Tobago will be represented at the 2019 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) later this week.

Secretary of Finance and the Economy Joel Jack will be among the national delegation headed to the April 12-14 meetings in Washington DC, USA. During Wednesday’s (April 3) post Executive Council media briefing at the Victor E Bruce Financial Complex, Jack said the meetings are timely for this country.

“In addition to participating in a number of important meetings,” the Finance Secretary said, “we will be seeking to address a number of issues ahead of our preparation for [the] annual Article IV consultation by the IMF later in the year…. [We will also have] ongoing meetings with Moody’s ahead of our credit rating exercise, and seek out technical assistance and other meetings with various agencies of the World Bank.”

Jack also announced his Division and the Ministry of Finance are making progress in their efforts to enable the Tobago House of Assembly to seek its own financing.

“We are… near the end of the road where we will be achieving for the first time where the Assembly will be able to raise finances on the open market,” he said.

The Secretary said he hopes to have an update on the issue by the end of next month.