Category: Uncategorized

Republic Bank partners with the Forestry Division to plant over 120 Trees

CASTRIES, St. Lucia- –Republic Bank (EC) Limited-St. Lucia partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development, Forest and Land Resources Division to engage in a tree planting initiative, on March 11, 2023. The tree planting exercise took place at the beautiful Marquis Estate located in Babonneau where approximately 120 trees were planted by Republic Bank staff. According to Gezella Claxton – Senior Country Lead for Republic Bank St. Lucia Branches, “It was so heartwarming to see…

Antigua Student Aces CAPE® Financial Services Studies 🇦🇬

Miss Kiasha Warner is the second recipient of the Caribbean Association of Banks (CAB) Inc. Award for Most Outstanding Performance in CAPE® Financial Services Studies. A student of Antigua State College in Antigua & Barbuda, Miss Warner was so recognised when the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC®) hosted its 2022 Regional Top Award Ceremony. Miss Warner received a trophy, and an award of USD $2,500.00 from CAB, the representative body and established voice for the regional banking and financial services community.…

Dr Jide Lewis appointed deputy governor at the Bank of Jamaica 🇯🇲

Career central banker Dr. Jide Lewis has been appointed to the position of Deputy Governor, Financial Institutions Supervisory Division and as Deputy Supervisor of Banks, Financial Holding Companies, and Other Specified Financial Institutions (“Deputy Supervisor”) of the Bank of Jamaica, with effect from 16 June 2022. In this capacity, he will have responsibility for ensuring the relevance and adequacy of the legislative and regulatory framework and operational infrastructure to satisfy the statutory and supervisory responsibilities necessary to support the Bank’s financial system stability…

Donna Harding-Lee Appointed BOB Chairperson 🇧🇸

In recent weeks, the Bank of The Bahamas appointed its first-ever female chair, with attonery Donna Harding-Lee taking over the post following the necessary Central Bank approval. Mrs. Harding-Lee was called to The Bahamas Bar in 1982, and joined the firm of Cash Fountain & Company, where she remained for 14 years until founding her own law office, Harding-Lee & Company, in 1996. She has served as a director on several boards, including an insurance/financial institution, and Bank of The…

Work Advanced To Commence Pilot Implementation Of Jamaica CBDC In August

Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Governor, Richard Byles, says work is being finalised to commence pilot implementation of the proposed central bank digital currency (CBDC) locally, in August. Mr. Byles indicated that technical support for the CBDC’s rollout, among other inputs, are being reviewed to facilitate onboarding of the first financial institution – National Commercial Bank (NCB) – to test the system. The Governor said between September and December, the BOJ will look to onboard more banks, adding that “we will…

PROVEN Proposes to Acquire Fidelity Bank (Cayman) Limited

PROVEN Investments Limited (PROVEN) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a share purchase agreement with Fidelity Bank & Trust International Limited, a company incorporated in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, to acquire the entire issued share capital (the Shares) of Fidelity Bank (Cayman) Limited (FBC), conditional on receiving approval by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. FBC is a financial services company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and licensed under the Bank and Trust Companies Act as a Category…

Anthony Clerk is new President of Barbados Bankers Association

The Barbados Bankers Association (TBBA) announces the election of Mr. Anthony Clerk, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited as its new President. In addition to providing leadership of the Association, as President, TBBA, Mr. Clerk will be its main spokesperson to communicate the banking industry’s perspective to government, regulators and stakeholders, inclusive of the media and the public. Mr. Clerk is a career banker with more than a decade of experience at the Senior Management Level…

CARICOM decries “unilateral, arbitrary” EU blacklisting

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) deplores the ongoing unilateral, arbitrary and non-transparent blacklisting strategy employed by the European Union (EU) against CARICOM Member States. The most recent inclusion of CARICOM States to the blacklist of alleged non-cooperative tax jurisdictions and jurisdictions identified as being deficient in the area of Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), underscores the EU’s unwillingness to take into account the substantial progress made by CARICOM Member States at compliance with global standards. Moreover, the unquestioned use…

How Caribbean Banking Can Help Shape The Region Post-Pandemic

Q. Generally speaking, how has the pandemic impacted banks within the region? It has really placed all the banks in the region in a very terrible position, in my view. They’ve managed the fallout from the pandemic quite admirably. But when you think about what banks are heavily dependent on, they would tell you right away that anyone in their position would be very concerned if they were met with the financial conditions of governments not being able to pay…

COVID-19 Pandemic: The Economic Impact on Caribbean Economies

Castries, Saint Lucia, Tuesday, September 7th 2020: Regional Overview The Caribbean is comprised primarily of island nations, of which, the majority are classified as small island developing states (SIDS). This characteristic of the region exposes Caribbean economies as small, open, and significantly trade-dependent; all of which are distinct features of numerous SIDS. As a result, economies within the region are rendered exceedingly vulnerable to economic shocks (both internal and external). In addition, owing to several inherent benefits of its geographical…