St Kitts and Nevis´ Prime Minister Denzil Douglas said the $16 million expansion now taking place at the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport is another step in preparing the twin-island Federation to “to welcome the rest of the world.” Mr. Douglas, who is also Minister of Tourism and Finance, was at the time making brief remarks at a ceremony at which a $14 million loan agreement was signed between the Government of St Kitts and Nevis and the Export-Import Bank of the Republic of China. The St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank is also financing the project.

Digicel, the fastest growing mobile provider in the Caribbean, predicts a growing market for mobile content in the region as penetration of cutting-edge handsets continues to increase among its customers. The company notes that sports content is a key area that taps a cultural common ground throughout a diverse group of countries in the pan-Caribbean region.

FirstCaribbean is investing $9 million in building a new state-of-the-art Regional Business Center in Barbados. This new building will house regional Operations, IT and Cards teams serving the Bank´s Pan-Caribbean footprint from their location in Barbados. Construction of the new Business Centre has already begun and the new building is located close to the Bank´s Regional Head Office at Warrens, Barbados.

Air Canada reported a system load factor of 83.5 percent in June 2006. The mainline carrier flew 1.7 percent more revenue passenger miles (RPM) in June 2006 than in June 2005, according to preliminary traffic figures. Overall, capacity decreased by 0.9 percent, resulting in a load factor of 83.5 percent, compared to 81.3 percent in June 2005; an increase of 2.2 percentage points.

TAM, Brazil´s largest airline, will start a daily flight to London as of October 28, landing at Heathrow airport, the main entrance to the United Kingdom. The frequency will be offered prime time, ensuring greater comfort and convenience to passengers, mainly to business travelers. It will depart from Guarulhos airport (Sao Paulo) at night, arriving in Heathrow in the afternoon. The return will also be at night, landing in Sao Paulo in the early morning.

Chile and Panama inked last week a free trade agreement that will scrap 98 percent of tariffs levied on trade between the countries over the next ten years. ‘‘Panama and Chile are generating the necessary conditions for an economic takeoff that will allow us to leave underdevelopment behind,´´ said Panamanian Vice-President Samuel Lewis Navarro.