Prime Minister Bruce Golding has called for special differential treatment for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the development process, in access to loans, and the terms, conditions and costs of these loans.
"Some countries need debt write off and it has been proven what can be done when debt forgiveness is handled properly', Mr. Golding told yesterday's (Dec 7) opening of the 5th Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management, at the Rose Hall Resort and Spa in Montego Bay.
Mr. Golding said the catastrophic effect of disasters on the SIDS must never be under estimated. He cited Grenada as an example of an economy which had been showing significant growth built up over a 10 year period which was all destroyed in just 2 hours by Hurricane Ivan. He appealed to the developed world to carve out some special arrangement for the SIDS because they are subject to natural disasters, some of which are created by what the industrialized world has done to the ecology. More >>>
