Brasília, 12/12/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - With inflation under control and the resultant reduction in interest rates because of rigid fiscal measures, the government can now focus on increasing the availability of credit so that new jobs can be created especially in small businesses.

That was the message the president of the Central Bank, Henrique Meirelles, delivered at the VII Juridical Forum for Financial Institutions in his speech on "Financial System Modernization."

Meirelles declared that Brazil's Central Bank has one of the world's most efficient control and inspection systems.

The president of the Central Bank said that it is fundamental for banks to expand their services, make more credit available and reduce their spread so loan operations can be cheaper.Meirelles called for more credit for low-income people and small businesses so as to create more jobs. (AB)