KINGSTON, Jamaica — International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director, Christine Lagarde, arrived in the island yesterday for the sixth IMF High Level Caribbean Forum.

She was met at the Norman Manley International Airport by a welcome party headed by

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Audley Shaw, and which included Ambassador for Economic Affairs, Dr Nigel Clarke; IMF Division Chief, Dr Uma Ramakrishnan; and Chief of State Protocol, Ambassador Elinor Felix.

The one-day conference, which is currently under way at The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston, is being jointly hosted with the Government of Jamaica under the theme ‘Unleashing Growth and Strengthening Resilience in the Caribbean’.

Key topics for discussion include ‘The Caribbean Growth Challenge: Crime and Youth Unemployment’, ‘Fiscal Policy and Political Cycles’, ‘Financial Sector: Stability and Growth Trade-offs’, and ‘Challenges and Opportunities in the Caribbean’.

On Friday Lagarde will hold bilateral talks with the Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, and will also meet with the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Peter Phillips, and women leaders.

She will also visit the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), where she will participate in a book launch and interactive session with students.