Barbados Prime Minister to meet with IMF and World Bank

Freundel Stuart’s packed schedule is also expected to include an address to a major think tank.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Wednesday April 04, 2012 – Prime Minister Freundel Stuart is expected to discuss the state of the Barbados economy when he meets with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank in Washington this month.

The Stuart administration is grappling with a growing fiscal deficit, significant unemployment and foreign and domestic debt, all of which could result in the downgrading of the country’s investment grade rating to junk bond status by rating agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s.

During the April 21-26 visit, Stuart will also address the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States, the International Conservation Caucus Foundation, and will open a symposium of the Caribbean Sea Commission.

Additionally, he will meet with Barbadian nationals in the United States capital.  A key session will be a town hall-style meeting on April 22 at the Church of the Holy Comforter in Washington.  Scores of Barbadians are expected to attend this meeting to hear Stuart’s address and put questions to the prime minister about the state of the economy.

Stuart’s packed schedule is also expected to include an address to a major think tank.

His Washington visit will follow the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, to be attended by United States President Barack Obama, Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper and a host of Caribbean and Latin American heads of government.  Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)