robust growth, reaffirming strong and expanding investor confidence.

“These results are very encouraging, and they reflect our focus on consistency of our investment approach and the strength of our operations,” he added.

The UTC executive director said that one of the financial institution’s achievements last year was the continued strengthening of its regional operations.

“Our Jamaican funds offered with our joint venture partner, Greece Kennedy, continue to perform competitively during the year, reflecting growing investor confidence and disciplined management.

“At the same time, UTC GBFL continued expanding its presence across the Eastern Caribbean. During 2025, UTC GBFL extended operations into Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Dominica, while Antigua and Barbuda joined the UTC GBFL network in January of 2026.”

Edwards said the fund now operates across six Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) member states, including St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“What is particularly encouraging is that this expansion has occurred alongside strong investment performance. In 2024, GBFL generated returns of 12.76 percent in its first full year of operations.

“In 2025, it followed that up by delivering a further return of 8.73 percent, bringing cumulative returns since inception in November 2023 to just about 25 percent,” Edwards said, telling shareholders, “those are strong results, but equally important is what they represent institutionally.

Operating successfully across multiple jurisdictions requires disciplined governance, robust operational systems, careful risk management, and the ability to adapt effectively to diverse regulatory and economic environments.

“While our regional work continues to expand, UTC remains committed to supporting development right here at home,” he said.

Edwards told shareholders that global markets continued to adjust to shifting interest rates, changing capital flows, geopolitical tensions, and uneven investor sentiment across all sectors.

But he said one bright spot had been the decline in inflation, which had eased in some major economies, even as “uncertainty remained a defining feature of the international landscape”.

He said that regional economies showed resilience, with tourism activity remaining strong and energy markets finding greater stability.

Edwards, an experienced finance executive, said that business activity across the Caribbean continued to move forward despite ongoing external pressures.

“At UTC, we approached the year with care and confidence, knowing from experience that even in uncertain times, there are opportunities for those who are disciplined and prepared.”

He said that the UTC, which officially commenced operations in November 1982, had last year recorded figures that represented stability, long-term planning, and real opportunities for wealth creation and financial security.

“We understand that every investment decision that our unit holders make is tied to real goals and real responsibilities. Some of our unit holders are planning for retirement, education, their families, and their futures. We never lose sight of that responsibility, and that is what continues to shape every strategic decision that we make as an institution.”

He said a significant development during the year involved amending the Price Guarantee Provision applicable to new subscriptions issued under the Growth and Income Fund starting on February 2 of this year.

Edwards said that the Price Guarantee was introduced back in 1985, during a very different phase of the development of Trinidad and Tobago’s investment landscape.

“At that time, it played a significant role in encouraging participation in what was then a fledgling domestic capital market, and in strengthening investor confidence in this brand-new vehicle that was the unit trust model.

“Four decades later, though, the market has matured considerably, and so have investor expectations and market structures. We are now aiming to strike a balance between preserving trust and responsibly adapting to modern market realities.”

Edwards said that a standout achievement in 2025 was the successful completion of the Calypso Macro Index Fund, which he described as “one of UTC’s groundbreaking offerings”.

He said that the Calypso Macro Index Fund was designed to provide local investors with structured exposure to a diversified pool of local equities paired with international equity stocks within a single investment vehicle.

“The objective was to allow local investors to own a part of the Trinidad and Tobago economy in one investment vehicle. That approach broadened access to diversification opportunities that were not widely available in the domestic market at that time.”

Edwards said that over its 10-year lifecycle, the fund’s net asset value increased from TT$24.82 at inception to TT$27.50 at maturity, representing an overall gain of approximately 11 percent.

He said that, compared to the movement in the composite index over that same period, minus 18, it outperformed equities by only 29 percentage points.

Edwards said that last year, the Scale-Up TT program continued advancing its mandate of business acceleration and structured mentorship for entrepreneurs. He said the inaugural Scale-Up Expo held here created additional opportunities for participants to showcase their products and their services to the wider public.

“Strong entrepreneurial ecosystems contribute to stronger economies, stronger businesses, and a stronger investment environment over time. And UTC remains proud to support initiatives that encourage sustainable growth and innovation in Trinidad and Tobago.”

Edwards said that as the UTS prepares for the future, technology and digital transformation remain important priorities for the corporation, adding, “Our unit holders increasingly expect financial services to be more responsive, more accessible, more convenient, and rightly so.”