UN General Assembly
2001

has been thrown into an accelerated decline, with consequences that are particularly disturbing for small developing countries like the Commonwealth of Dominica. In the Caribbean there is strong evidence of damage to vital sectors of our economy, such as tourism, financial services and agriculture. The actual and projected losses of jobs in the region are in the thousands, and for those countries that were already experiencing fiscal pressures the prospect of higher unemployment and decreased revenues is daunting. Complicating the problem is the great concern that in the fight against terrorism and in the drive to enforce counter-terrorism measures, certain areas in which developing countries in the Caribbean region have a competitive advantage, such as the financial services sector, may be subjected to inordinate pressure and be unfairly targeted and linked to illegal activities such as money-laundering. We are convinced that well- regulated, competitive tax jurisdictions should be treated separately and distinctly from illegal activities such as money-laundering. The Commonwealth of Dominica remains firmly committed to the struggle against international terrorism to the same extent that