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Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Christopher Sinckler

Eleven Counsellors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will get a first-hand look at some of the local projects that the hemispheric financial institution has funded, when they pay an official visit to Barbados next week.

The Counsellors, drawn from the Caribbean, Europe, North, Central and Latin America, will arrive here on Tuesday, May 10, to begin a hectic schedule which includes a minister’s welcome reception at Hilton Barbados later that day.

The following day, Wednesday, May 11, the delegation will meet with Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Christopher Sinckler, at Government Headquarters.??This will be followed by a visit to the Ministry of Education, to the Edutech Schools at St. Ambrose and St. Andrew’s Primary Schools.?? Later that day, there will be a visit to the South Coast Board Walk and a site visit of Phase II of the Coastal Risk Assessment Project.????

On Thursday, May 12, the Counsellors will visit the Ministry of Housing to get an update on the Housing and Neighbourhood Upgrading Programme (HNUP) and this will be followed by a visit to two sites earmarked for the HNUP Project.?? The team will also visit the Caribbean Development Bank’s Wildey, St. Michael, headquarters, the local IDB Office, at Hastings, Christ Church and the Office of the Attorney General, where they will be updated on the Justice Improvement Programme.

The official visit will culminate with a meeting with representatives of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry, at their Deighton Road, St. Michael headquarters followed by a call on Leader of the Opposition, Owen Arthur, at Parliament Buildings.

Established in 1959, the IDB is the largest source of development financing for 26 Latin America and the Caribbean countries.?? Besides loans, the bank also makes available grants and technical assistance to its members as well as to civil society organisations.

Over the years, the IDB has provided development funding for a number of government projects and programmes here.?? Recent projects include the Water and Sanitation Systems Upgrade, an Agriculture Health and Food Control Programme; and the modernisation of the following: the Barbados National Procurement System; the Barbados Statistical Service; the Department of Customs, Excise and VAT; and the Barbados National Standards Institution.

jwilson@barbados.gov.bb

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