A high-powered team led by THA Chief Secretary Orville London will meet with Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) President Luis Alberto Moreno tomorrow ( Wednesday 9th February 2011) to discuss possible assistance to Tobago from the bank.

London met with IDB country representative Iwan Sewberath Misser last month in preparation for Moreno’s visit. London described the discussions at this meeting as very interesting. He said coming out of that discussion was not just the realisation but the confirmation that it was possible for there to be the kind of relationship between the IDB and the Assembly that can bring direct benefits to Tobago.

The THA Chief Secretary the Assembly team will be discussing the areas of concern and the areas where the Assembly believed that it needed assistance from the IDB and to see how whether it can work out some programmes which can be funded to the benefit of the people of Tobago.

London said he was looking forward to the meeting at the Coco Reef Resort, adding that “we were highly appreciative of the fact that the IDB thought that it was necessary for them to come to Tobago and have special discussion with the Assembly so that the nuances that might only be known to those of us involved in the process – that those nuances could be put on the table and maybe various measures taken to assist the process in some way.”

The THA Chief Secretary will be accompanied by Deputy Chief Secretary Hilton Sandy and Finance Secretary Dr Anselm London while the IDB President will be accompanied by Alternate Executive Director – Caribbean Kurt Kisto, Manager for the Caribbean Region Gerard Johnson and Misser.

The IDB representatives will also meet with the private sector before returning to Port of Spain for another round of meeting with government.