Published 8 October 2019
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Prime Minister Harris congratulates ECCB as it celebrates its 36th anniversary
Basseterre, St. Kitts (October 8, 2019) — Management and staff of the Basseterre-based Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), in celebration of the institution’s 36th anniversary, on Sunday October 6 joined worshippers at the Basseterre Wesleyan Holiness Church on Cayon Street, during which Governor Timothy Antoine proclaimed that “God is man’s best insurance.”
Governor Antoine informed the large congregation that he had not come to give greetings but to bring praise for the thirty six years the ECCB had served the region.
“Thirty six years of monetary stability, and I will tell you on behalf of all of us at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank – it is a privilege to serve our region,” said Governor Antoine. “We take pride in what we do. It is more than a job – it is a call to service.”
Joining the ECCB management and staff for the worship service, which was led by Senior Pastor Rev Sylvester Herbert, were Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, and ECCB Board Member for St. Kitts and Nevis Mrs Hilary Hazel, who is also the Financial Secretary for the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis.
“My government congratulates the management of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank for maintaining a strong currency in the thirty six years it has served our sub-region,” said Prime Minister Harris. “The launch of polymer banknotes in May this year was an indicator of its success as it joined the few monetary authorities in the world that have launched the notes that were first issued by Australia in 1988.”
The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank serves Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and St. Kitts and Nevis, and two British overseas territories namely Montserrat and Anguilla.
“The month of October is a special month for the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank,” observed Governor Antoine. “We not only celebrate our anniversary, our founding, but we also celebrate Financial Information Month, some refer to it as FIM. So throughout this month and throughout our region, all of our countries, we are celebrating Financial Information Month. The broad theme of this, and we are now in our eighteenth year, is Financial Empowerment Through Education.”
According to the Governor, special focus for this year is on a theme called ‘Plan for uncertainty, make insurance your priority’, and he encouraged those who are not insured to be insured, and as a financial tip he advised persons to never forget to prepare for their final audit.
“Never forget to prepare for the final audit,” advised Governor Antoine. “By the way, since we are talking about insurance, God is man’s best insurance. In fact He is known as Blessed Assurance – so get your priorities straight.”
Also attending the anniversary service included St. Kitts and Nevis Governor’s Deputy Mr Michael Morton, who is also the deputy chairman of the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange; the secretary of the Eastern Caribbean Securities Regulatory Commission Ms Alousia Faisal; Senior Manager at the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange Tarlie Francis; and a number of retirees who Governor Antoine called “our stalwarts.”
