, private sector and citizens - accept their specific responsibilities in this regard. the governments have the responsibility for providing the environment in which economic and social development can take place, and the rights of individuals are protected. the private sector, particularly in this new era, to produce goods and services, which are internationally competitive. the citizens, to participate in political, social and economic activities, which lead to the development of the society. there are two particular examples i would want to bring to your attention. first, in the demands made by citizens on governments, we must be aware of the fact that these are financed by taxation on the public. second, in the case of loans made by banks, we must realise that these are made out of the deposits of other citizens. we need to have a knowledgeable and responsible community which, in the face of the challenging domestic and external environment, makes judicious and objective choices, to achieve our ultimate goal which is the welfare of our people.

sir k dwight venner : the eccu economy in 2004 and prospects for 2005 and beyond presentation by sir k dwight venner, governor of the eastern caribbean central bank, st. kitts, 25 january 2005. * * * introduction good evening, ladies, gentlemen, and fellow citizens of the eastern caribbean currency union. on behalf of the monetary council, board of directors, management and staff of the eastern caribbean central bank, i bring you greetings and best wishes for the new year. i welcome this opportunity to address you on the economic performance of the currency union in 2004, as well as to share with you the bank ’ s views on the prospects we face in the year 2005 and beyond. we live in a fast changing environment characterised as the information age. the political, social and economic development of the international community, and the nations which belong to this community, are influenced by the access to information. information, because of the revolution in information technology and telecommunications, is now potentially more accessible to the public in its various forms, namely print, audio or video. the means of communication have also been expanded by way of methods such as newspapers, radio and television, the internet, and public and private meetings. this new environment requires certain reciprocal responsibilities in a democratic society. information made available to the public must be timely, accurate, and comprehensive and every citizen must be sufficiently literate and motivated to access and make use of this information. this must be the case if we are to expand our range of choices, and make suitable decisions involving our own welfare. central banks, and the eccb is no exception, have the responsibility, given their position in the economic system, to provide economic and financial information of the highest quality so that their governments, business enterprises, trade unions and individuals can make well - informed decisions, which can facilitate economic growth and socio - economic development. on this note, i would like to make an appeal to governments, the private sector and the public, to work together to develop our statistical services so that we can have at our disposal, the kind and quality of information which will facilitate our development. in the case of the governments, this means allocating the necessary financial and human resources, so that timely, accurate and comprehensive statistics can be available, to enhance policy - making. in the case of the private sector and individuals, it implies providing the information required from them by the statistical services, in a timely and accurate manner, and supporting the call for the timely