Trinidad and Tobago finance minister Larry Howai tells Silvia Pavoni about his plans for the country's international finance centre, and explains why its improving legislative framework and educated workforce make the country stand out from its Caribbean peers.
The governor of Trinidad and Tobago's central bank, Jwala Rambarran, has overseen a hectic period in which the country has considerably tightened its supervision procedures, sought to clarify the role of its international finance centre and developed its capital markets. He tells Silvia Pavoni how improving financial inclusion is his next priority.
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.
South Africa's lenders, for so long the shining light in Africa's representation in The Banker's Top 1000 rankings, retain the top spots in the regional list but mostly with falls in their Tier 1 capital. The good news, however, comes from the direction of Morocco's financial institutions.