7. Our role takes on added importance as we witness the drastic unrelenting financial market changes that are seriously eroding the opportunities for creative entrepreneurs with new and viable products and services to obtain funding or financing for business expansion and growth. The present uncertainty and freeze in the extension of credit in the international market place has resulted in lenders and private investors no longer willing to assume risk without a certainty of guarantee against any loss. (this may include principal and interest). Loan guarantee facilities are now playing an increasingly important role in loan/capitalization financing, but at the same time the pricing is becoming prohibitive.