ECCU Citizens Invited to Share Their Financial Success Stories

ECCB…September 2, 2010 – Citizens of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) are being given the opportunity to share their financial success stories through the 2010 Financial Information Month Dreams to Reality Contest.

Eligible candidates must be people from humble beginnings, who through hard work and wise money management practices, were able to realise their dreams of owning a home, starting and operating a successful business, educating themselves or their children, or any other financial venture they undertook to improve their living conditions.

The winner of the Financial Information Month Dreams to Reality Contest will receive a cash prize of EC$2,000; while second and third place winners will receive EC$1,500 and EC$1,000 respectively.

Stories must be 300 to 500 words and must be emailed to the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank at: info@eccb-centralbank.org. The deadline for submitting entries is 29 October, 2010.

Financial Information month is celebrated in October each year in the eight member countries of the ECCU: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. During the month, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) in collaboration with financial institutions, Ministries of Education and Finance, the media and community groups implement a range of educational initiatives aimed at preparing citizens to make the financial decisions that can contribute to an improvement in their quality of life.

This year’s theme is: Make Your Dreams a Reality, Save and Invest Wisely. Other activities for Financial Information Month 2010 will include: a youth financial symposium; presentations on financial issues to churches, business places, schools, foster parents and prisoners; children’s library hour and exhibition at the Charles A. Halbert Public Library and a financial walk-a-thon in Nevis.