The Grenadian leader says the UN needs to help small nations

During our visits, people shared their views on the impact of the downturn.

In Barbados, jobs have been lost in the tourism industry. Government has moved to minimise losses in measures announced in the last budget.

And in St Vincent, Prime Minister Ralph Gonalves says tourism is facing an uphill climb. Government hopes new construction projects like a new foreign-financed airport will help create jobs.

Hear part one of BBC Caribbean's recession special

From Anguilla, tourism is also a major source of jobs. There, too, people are cutting their cloth to suit but report growing hardship for those losing their jobs in the hospitality industry.

And, in Antigua, there are also concerns about tourism and the decline of visitors. People there told BBC Caribbean of rising prices, less work available, and many struggling.

Wherever you are, now it's your turn to talk about the recession and you:

HAVE YOUR SAY

• Has the recession caused a major change in your life?
• Has it made no difference at all to your lifestyle?
• What ways have you found to beat the recession?
• Are Caribbean governments doing enough to help you or is it about helping yourself?

Recession is not (new) for the majority of the Caribbean people who have always been on survival mode. Many people in Jamaica, Haiti and other Caribbean islands know what I am talking about. A great number have been living on less than $2 a day. Their condition was never improving and it is just getting more attention now because it is now a global story to watch. But a great number of people have always been in recession but ignored by their leaders who have shown no strategy to help them out. Depression and recession are two perfect words to characterize this group of people. Tourism will prove to be a fickle economic strategy to alleviate permanent recession in this Caribbean region. We have too many political experts and few or development experts. I wish Caribbean people would learn to select their leaders based on their ability to foster change through development strategies that work. But we have been electing great political debaters who have no understanding of the development emergencies we have been facing.
Louinel
Mandeville, Jamaica