St. John's -- June 14, 2010 -- Antigua and Barbuda will host the first ever-regional conference on financial services conference next month, which is geared toward reviewing the status of the region's financial services sector.

The July 9-10 conference will provide a forum for frank exchange of ideas on financial regulatory issues, while considering options for the repositioning of the financial sector.

It will also look at technical assistance to strengthen the regulatory framework to ensure the continued viability of the sector in light of the changing global financial architecture.

Participants will also examine international efforts to reform the International Financial Sector and the implications of these efforts for the Caribbean.

Presentations will be made by regional and international organizations such as the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force and the European Union.

Over the past month, the National Authorizing Office, the Delegation of the European Commission to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean and CARICOM Secretariat have worked closely towards the realization of the first ever regional conference on financial services.