The Bankers and Financial Services Association of St. Kitts and Nevis (BFSA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Steve Farier as the new President of the association effective 18th March, 2021.
Mr. Farier brings to the position a wealth of knowledge and experience in the financial industry in St. Kitts and Nevis and the Caribbean region. Mr. Farier succeeds Mr. Chad Allen, Manager (St. Kitts Operations) of The Bank of Nevis, (formally Royal Bank of Canada).
Mr. Farier holds a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Financial Analysis and Fund Management from the University of Exeter (UK) and is a Certified Residential Underwriter (CRU) as well as a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS). Mr. Farier is currently the General Manager at TDC Financial Services Company Ltd and has contributed to the development of the financial sector of St. Kitts and Nevis for over fifteen (15) years.
Mr. Farier stated, “It is with tremendous gratitude that I accept this new challenge. The BFSA aims to preserve a sound banking system by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of banking services within St. Kitts and Nevis. We all know the crucial role that financial institutions play in our everyday personal and business lives. Hence, by promoting the general welfare and usefulness of banking, the BFSA acts as the primary outside resource for its members in accomplishing their goals and objectives.”
The BFSA is comprised of representatives from each of the following financial institutions: TDC Financial Services Company Ltd, St. Kitts Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Ltd, The Bank of Nevis Ltd, Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis Ltd, Republic Bank (EC) Ltd and CIBC First Caribbean International Bank.
We extend hearty congratulations to Mr. Steve Farier on his appointment to the post of President of the Bankers and Financial Services Association of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Starlina Roserie
Secretary
Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 8th, 2021 (ZIZ News)Meanwhile Business and Professional Women Regional Coordinator for North America and the Caribbean, Dawne Williams says women have been at the forefront in countries that have successfully weathered the Covid-19 pandemic.
Williams who is a past CEO of St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank was at the time delivering an address for International Women’s Day on Monday.
Miss Williams also noted that women’s contribution to the fight against the pandemic extended beyond the political circles to frontline workers and related areas.
She said the reality is that women bring different experiences, perspectives and skills to the table and make “exceptional contributions to decisions, policies and lwas that work better for all”.
International Women’s Day is being observed in tandem with the hashtag “Choose to Challenge”.
]]>BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, February 27, 2021 (MMS-SKN) — St. Kitts and Nevis, which aims at having 70 percent of its population vaccinated against Covid-19, is on track to achieve the milestone with over 600 persons having been vaccinated since Monday February 22 when the vaccine rollout was launched at the New Town Community Centre in Basseterre.
“For the week so far, over 600 persons have gone to get their vaccination,” revealed Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris on Saturday February 27. “Over 600 persons, and ask yourself ‘600 have gone, why not me?’ What are you waiting for? So, I just want to encourage you by and large to be part of the programme and go quickly. The life you will save may very well be your own.”
Prime Minister Harris gave the information at the Ottley’s hardcourts at the end of the popular Prime Minister’s Monthly Health Walk, which had taken participants from Bellevue to Ottley’s in Constituency Number Seven, where a special session was held sensitise walk participants and members of the general public on the importance of being vaccinated.
“I just want to say that the vaccine is good for you, and that is why the entire government ministers have gone to get the vaccine,” assured Dr Harris. “That is why close to 30 medical doctors, some of them you know, have gone to take this vaccine. Do not be the one that is left out, for when you look at some who are going and some who are yet to go, you have to wonder if people are not noticing.”
Also addressing walk participants and telling them about the were Minister of Health the Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Delores Stapleton-Harris, National HIV/AIDS Programme Coordinator and Health Educator Dr Mathias Afortu-Ofre, medical practitioners Dr Dail Crawford and Dr Leroy Richardson, and District Medical Officer Dr Bernicia Nisbett who is also the Deputy Speaker.
According to Prime Minister Harris, the vaccine is being provided free of cost while it is coming at a very high price. Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean (OECS) countries will on Sunday February 28 receive 125,000 doses of vaccine from India costing EC$700,000 bought through the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB). Prime Minister Harris, who is the chairman of the ECCB Monetary Council, had earlier in the week stated that the Federation would receive 41,600 doses of the vaccines, which is in addition to 2,000 doses it had previously received.
