The vision and mission of the Caribbean Association of Banks (CAB) Inc. are embodied in the organisation’s strategic pillars. The thrust towards member development, support for academic growth, and up-skilling the region’s financial services sector is directly informed by the 45-year-old body’s stated mission – to proactively influence matters of interest to financial institutions through advocacy and education.
To that end, CAB annually offers a multiplicity of training and scholarship opportunities at various levels. With a membership numbering over 80 organisations in 20 territories, from the Bahamas in the north to Suriname in the south, and from Belize in the west to Barbados in the east, in addition to service members in the Caribbean, North America, Europe, and Asia, CAB is designed to support learning.
Among the available scholarship opportunities is an endowment to the University of the West Indies (UWI) for a BSc in Banking and Finance (Special or Compliance and Corporate Governance). In 2019, two new recipients were named for the January 2020 semester, Shafield St. Brice (Bank of Saint Lucia Ltd.) and Patricia Farrell (Antigua Commercial Bank). The latest graduate from that programme, Deriece Barnes (Antigua Commercial Bank) was part of the Class of 2019.
Two bursaries have been offered to date for Bangor University in the United Kingdom, where beneficiaries are able to pursue a Chartered Banker MBA via distance learning. After two years of study, Shanta Louis (Bank of Saint Lucia Ltd.) graduated from the programme in 2019, with the second awardee set to complete her studies in 2020. The application window for 2020 is presently open, and interested persons can visit the CAB website for further information.
Scholarships are also available for the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A course of study inclusive of a residency results in a dual award, a GSB Diploma and a Certificate of Executive Leadership. Several Caribbean bankers were among this year’s graduates, amongst which number Almon Stephen Crooke (St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Ltd.) was enrolled under the CAB scholarship programme.
Said Ms. Wendy Delmar, CEO of CAB, “We congratulate those who have taken advantage of the numerous opportunities that are available through CAB, and we certainly encourage prospective awardees to apply for the 2020 intake. Education remains a core part of our mission at CAB; we are committed to increasing the resilience and marketability of our institutions by supporting the development of the Caribbean’s greatest asset, our human resource.”
CAB also works in tandem with Keith Checkley & Associates to host the accredited online Credit Skills Academy (Foundation and Advanced), which offers credit towards UK Chartered Banker status. The organisation provides training at preferential rates for regional bankers through services members like Deloitte, EY, FIBA, Hitachi Systems Security Inc., The Jamaica Institute of Financial Services (JIFS), and KPMG.
Employees at member and non-member institutions can discover more about the various education and training initiatives on offer by visiting the CAB website or following the various CAB social media pages.
