nancy thomas said: | 4 May 2010, 6:07 AM

Throughout the region, countries adopted a conservative monetary stance in order to defend the parity of their currency. Rising interest rates on international capital markets,increasing fiscal deficits in some cases and the effects of rising oil prices on the current account and on inflation prompted the authorities to adopt this policy. The current account position deteriorated for all economies (-9% and –17% of GDP in 2004 and 2005) with the exception of Belize, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. Statistics indicate that the overall poverty conditions of the BVI were relatively adequate, yet poverty among the immigrant population, single parent families and senior citizens is beginning to emerge. As an immediate concern, the government needs an adequate policy framework that focuses on the speicfic areas of poverty.