by B. Roach
One month ago, today, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management received a ‘financial’ that should put the Ministry in a better position to manage the island’s debt.
That was the wish of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) agency office as Mrs Claudette Weekes handed over a server to the ministry on Tuesday, October 17.
She said: “This is in tandem with goal three and goal five of the ECCB’s Strategic Plan 2017 – 2021 that speak to the ECCB being the advisor of choice to participating governments in pursuit of fiscal and debt sustainability. And, it also speaks to the ECCB enhancing organizational effectiveness to ensure responsiveness and service excellence.”
The server was donated in collaboration with the Canada Eastern Caribbean debt management advisory service. It allows the ministry to more effectively correct and stores data relating to the Government of Montserrat’s debt. ECCB representative Claudette Weekes says the equipment along with the accessories and licenses will enhance and boost the work of the debt management units.
The Honorable Financial Secretary Colin Owen accepted the equipment along with budget director Colin Fergus. Mr Owen was grateful for the assistance from the Central Bank, as he said, “Thank you very much. Just to say a heartfelt thanks to the ECCB from the Ministry of Finance for the equipment. It’s certainly well accepted. For the last couple of years, the ECCB has been doing the work for us and this is part of the program that allows the Ministry of Finance to care and look after its own records and information.”
“Montserrat is very fortunate,” he said concluding. “We don’t have a huge level of debt so we will use the equipment appropriately.”
