BIS central bankers’ speeches  1  And what about our regional economies, which account for the bulk of the remainder of our exports? They are also facing fiscal and debt challenges, while economic growth continues to suffer from the impact of sluggish tourism activity, a sharp decline in workers’ remittances and the slump in direct investment flows.
Already in 2011, two Caribbean countries have signed new arrangements with the IMF, and three countries – The Bahamas, Barbados and Jamaica, have been downgraded by rating agencies. The Caribbean region is projected to grow modestly at around 3 per cent in 2012, with Guyana and Suriname being the only countries showing robust growth.