Caricom seeks international funding

CARICOM leaders say they will be looking to international financial institutions to provide greater access to funding to help them deal with the effects of the financial crisis.



The leaders were speaking during the just concluded first quarter summit in Belize.



Prime Minister of Belize Dean Barrow, the current chairman, said the region\'s case will be taken to the next annual meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).



Heads of some financial institutions will also be invited to the CARICOM summit in July in Guyana.



According to Mr. Barrow there is this urgent need for additional funds to be freed up to enable the region to cope with the financial downturn.



The heads of government are also awaiting the report of a task force on how the region should mount a coordinated response to the crisis.