“The world is changing rapidly – you now have to carry your negative test to most countries when you are travelling,” reminded the Honourable Prime Minister. “I believe the next step, once you want to travel, you are going to have to show that you have been vaccinated. Do not wait until you find yourself in an emergency to be looking to say you want to get vaccinated.”
Further Prime Minister Harris informed walk participants that a vaccination session was taking place that morning between 9:00 and 11:30 at the New Town Health Centre, where a number of security force officers, from the Prisons, Police, and Fire and Rescue Services were going to get their vaccine. He noted that the government wants the entire country to be vaccinated.
Addressing his constituents, Dr Harris said: “You have in this constituency the opportunity to get vaccinated at the Molineux Health Centre, and you have the opportunity to do so at the Tabernacle Health Centre. At least those are two places, but I am sure if you go to any health centre, you will not be turned back, and we want to increase.”
Inviting persons to join him at the St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank 50th Anniversary church service to be held at the Rivers of Living Water Christian Centre in Lime Kiln, West Basseterre, on Sunday February 28 at 5:00 pm, Prime Minister Harris ended by saying: “If you can make it, you are invited. Please wear your mask. Until we reach what Dr Crawford called ‘herd immunity’, that is having at least 70 percent of the people in the country vaccinated, you will still need to wear your mask.”
As a further defence, Dr Harris advised persons to continue wearing the masks even when they take vaccines, “because remember, until a certain number has done it, they will put all of us at risk, and that is why you have to be encouraging your friends, your family members so that they will be part of the circle of people you know who are vaccinated. That is why the entire Cabinet has been vaccinated. So when we are sitting down at the table, we know all of us have done what we can to protect ourselves.”
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 12th, 2021 (ZIZ News) The St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank has responded to rumors of a hacking incident at the bank, following the interruption of services on Thursday into Friday.
CEO of National Bank Donald Thompson said an investigation is underway into an IT security incident that has caused the service interruption.
Although not directly addressing the rumor of the bank being hacked, Mr. Thompson said all funds at the bank are secure.
Mr. Thompson used the opportunity to invite customers to utilize the bank’s ATMs or the 1300 point of sales machines across the island to access funds and complete electronic transactions.
On Friday the bank extended opening hours until 5pm to allow customers more time to do business.
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Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 03, 2021 (SKNIS): The Team Unity Cabinet of Ministers met on Monday, February 01, 2021, at the Ministry of Finance Conference Room, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris. Several issues affecting the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis were deliberated on.
https://youtu.be/7ibp2X3Ivpk
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 24th, 2020 (ZIZ News) The St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank brought some Christmas spirit with a cultural twist on Thursday morning as they collaborated with the Sugar Hill String Band from Nevis to entertain the customers in line.
Executive Marketing Manager at National Bank, Anthony Morton said it was their way of saying thank you to their patrons for their loyalty throughout the year.
Mr Morton went on to wish everyone Merry Christmas and a Happy 2021.
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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, November 16, 2020 (DBSKN) — In celebration of a week of activities in observance of World Diabetes Day, the St. Kitts Diabetes Association held a Grand Walk on Saturday November 14, the actual World Diabetes Day.
The walk, which was held under the theme ‘Walk to Cure Diabetes’, took the participants who included the Minister of Health the Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett and the Permanent Secretary Dr Delores Stapleton-Harris, from the Cenotaph at the War Memorial to the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and back via Bay Road.
“The St. Kitts Diabetes Association we have been having our week of activities which started on Sunday November 8 by worshipping at the St. George’s Anglican Church,” observed the association’s Public Relations Officer, Dr Reginald O’Loughlin when he talked to the media at the end of the Grand Walk which saw the majority of participants wearing blue.
“On Monday evening we had a very interesting panel discussion on radio and television, and then on Friday that is yesterday, we were in the Square doing our annual downtown screening for the general public,” added Dr O’Loughlin who was accompanied by President of the St. Kitts Diabetes Association, Nurse Christine Wattley. “This morning of course you witnessed the Walk for Diabetes and tomorrow (Sunday November 15) we will conclude this week with the annual general meeting.”
World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes. World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2006 with the passage of United Nations Resolution 61/225, and it is observed every year on November 14, the birthday of Sir Fredrick Banting who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922.
