Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham will travel to New York City to attend the New York Conference on the Caribbean, June 19-20. He will then travel onto to Washington, DC for the First Annual Caribbean Tourism Summit to be held June 21-24.

Mr. Ingraham will be joined in Washington by Minister of Tourism and Aviation the Hon. Neko Grant.

The New York Summit will examine issues such as investment, trade and education. CARICOM Heads are expected to meet with US House Ways and Means Committee Chairman, Congressman Charles Rangel, New York Governor David Patterson, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg as well as other elected officials.

Prime Minister Ingraham, as Chairman of Conference of CARICOM Heads will attend this year’s Annual Caribbean Tourism Summit, which will bring together leaders from political, tourism and investment communities and the Caribbean Diaspora. Chairman of the US Federal Reserve Board Alan Greenspan will deliver the keynote address at the Summit and will hold a breakfast meeting with CARICOM Heads.

While in Washington, the Prime Minister and Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community are also hold discussions with representatives from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).

Prime Minister Ingraham will use his presence in Washington to sign the $100 million loan agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank in connection with the expanded New Providence Road Corridor Enhancement Project.

He will also attend the World Bank to sign the Agreement marking The Bahamas’ accession to the International Development Association (IDA)

Prime Minister Ingraham will depart Nassau on Thursday, June 19 and return to Nassau on Monday, June 23.

Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon. Brent Symonette will act as Prime Minister and Minister of State for Finance the Hon. Zhivargo Laing will as Minister of Finance during the Prime Minister’s absence.