News from the ECCB say, “Senior officials from commercial banks and non-bank financial institutions which operate within the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) and the wider Caribbean will examine the link between soundness in the banking sector and economic growth when they they were scheduled to meet for the 26th Annual Conference with Commercial Banks at the ECCB Headquarters, St Kitts and Nevis, on November 5 and 6, 2015.
The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) began hosting the annual conference with commercial banks in 1990. The conference serves as a forum for discussing issues which are critical to the development of the region’s financial and banking sector.
The theme of this year’s conference is: “Bank Soundness and Macro-Economic Stability”. The discussions will focus on three sub-themes:
- Governance and Banking Crisis presented by Mr Wayne Dass, CEO, Caribbean Information and Credit Rating Services Ltd;
- Credit Risk and Bank Lending, presented by Mr Damion Brown, Group Risk Manager, Jamaica Money Market Brokers; and
- Sound Banking Systems and Economic Growth, presented by Professor Claremont Kirton, Deputy Executive Director, University of the West Indies (UWI).
The Annual Conference with Commercial Banks was preceded by the pre-announced 20th Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Lecture. Mr Augusto de la Torre, Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean at The World Bank will present the lecture on 4 November at the ECCB Headquarters.
ECCB recognises Social Contribution of ECCU Commercial Banks
In other ECCB news a late announcement was made that the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) would recognise commercial banks which operate within the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) for implementing, participating in and promoting programmes designed to improve the quality of life of the people they serve, when the Bank presents the 2015 Best Corporate Citizen Award Among ECCU Commercial Banks on November 4.
The ECCB initiated the Best Corporate Citizen Award Among ECCU Commercial Banks in 1997. Banks are assessed for demonstrating social responsibility in the areas of: Educational Development; Community Outreach and Social Services; Environmental Awareness; Sports; Cultural Development; Customer Service; and Financial Education and Empowerment. Commercial banks which are desirous of being considered for the award are required to submit evidence of their contribution in these categories.
Good Corporate Citizen Awards are presented to the banks which have made outstanding contributions in the respective categories, while the Best Corporate Citizen Award is presented to the bank which demonstrates significant contribution to the overall development of the ECCU through human resource development and sustained community outreach.
This year, 10 banks will be considered for the awards:
- Antigua Commercial Bank
- The Bank of Nova Scotia (Antigua)
- The Bank of Nova Scotia (Grenada)
- The Bank of Nova Scotia (St Kitts and Nevis)
- Bank of Saint Lucia Ltd
- Eastern Caribbean Amalgamated Bank
- Grenada Co-operative Bank Ltd
- National Bank of Dominica Ltd
- Republic Bank (Grenada) Ltd
- St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Limited