“We are privileged to have had assistance through collaborators such as the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis, and the St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank,” observed Dr O’Loughlin. “These entities have come on board to help us in no small way to be able to achieve some of the goals – some of the things we wanted to achieve, and of course we would like to show our appreciation to those particular entities.”
Four Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis employees, Assistant Manager, Compliance Unit, Ms Veronica Boddie, Delinquency Officers Ms Gizelle Williams, and Ms Kristyl Bristol, and Accounting Officer, Ms Jasmin Primus, participated in the walk. The first group of five walkers returned to the War Memorial at 7:21 am, while they were closely followed by Ms Veronica Boddie who arrived at 7:25 am.
“The Board of Directors, Management and staff of the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis applaud the St. Kitts Diabetes Association for the work it has been doing to educate the public not only on the dangers posed by diabetes, but most importantly how one can avoid contracting the disease, and to manage it if you are unlucky to have contracted it,” said Development Bank’s Manager, Human Resource Unit, Ms Danienne Brin.
“We at the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis are fully cognisant of the old adage that a nation’s health is its wealth,” observed Ms Brin. “We have as a result partnered with the St. Kitts Diabetes Association over the years, and this year we were ably represented on the walk by four of our staff members who despite their demanding weekend chores chose to take part and to partake of the health benefits that come with such an exercise.”
The St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank was represented by Chairman of the Board of the National Bank Group of Companies, Mr Alexis Nisbett, and a number of their staff members.
Dr O’Loughlin also thanked members of the St. Kitts Nevis Red Cross, who have been collaborating with the St. Kitts Diabetes Association, saying that they were in the Square on Friday and their presence was felt throughout the walk as they ensured that no one experienced difficulties, health-wise, during the walk.
“And overall I wish to thank all those people who came out to support, even those who gave us words of wisdom and encouragement,” said O’Loughlin. “We are very appreciative of that and we hope that they stick and stay with us as we continue the fight with diabetes and with all the people who are suffering in order to encourage them to do the right thing: Follow the gospel according the St. Kitts Diabetes Association, the TEEM Gospel, that is to say Testing, Exercising, Eating right, and taking their Medication in a disciplined fashion.”
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 17th 2020 (SKELEC)—The St. Kitts Electricity Company Ltd, unveiled a new automated customer support portal—Interactive Voice Response System, IVR—at a launch event on Thursday 9th July. The new customer service support portal provides an additional avenue for customers to engage with the company by allowing customers to receive real time updates about outages and restoration times, inquire about bill balances, pay bills, report faults and update contact details over the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Utilities, Honourable Shawn Richards, SKELEC’s IVR System was introduced to deal with the challenges presented by the COVID-19 crisis in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“With the imposition of curfews and the restrictions on movement, it became increasingly difficult for our customers to conduct business with us,” Minister Richards said. “We are aware that some customers did not receive physical copies of their bills, made inquiries through our social media platforms about their bill balances, were reluctant to come into our main office to make bill payments as a result of physical and social distancing, and were not able to sign up for our online billing platform E-biz— SKELEC is proud to offer its solution to these challenges.”
SKELEC’s IVR System is the first of its kind in St. Kitts Nevis and one of few throughout the Caribbean region. The addition of IVR technology, valued at $83,000 US, adds a new dimension to SKELEC’s growing list of customer service portals making it easier and more accessible for customers to interact with the Company. The automated service is a smart technology which caters to all customers. The IVR system can respond to voice commands and touch tone keypad selections and can also be accessed in Spanish. Payments made using the IVR System occur real time as such the account is updated automatically.
In addition to the company’s alternative bill payment options including its E-biz Platform (ebiz.skelec.kn), as well as the online banking portals at St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank, FirstCaribbean Bank and Republic Bank, IVR provides an added opportunity for customers to make bill payments and overall interact with the company.
This on-demand automated customer service support system is revolutionary as customers have never been able to access customer support services over the phone 24/7. In addition to E-biz: the company’s online bill platform, the company can now boast of its own additional bill pay platform as a part of its more ways to pay campaign.
SKELEC would like to recognize the St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank and Milsoft Utility Solutions and Daffron and Associates as partners for SKELEC’s Interactive Voice Response System.
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