Slowly but surely, the Caribbean is emerging from a long and painful recession. The president of the Caribbean Development Bank, Warren Smith, explains how diversifying the region's economy beyond tourism and establishing a renewable energy sector will help protect against future crises.
The financial crisis hit the Caribbean hard, with the region only recently starting to recover. Now that the worst is over, the president of the Caribbean Development Bank is looking to build a more sustainable future, encouraging projects that minimise the effects of natural disasters and develop the region's renewable energy potential.
With an average GDP per capita higher than any other country in Central and South America, Trinidad and Tobago has built its economic might on the back of its oil and gas resources. However, the Caribbean country is now looking to diversify its economy, and key to this is the establishment of an IFC.
Bank earnings across the Caribbean are down, as the region's lenders continue to struggle against a difficult economic backdrop. But there are still some bright spots, with a handful of banks managing to boost their asset base and retain impressive profitability.
Banks in Trinidad and Tobago are enjoying economic stability to make them the envy of many of their regional counterparts. And in the midst of all this optimism, there is still room for growth in credit cards, mortgages and wealth management. Monica Campbell reports from Port of Spain.