On the sidelines of the IMF annual meetings, the permanent secretary in Saint Lucia's Finance Ministry, Isaac Anthony, discusses remedies to boost tourism to the Caribbean nation and plans to develop it as an offshore financial centre. Writers Jane Monahan and Brian Caplen
The Honduran finance minister tells The Banker that the country is moving towards a period of greater stability following an agreement with the IMF, the first with an international financial institution since elections in the country re-established civilian rule. Interview Brian Caplen and Jane Monahan
Luis Arce, Bolivia's finance ministerSince president Evo Morales took office in Bolivia in 2006, political stability has gone hand-in-hand with a period of robust economic growth. The country's finance minister shares with The Banker how Bolivia has managed to protect itself from the worst of the global economic crisis and spells out plans for future expansion. Writer Jane Monahan
In the process of attempting to win support for regulatory reform within the US banking industry from both Republicans and financial institutions, concerns are being raised that too many concessions are being made, thus limiting the intended impact of the proposals. Writer Jane Monahan
Puerto Rico's dependence on the US meant that the subprime crisis hit its banking sector particularly hard. A period of consolidation is now expected, but who the winners will be - the big domestic players or foreign-owned entities - remains to be seen. Writer Jane Monahan in Puerto Rico
Key country: Brazil is the most important market in Latin America for HSBCHSBC's spectacular expansion in Latin America over the past 10 years has certainly paid dividends, with the group now the fifth largest in the region. Head of HSBC Latin America, Emilson Alonso, offers his views on the business and its strategy for the future. Writer Jane Monahan
Although Mexico's exports and remittances are in decline, its oil production and tourism sectors weakened and unemployment rising, the country's banking industry entered the global crisis in good shape and may be able to provide the credit needed to reactivate the economy. Writer Jane Monahan
Press conference on co-operation between the Latin American development banks (l to r): Enrique Garcia, CAF president; Luis Alberto Moreno, IDB president; Jyrki Koskelo, IFC vice-president for Europe, central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and global financial markets; and Pamela Cox, World Bank vice-president for Latin America and the CaribbeanThe slump in capital markets activity and a decline in cash flow has pushed Latin America's multilateral development banks to prominence as the biggest and most robust lenders in some of the region's principal credit markets. Writer Jane Monahan in Washington, DC
The countries of the Caribbean have so far avoided the worst of the global slowdown, in part due to the region's steadfast regulatory discipline, but also because of the conservative approach adopted by the Canadian banks that dominate the area's financial sector. Writer Jane Monahan
In the US’s multi-layered banking sector, the credit crisis is being felt on all levels. But as the Treasury launches wave after wave of initiatives to protect the larger banks, and the smaller community banks stand firm due to their low exposure to subprime, it is the medium-sized banks that face the greatest threat. Writer Jane Monahan in Washington, DC.