St Vincent and the Grenadines: bonds, indices, credit ratings

Real GDP grew by an estimate of 6.7% in 2007, compared with a growth of 6.9% in 2006 and 2.6% in 2005. The growth was due to improvement in activities in the construction, wholesale and retail trade, transportation and agriculture sectors. Economic output grew in 2007 due to increases in economic activities within the construction, wholesale and retail trades and manufacturing sectors. New and existing private and public sector construction projects contributed to the growth, where private sector projects focused on tourism-related projects including ongoing work on the Buccament resort and the start of the Isle De Quatre Development Project. Growth in manufacturing output is expected on the opening of the cassava factory and increased market demand. Stay-over arrivals are expected to increase based on additions to hotel capacity and a renewed regional marketing thrust. Current revenues are expected to grow based on economic expansion and the introduction of new tax measures.
Since 2005, the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has undertaken a debt management strategy, of which the most significant aspect was the setting-up of the Debt Management Unit (the DMU) within the Ministry of Finance and Planning. The DMU is responsible for debt policy and strategy formulation, debt analysis, debt-raising activities and debt recording and monitoring. The DMU is also responsible for planning the Governments financing and borrowing requirements. As of December 31, 2007, the disbursed outstanding public debt stood at EC$989 million, the equivalent of 66.6% of GDP. Total Debt to GDP ratio decreased from 80.1% in 2006 to the 66.6% in 2007 and this reduction reflects the restructure of the Ottley Hall Shipyard project loan in October 2007.