Ian Fair won the 2014 Award for Lifetime Achievement. Pictured from left are: BFSB Chairman Prince Rahming, Nicole Fair (accepting on behalf of her father Ian Fair), Minister Maynard-Gibson, and BFSB CEO Aliya Allen. (Photo/BFSB)
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AG Says Expertise, Efficiency & Excellence Key to
Financial Services Expansion
NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Bahamas
Financial Services Board (BFSB) recognized the accomplishments of industry
professionals and associations during the 14thannual Financial
Services Industry Excellence Awards Dinner Friday, November 14th at British
Colonial Hilton.
The Attorney General and Minister of
Legal Affairs, Senator the Hon. Allyson Maynard Gibson congratulated the
honorees and told them told them that they are seen when people view The
Bahamas as a financial services destination. “Your professional and academic
lives match and exceed colleagues all over the world. You showcase The Bahamas
– where we plan to go from strength to strength.”
The Attorney General affirmed
that the country’s world standing is “good” and opportunities for improvement
are continuously being explored. “Recently, after extensive consultations with
the industry led by BFSB; AIBT and the Ministry of Financial Services, the
government of The Bahamas announced our commitment to implementing global
standards on the automatic exchange of information by 2018,” she said. “Next
year, The Bahamas will undergo the CFATF Fourth Round Review.”
She said in order to sustain and expand
the financial services sector, particularly in an era of transparency, The
Bahamas must stand out as a centre of “expertise, efficiency and excellence”.
Noting Prime Minister Perry Christie’s
appeal for public private sector partnerships, the Attorney General said
collaboration was “critically” important in developing the new automated system
to incorporate IBCs and Companies Act entirely online at the Registrar
General’s Department.
“The target date for the IBC Pilot
Project is December 1stand for the Companies Act Pilot Project
is December 8th. We expect that voluntary dissolutions will be
available online within the first quarter of 2015. In the meantime the manual
process for such dissolutions has been streamlined and we expect that you will
see a marked improvement in delivery times,” said Mrs. Maynard-Gibson.
Furthermore, it is expected that this
year Notary Public licenses will also be applied for and issued online, the
Attorney General added.
She encouraged those present to
continue to mentor, expose and inspire young people to the myriad of vistas and
opportunities offered by financial services.
The
Financial
Services Industry Excellence Awards recipients for 2014 are: Lifetime
Achievement Award, Ian Fair; Mentor of the Year, Edward Virgil II; Executive of
the Year, Ivan Hooper, Professional of the Year; Baldwin Rigby, Achiever of the
Year; Amanda Smith, Student of the Year, Tevin Bannister and ICON Working
Group, financial services development and promotion. They received awards for
their achievements.
Representatives of the financial
services industry, family and well-wishers filled the Governor’s Ballroom to
witness the event and support the honorees. Participants included Aliya Allen,
CEO and Executive Director, BFSB; Prince Rahming, Chairman, BFSB; Reece Chipman
and Jasmine Davis. The Falcon Traffic Band provided entertainment for the
event.
SEE AWARDS PHOTOS:
Bahamas FSI Excellence Awards 2014
